They have learned nothing

The Republican party has learned nothing. The House today elected its leadership by keeping John Boehner and Roy Blunt in both key leadership positions, the House Minority Leader and House Minority Whip. With this, the party has stated that it’s business as usual, and that they have learned nothing from the 2006 elections. There is no great spokesman, no Mike Pence to lead the party to a bold new era of Conservatism. The Republican party feels that the status quo is fine. A news flash: its not.

Boehner and Blunt are insiders who helped take the party to its first real defeat in 14 years. Boehner came into his role 8 months ago, preaching reform and change in the congress, in order to maintain our majority in the elections. His leadership tenure is marked by inaction, half-measures, and half-hearted earmark reform. Roy Blunt is an old-guard establishment figure left over from the DeLay era, an era whose time has past.

My hopes for ’08, at least on the congressional side, just diminished tremendously. Yes, there is the possibility that without Hastert, as the leader of the minority, Boehner will be better than he has previously. It is possible that he could surprise us all. Blunt is less important, as his job is to rally votes, not set policy.

I’m hoping for change going forward, but right now I’m concerned that it’s just going to be more of the status quo. I feel like the Republicans have learned nothing.