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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW UPDATED: UCC gunman committed suicide, left manifesto ... Should mass shooters be named? ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: The pope and South America ... UPDATED: UCC gunman committed suicide, left manifesto ... Should mass shooters be named? ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: The pope and South America ... COMMENTARY Jeffrey Gillespie: Boehner's departure Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Oct. 2, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Oct. 2, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News The surprise resignation of John Boehner as speaker of the House this week supposedly came as a shock to many. This does credit to his political savvy — it shows that Boehner has the capacity to keep the wildly divided aspirations of his Republican caucus, if not under control, then sufficiently under wraps to have preserved his speakership to this point. To many political spectators, however, it was only a matter of time before Boehner would leave the fray. He has tried and failed over the past four and a half years to wrangle the ultra-conservative branch of his party into the middle of the political spectrum. Factional radicals have, under his watch, continued to play chicken with the world’s biggest economy. Red-meat conservative issues have divided the party; budget austerity measures have become political footballs, with aggressive social and religious ultimatums tacked on to funding bills. This past week, the right wing of the Republican Congress used yet another threat of government shutdown as an attempt to defund Planned Parenthood. Despite the tactics within his party, Boehner has an old-school approach to deal-making. His relationship with the president, while not exactly stellar, has been cordial and communicative. They have golfed together, and have participated in one-on-one strategy sessions at the White House that Boehner fondly referred to as the “Nicorette and merlot” summits (Obama would drink beer and chew nicotine gum, the speaker would smoke cigarettes and sip merlot). Party radicals broke up the 2011-2012 bromance that might have led to a multi-year budget deal including entitlement cuts as well as major changes to the tax code. That compromise never saw the light of day, and after revolts within Boehner’s party, the relationship with the White House deteriorated to finger-pointing and chilly retribution. It has never gotten back on track. There is irony in this. As a young congressman, Boehner was a member of the Gang of Seven, a group of young Republicans who, among other issues, contested congressional perks and the banking scandals of the late 1980s. These positions were an early clue to Boehner’s style. His actions against gravy-train behaviors would be interpreted as leftist within his party. That label stuck. In today’s Washington, gentlemanly politicking and handshake deal-making is a thing of the past, and despite Boehner’s earnest attempts at compromise, he is seen as an appeaser by younger and more ideological colleagues. He has clashed with his members over the debt limit, Obamacare and the financial health of government. He has purged his membership, to no avail. From the perspective of most pundits, the pope's visit last week to Congress, and his private meeting with the speaker, was the moment at which Boehner decided that his integrity and personal convictions trumped his desire to remain in government. Within 24 hours of the papal audience, Boehner had resigned. Even among opposition politicians, Boehner has been seen as one of the last remaining grown-ups of the political establishment. It remains to be seen who will step up, although Kevin McCarthy, the current majority leader, is the likeliest candidate. There is every likelihood that the wingnut branch of the party will make life tough for the new speaker. Unfortunately for McCarthy, Boehner and America, the days of collaborative bargaining that signal mature governance are probably done. Slowly but surely, the lunatics are taking over the asylum. Who’s going to step up and stop them? Jeffrey Gillespie's writing has appeared in the Santa Fean and Art Collector magazines, the Portland Mercury and Willamette Week. He lives in Ashland. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Oct. 2, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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