MIGHT BOEHNER'S DAYS AS SPEAKER BE NUMBERED?

So I guess we may soon find out the 'stuff' of which John Boehner is made. One reason I say that is because Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) has now come out, and rather publically, saying that Speaker John Boehner should be ousted if he decides to ram through an immigration bill without majority Republican support. On Monday during an interview on World Net Daily radio, Rohrabacher said, "If Speaker Boehner moves forward and permits this to come to a vote even though the majority of the Republicans in the House—and that’s if they do—oppose whatever it is that’s coming to a vote, he should be removed as Speaker."

Rohrabacher was responding to Boehner’s recent assertion that immigration reform is now at the top of his legislative agenda and the fact that the Speaker implied during an interview with ABC just last week that he would not rule out pushing a bill through without the support of a majority of his party, a violation of the so-called "Hastert rule." Mr. Rohrabacher said, "I would consider that a betrayal of the Republican members of the House and a betrayal of the Republicans throughout the country." The Washington Examiner reported Sunday that Boehner has since decided that he will not call a vote without his party’s backing.

Rohrabacher also said he is "alerting the American people to this danger that is right upon us" and he took the opportunity to slam the "Gang of Eight" for voting down Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) amendment requiring the implementation of stricter border security before legalization. "There will be no border security improvements. It’ll all be a facade," Rohrabacher said of the bill. He also attacked the immigration bill’s supporters, saying "those people pushing this bill are doing it in the most deceptive and dishonest way." I mean what we seem to be seeing here is legislative process reminiscent of the process employed in the passage of Obamacare.

Number one on Rohrabacher’s list of those attempting to hoodwink the American public, is none other than my senator, Marco Rubio, whom he accused of using "weasel words" in a bid for reform. "Rubio is so mixed up and so confused. I think he has given up his rightful place to advise any of us in Washington what to do and…he’s given up any right to be trusted by the American people," Rohrabacher said. Even I can't argue with that assessment, and I voted for Rubio. He continued: "I’m not going to vote for any bill that has a provision that legalizes the status of those people who are here illegally." Andisn’t that as it should be? Shouldn’t we focus on border security first?

But as is usually the case, I need to see deeds to start matching the rhetoric that I'm hearing. Because, more often then not, never the twain shall meet. I've been burned before, too many times to count, and most recently by Rubio in particular, and it's beginning to get rather tiresome. I would love to start seeing a little backbone being exhibited by those in Congress who profess to be on my side. And if we need to hold Mr. Boehner's feet to the fire, then so be it. Because there have been more than a few instances where I've found myself wondering exactly whose side it is that he might be on. And if he's not up to this important task, then maybe it is time for a new speaker.