The Republicans in the US House of Representatives elected John Boehner of Ohio to be the new majority leader this week. Boehner replaces arch conservative Tom DeLay. DeLay, of course, has been indicted on corruption charges. Reform advocates are worried that Boehner will be no better than his predecessor. Common Cause reports:
"The Republican caucus made clear on Wednesday that it's resistant to some of the easiest changes Congress could make to reduce the influence and access of lobbyists," said Common Cause President Chellie Pingree. "How many members of Congress have to be indicted before their colleagues 'get it?' There's a dangerous pay-to-play culture flourishing in Washington and it must be stopped. Congressman Boehner promised to be part of the solution to reform. He clearly has his work cut out for him."
Boehner's election raises a host of other concerns. His conservative outlook and ties to the Religious Right lead many to believe he will be a Delay clone.
The Rev. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance and host of Air America's State of Belief, released a statement this week on these important developments in Congress:
"The election of Congressman Boehner to be Majority Leader has the potential to be a disaster for the religious liberties of all Americans. "Mr. Boehner has shown an almost total disregard for the Constitution's religious liberty guarantees and more than two centuries of American history. He has been a leader in supporting government funding of religious discrimination in federal, state, and local programs such as Head Start. And he is closely aligned with those who would impose creationism or intelligent design on our public school science classrooms.
"My fear is that Mr. Boehner might march us further down the road toward abolishing the religious liberty guarantees enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution, thus denying Americans the first freedom upon which this nation was founded. I hope this fear is not realized."
It seems clear that the Republicans have promoted another radical ideologue to lead the House. America would have been better served by a moderate voice from the Republican Party who would have reached across party lines to engage Congress in a serious commitment to working toward solutions for America's most pressing problems.
Let us pray that our fears are unfounded and that Boehner will use his position to help usher in a new time of true bipartisanship and moderate policy goals.
