John Boehner is resigning as the Speaker of the House, not because he dislikes his job, it’s because he hates it. Less than 40 members of the House of Representatives have disrupted and even blackmailed the rest of the GOP and destroyed a government which once worked, at least to a small degree. Deliberation and compromise have been removed from their vocabulary, and the demise of America has begun. This small number of people are unqualified and ignorant regarding the manner in which government works and accomplishments are made.

I am not praising Boehner in any way; he is a weak man who did not know how to lead, which remains the greatest problem for the GOP. The party, who no longer has any resemblance to the party of Lincoln, is desperate. No one with a sense of propriety and knowledge of government wants the job of Speaker. Some have literally been begging Paul Ryan to seek the position, and the word is that he may have capitulated. However, fear by true Republicans has created an even more frantic situation. These 40 outcasts who are members of the TEA Party, or the Freedom Caucus, which some prefer as a misnomer, must be stopped. The mere thought of suggesting that Newt Gingrich return as the Speaker is not only frightening, it may signal the death of the American political system.

If you are under the age of 40, you may not remember Gingrich and what he achieved while in office; absolutely nothing. He attempted to impeach Bill Clinton and failed. While in office he committed ethics violations and engaged in criminal acts which forced him to resign before he faced prosecution. As for his constant preaching about morals and family values, Gingrich began an open affair while his first wife lay dying from cancer.

We all know that members of the GOP and their voters love criminals. As long as they have an ‘R’ next to their name, they can be elected and reelected. For Gingrich to become the Speaker would be a travesty. Our government is obviously corrupt, but to what degree is the American public to allow such an embarrassing situation to continue?

The problem with the search for a new Speaker is based on the balance of true Republicans and Democrats. 247 members are representatives of the GOP; 188 are Democrats. 218 are needed to elect a new Speaker, and the “Freedom Caucus” will seek control of the GOP. Therefore the election of their new leader may be decided by Democrats.

Will this force the two parties to work together for the first time in seven years? It is a possibility. This would anger the TEA Party even more. They don’t believe in talking to Democrats; they want everything in Washington to go their way or no way. They remain extremists who are destructive to the American way of life.

But seeking the return of Gingrich would be an even greater mistake. Our government must retain some form of self-respect and return to the belief that morality and honorability are important in the operation of a government and in those elected to run it.

I’m certain that someone will soon suggest that Dennis Hastert be inserted into the fray.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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