John Boehner's drinking problem

[Cali_Democrat]

I don't want to make light of alcoholism because it is a very serious issue. That is not my intention with this post.

It's my understanding that Boehner had a drinking problem in the past, but he has taken steps to correct it. After all, he is the Speaker of the House and 2nd in line for the presidency after Biden.

Did anyone catch his press conference today? With the Department of Homeland Security on the verge of shutdown tomorrow, he started cracking jokes and blowing kisses at reporters:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251396804

Did he fall off the wagon? Have the extreme conservatives in his caucus driven him to heavy drinking again?

This is deadly serious.

The Speaker of the House is ready to shutdown Homeland Security and he doesn't even care. Tens of thousands of employees will be furloughed and even more are going to go without pay.

The security of our country is at risk and the only person who can prevent a shutdown of Homeland Security is a full blown drunk.

[BubbaFett]

1. One of the first things Obama SHOULD have done

was dismantle DHS.

DHS has as much to do with security as the CIA has to do with intelligence; i.e., NOTHING.

[Scuba]

7. Yeah, but DHS was a great cover to add a giant chunk to the "defense" budget.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Boner might see the door soon.

Got a hunch the Religious Freakhood is about to pounce. By By Johnny.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. That would be interesting

I wonder who the next speaker could be.

[Wellstone ruled]

9. Next one in line would be a

TeaBillie wanna be from Utah.

[MindPilot]

3. If DHS is defunded that will be a gift!

The first step to dismantling the police state. Might be the best thing Boner's done for America in his entire career.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. The problem is that there are agencies such as FEMA that fall under DHS

I agree that it should be dismantled, but the immediate concern is to fund DHS and then we can have discussions about breaking it up.

[Scuba]

8. Re-org and re-align the goals of the stuff we need, stop wasting time/money on the rest.

[Elwood P Dowd]

12. You really trust the neanderthal fascists republicans running congress to reorganize DHS?

Their idea of reorganization would be to fire thousands of government employees and then give DHS to a giant for profit corporation that funds republican politicians.

[madinmaryland]

4. Drinking or not, Boehner doesn't care about people. n/t

[Left coast liberal]

10. I don't think he has been on the wagon...

And, it would not be the first time.

[No Vested Interest]

11. His former bartender at the country club a few doors

from his home was recently arrested for wanting to poison him.
That would indicate that Speaker Boehner at least patronizes that bar at that club.

Of course, the bartender is mentally ill, and has been dismissed, but there is no denial that Boehner was his customer.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. This may shock you but we don't NEED a "Department of Homeland Security"...

We got through WWI, WWII and the Cold War without it.

It was created in the wake of 9/11 after the Bush Administration failed to take the threats of Middle Eastern Terrorism seriously.

You see, the entire Republican Party was CONVINCED all of that talk of Middle East Terrorism was just Clinton trying to distract everyone from the Impeachment and Monica, Monica, Monica. Anyone who came forward with a treat assessment was considered to be a former Clinton appointee trying to make their former boss look good and was told to shut up.

On 9/11 our National Security was the duty of Condoleezza Rice and she was an "expert" on the old Soviet Union.

They couldn't fire her because that would be an admitting they were WRONG and Republicans NEVER admit they are wrong. Being "The Party of Personal Responsibility" also means you never admit you did anything wrong. (Plus they worried about the optics of firing a black woman who they considered to be "one of the good ones" i.e.: Rich from oil.)

They made the absurd claim that America NEEDED the DHS as if we had been vulnerable before. Effectively, Republicans were admitting something important like national security should no longer be the responsibility of the Administration and should be run by nameless, faceless bureaucrats who wouldn't be non-political. IOW: Next time we get hit the DHS gets the blame instead of a member of their club.

Bottom line is Republicans don't take ANY of this stuff seriously and never have. They think the job of the President is to be the PR spokesmodel for their unpopular crap.

[erronis]

15. +1 - Yes, they (the 'uglicans) do take DHS and funding seriously

Anything that would impact their extracurricular income negatively would get their attention.

I worked in DC during the 9/11 period and watched as many of my friends jumped on the Homeland Security bandwagon. One of them said that that was where all the money would be.

AFAIK, no subsumed agency likes the DHS. Georgie (or his personal trainer) got his way and made it seem like a solution to problems he didn't even know he had.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

21. A lot of them did look at it like a slush fund but the Libertarian Wing HATES IT.

[Cali_Democrat]

16. Please see my post upthread

I agree that it should be dismantled.

The problem is that agencies like FEMA fall under DHS.

So they would be cut off from funds in the event of a shutdown.

With only one day to go, the goal should be to first fund and then re-org.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

22. I can already hear the Alex Jones nutcases screaming "FEMA CAMPS!!!"

[Hekate]

17. This may shock you, but we DO need FEMA to function professionally. It got folded into DHS by Bush

...who deprofessionalized it so badly that longtime employees who were interviewed afterward actually wept.

Heckuva job, BushCheney!

Under Obama it's making a comeback, and we still need FEMA.

Also, can the Executive Branch actually disassemble DHS? Wouldn't that take an act of Congress?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. "Wouldn't that take an act of Congress?"

You mean like defunding it?

[pnwmom]

14. Here's the relevant snippet from the conference. Does he always mug like this?

I can see why you're wondering if he was sober. I am, too.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/john-boehner-blows-kisses-to-the-press-won-t-budge-on-dhs-20150226

[Spitfire of ATJ]

23. That inspired someone to do this....

[Cali_Democrat]

24. hahaha. nt

[lpbk2713]

18. He might be wishing he never heard of Netanyahu.

It might be apparent to Boner at this point that he bit off more than he could chew.

[herding cats]

19. He was trying to avoid the questions.

He had nothing new to offer up, as one reporter pointed out, and he was trying to wing his way through the presser. He has no control of his caucus, they're running amok this session - more so than usual, and the damn reporters are starting to notice. Hell, even McConnell doesn't want to be associated with him right now!

He's in quite the pickle, but I'm not sure he was pickled. Maybe a little Xanax or a tee-tiny little drink to take the edge off is all. Purely medicinal, of course.

[bemildred]

25. Drunks in Congress has a long and sordid history. nt

[chillfactor]

26. aside from Boner's drinking problem...

what replaces DHS if it is dismantled.....do we just forget about national security?

[fredamae]

27. Anyone who Wants

DHS to be funded....and if you're a Dem/Lib/Prog? Just call the GOP, identify your affiliation and Praise their consideration for shutting it down.

Just for spite...they'd likely Do funding before the sun sets tonight

However, for those that believe De-funding DHS is a good thing-remember, FEMA, LEO and Many other vital agencies/services etc are funded under DHS-We may want to be careful what we wish for?