John Boehner
Another "oops" from the orange one.
House Speaker John Boehner might be spending a little too much time drowning his sorrows over the utter dysfunction he'll have to face again when August recess is over. Earlier today, President Obama took aim at Paul Ryan and his House leadership team for failing to pass a farm bill to help farmers and ranchers in this record heat and drought.
Get this. Boehner responded to Obama's criticism by saying the drought is all Obama's fault. Really.
On its website and in an email Monday, House Speaker John Boehner’s office said President Obama needs to take personal responsibility for the drought ravaging the Midwest.
Obama, “continues to blame anyone and everyone for the drought but himself,”reads a release from Boehner’s office posted online and distributed to reporters Monday. The quote was attributed to Boehner himself in a Financial Times story.
Now, Republicans might actually believe that God makes it rain. But Obama being personally responsible for the drought? That's a new one.
Actually, it ended up sounding so crazy that the statement has been edited to exclude all mention of Obama's amazing powers over the weather. Instead, it blames him for "failing to respond to the drought but himself." And now some poor schlub staffer is now taking Boehner's scotch and soda away from him.
This is why we need grown ups in charge. This is why we need to put the gavel back in Nancy Pelosi's hands.


Why Doesn’t President Obama Urge Senate Dems to Pass Urgently-Needed Drought Relief?

Posted by Kevin Smith
August 13, 2012
General
If President Obama were serious about helping farmers and ranchers address the ongoing drought, why doesn’t he urge Senate Democrats to pass the bipartisan House measure that was approved 11 days ago?
Instead, the president continues to blame anyone and everyone for failing to respond to the drought but himself.* Here’s a few quick facts that President Obama wants you to ignore today:
  • Eleven days ago, the House passed a bipartisan bill to help livestock producers devastated by the drought;
  • The Democratic-controlled Senate refused to take up this bipartisan bill before it adjourned for the August district work period;
  • According to press reports, the President would have signed this bill – but Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senate Democrats refused to act, leaving livestock producers high-and-dry over August; and
  • See New York Times here:  “The White House would have considered the House measure, but [Stabenow] resisted, Senate aides said.”
Ahead of President Obama’s visit to Iowa today – as was reported in the New York Times – Speaker Boehner made clear that the House took bipartisan action to help farmers and ranchers – a fact that the president conveniently likes to forget:
“You know the president — he’s going to be here in a couple of days … Some of you might want to remind him when he comes that the House passed a bill last week to help those in the livestock industry.”
A bipartisan House majority took responsible action to help farmers and ranchers suffering from this drought.  It’s unfortunate that Senate Democrats have blocked this relief package from getting to those in need.  If the president wanted to help those farmers and ranchers who are suffering, he should pick up the phone, call Senate Democratic leaders, and tell them to do the right thing.
* UPDATED @ 4:30 PM ET: Clarifies that the president is blaming others for failing to respond to the drought when he has yet to urge Senate Democrats to adopt a bipartisan drought-relief measure passed by the House.