New Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio)
"Rep. John Boehner has launched the biggest day in his political career with a private prayer service, a simple Ohio-themed lunch party and humble speech before the House he now controls."
-- From Today's POLITICO.
242 Republicans have elected John Boehner Speaker of the House. I do not know this man personally, but people who I know who do praise him effusively for his modesty, kindness, and humility. Not to be overly blunt, those are not characteristics typically associated with the lady who served as Speaker the last two years.
I'm attaching a link to Speaker Boehner's remarks today following his election as Speaker (click here). I would encourage you to read them.
I've also attached a link to the speech he delivered last summer to the National Right to Life Convention, where Speaker Boehner received the National Right to Life Legislative Leadership Award for outstanding pro-life leadership in Congress. I would strongly encourage you to read them. They tell you a lot about him and the roots of his pro-life convictions (click here).
I'd like to quote two paragraphs from his remarks this afternoon. Speaker Boehner said, "Above all else, we will welcome the battle of ideas, encourage it, and engage in it – openly, honestly, and respectfully. As the chamber closest to the people, the House works best when it is allowed to work its will. I ask all members of this body to join me in recognizing this common truth.
"To my colleagues in the majority, my message is this: we will honor our Pledge to America, built through a process of listening to the people, and we will stand firm on the Constitutional principles that built our party, and built a nation. We will do these things, however, in a manner that restores and respects the time-honored right of the minority to an honest debate and a fair, open process."
Why quote these two paragraphs? For the past two years pro-abortion Democrats controlled both Houses and the presidency. It is simply to state the truth that they gleefully ran rough-shod over Republicans. Nowhere was this hubris more in evidence than in the debate over "health care reform"--the abortion-ridden, rationing-promoting mess known as ObamaCare.
Only there was precious little debate, because the voices of pro-life Republicans (and some pro-life Democrats) were stifled, or, in some ways worse, mocked. For example, while the topic was the stimulus package and not healthcare, Obama's response on January 24, 2009 perfectly illustrated the arrogance of unchecked power. Republicans tried to get their two cents worth in on the specifics which Obama waved them off: "I won."
As we talked about yesterday, the pro-life GOP House Leadership has started the process which will culminate next week in a vote to repeal ObamaCare. Nobody is so foolish as to think Senate Democrats and/or President Obama will suddenly see the light. But this vote is an important first step--a planting of the flag--signifying that Republicans will assiduously attempt to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with something better and free of abortion and rationing.
All this was made possible because of the heroic work of pro-lifers across this land. Never, ever forget that twenty-six months ago we were lectured that Democrats--overwhelmingly pro-abortion--had become a permanent majority party and that pro-lifers ought to be smart enough to fold up their tents and go home.
You didn't, and the November 2 results have been documented over and over.
Contact: Dave Andrusko
Source: National Right to Life
Publish Date: January 5, 2011
