The Strength of Strong Ties

by Henry Farrell on July 15, 2006

In the “NYT”:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/15/washington/15boehner.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5090&en=9b975fea628d8ca1&ex=1310616000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss today.

bq. Mr. Boehner’s views on what is permissible were outlined in a 37-page manifesto that he sent to House Republicans when he was campaigning for majority leader in January. In the part dealing with “institutional ethics and reform,” Mr. Boehner made a virtue of being friendly with lobbyists, saying that “absent our personal, longstanding relationships, there is no way for us to tell” which ones might be corrupt.

{ 4 comments }

1

Alan 07.15.06 at 6:24 pm

This has historical precedents going back to Magna Carta. For example, we learn in “1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England”, “That the Barons should not be tried except by a special jury of other Barons who would understand.”

2

Tangurena 07.16.06 at 3:33 pm

Is there a link to the manifesto?

3

abb1 07.17.06 at 5:15 am

The guy’s quite a character, apparently:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060717/NEWS01/607170327/1056

WASHINGTON – House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, called on Democrats last week to pull a TV ad that shows images of flag-draped caskets of U.S. soldiers, calling the spot “outrageous.”

“To use those images to rally Democrats and to raise money is, I think, appalling,” said Boehner.

But the outrage from Republicans comes after Democrats complained in 2004 about a campaign ad from President Bush that showed firefighters carrying a flag-draped coffin from the ruins of the World Trade Center.

Questioned by reporters on what the difference was, Boehner seemed tongue-tied. “These were American citizens killed by terrorists. That is a very different policy issue than American soldiers dying on the battlefield protecting the rights and freedoms of American people.”

“How so?” a reporter asked.

“How so? You want me to describe the difference between men and women of the military out there defending the American people, and victims – victims – of terrorist activities?” Boehner asked.

“They were both killed by opponents, right? Terrorists or Islamic insurgents?” a reporter pressed.

An exasperated Boehner said: “The World Trade Center victims were victims of a terrorist act here on our shore and I think all Americans were appalled that this did in fact happen. But I think the differences, in terms of the images, are as clear as night and day.”

Or this:

http://watchingthewatchers.org/story/2006/7/14/174922/214

Within hours of the Supreme Court ruling [on rights of detainees], House majority leader John Boehner of Ohio circulated a memo, obviously already prepared, among Republican members that provided them with talking-points: the court had given “special privileges to terrorists” and the Democrats were weak on terrorism. “There is a clear choice between Capitol Hill Democrats who celebrate offering special privileges to violent terrorists, and Republicans who want the president to have the necessary tools to prosecute and achieve victory in the global war on terror”, the memo stated.

4

bi 07.19.06 at 2:25 am

abb1: re Gitmo: but since Bush has already decided to respect the Supreme Court, doesn’t it mean he’s committing treason?

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