John Boehner can’t stop talking about the “will of the public” these days. Now that the Republicans have won the House, he keeps saying over and over that the Democrats must go along with Republican plans from now on because they have to listen to the… will of the public.
Well, here’s what I don’t remember — the Republicans giving a damn about the will of the public after the 2008 elections. The American people spoke as loudly and clearly as I have ever seen in any election in my lifetime. They gave the House and the Senate by overwhelming margins to the Democrats. They also gave the Democrats the White House, and along with it, complete control of Washington. And did the Republicans listen to the will of the public, then? No, they blocked that will at every turn.
So, you’ll excuse me now if I’m not buying the sudden increased interest the GOP has in listening to the American people and the results of an election. They never for one second respected the results of the 2008 election. They didn’t give a damn what the American people wanted.
And that’s their right as the opposition party, but they don’t get to pretend now that they respect the results of an election and take it as a mandate to go in a certain political direction. And the Democrats would be damned fools if they fell for that trick.
By the way, the GOP has a funny definition of what the American people want. Here is the popularity, according to recent polls, of the different pieces of legislation they just opposed:
- Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell — 77%
- START Treaty — 67%
- Dream Act — 54%
- Tax Cuts for Only the Middle Class and Not the Rich — 67%
- 9/11 Responders Bill — 99% (no polling on this, but who on God’s green earth was against this)
By the way, the Obama administration has been given tremendous credit by the media for passing three out of five of these priorties. Really? Not one of the things they got through had popularity less than 67%. In fact, they conceded to the Republicans on an issue where they had two-thirds of the country behind them (no tax cuts for the rich).
The Republicans certainly don’t get any credit for these bills passing despite their best efforts. In fact, they opposed these universally popular proposals — and defeated some of them. And they spent the last two years completely and utterly ignoring the will of the voters. So, the next time they come with that nonsense line, someone should shove the real truth down their throats.
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11 Comments

All true – not that it matters to the GOP.
The GOP doesn’t give a damn about the will of the people or anything else to do with the PEOPLE of this country. I can usually see the good side of most people but every time I turn on the news I see another instance of the Repubs purposely setting out to destroy the lives of anyone that doesn’t have millions of dollars.
Their new tactic: get states to declare bankruptcy, prevent the federal government from helping them so they can destroy public employee unions and steal what is left of their pensions.
These people are despicable lowlifes and the worst kind of human beings. If you still doubt this, give a thought to how enthusiastically they support torture, (excuse me, I meant enhanced interrogation techniques.)
The only way the GOP can get elected is by deceit and rigged elections, so why would anyone expect anything other than fraud once they’re in office?
Question just what does the GOP want to pass that gets the same poll numbers the Left does on its issues? Anyone?
What about ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? What about creating jobs for regular people to get the economy going, green energy, National Healthcare not the Obama plan?
The GOP can find votes for a bank bailout they all now claim they hate but they can’t find votes to help 9/11 workers until the Daily Show does an episode on the subject?
If Anything the GOP fears the will of the people.
Maybe the GOP would have more respect for the will of the people if only more people watched Fox News?
***”And the Democrats would be damned fools if they fell for that trick.”***
Oh, the Democrats are such damned fools, they’ll fall for that trick and about a million others.
Obama is the Chief Fool in this matter.
Oh god, check youtube.
There are republitards saying the 9/11 workers are just asking for a handout and people who didn’t work are trying to get on the rolls and how it’s theft from the taxpayers.
I swear to god I’m going to invent a lead box installed in every computer and when someone trolls for long enough a computer program recognizes it and gives them a dose of radiation.
First dose sterilizes them and a warning comes on the screen, the second dose is lethal.
I’ve been in a 3 day pm chat with one guy saying the poor are lazy and stealing from the rich with welfare…that there shouldn’t be any taxes and everything should be done by donations.
Others are making arguments for ending social program and taxing the poor…because taxing a guy living under a ****ing bridge makes so much more sense than a wall st scam artist.
What the **** happened to this country?
Did someone slip something into the water in the last few years that turned 50% of us into fascist greedy assholes?
Oh speaking of greedy….I was told that I was greedy for thinking the poor shouldn’t be taxed while the rich pay more…
If I was telekinetic the population of youtube would drop by 3 or 4 % in one night.
I’m sorry, but the Democratic Party is no more concerned about what’s good for the American people than the Republicans are. Democrats are just carrying water for the Republicans. Democrats have no plans to do anything substantive to create jobs or help the unemployed. The Social Security/Medicare cuts conservative Republicans have dreamed of for 70+ years will be implemented under a Democratic president with the full agreement of Democratic congressfools.
At the federal level, NONE of the politicians give a tinker’s damn about the serfs. It really has nothing to do with D’s or R’s or any of that junk, which is so 20th Century.
I do recall, though, that after the Great Pretender was elected by a reasonably sizeable margin, plus there was a laughingly called “Democratic” majority in both the House & Senate, the corporate-owned facist media went on a propoganda rampage – pumping out the Orwellian-speak that the USA was a “center-right,” and that “Nothing had changed,” yadda yadda yadda.
It’s been a war of words ever since with a bunch propoganda-spin going 24/7. Even traditionally Democratic voters that I know – who are usually more astute – tend to spout rightwing talking points more and more… and really have *no idea* that’s what they’re doing.
So… the “will of the public” can be pooped out of Agent Orange’s piehole all day long; don’t mean a damn thing one way or the other.
Didn’t he mean “The Public” ? That just means a small minority of people…for Boehner.