House Minority Leader John Boehner don't know jack ... about Chicago politics.
Yesterday, the perma-tanned Ohio Rep. said Obama and his staff are playing “Chicago style politics.”
Oh. Really? Well let's take a closer look.
In his accusation, Boehner was referring to the White House’s recent attacks on FOX news and Obama's bi-partisan efforts on health care.
"The White House and congressional Democrats know that their liberal special interest agenda is not very popular, and now they're following a familiar pattern: When you can't win an argument based on the facts, launch vicious political attacks,” Boehner said.
“This 'Chicago style politics' -- shutting the American people out and demonizing their opponents -- they're writing the health-care bill in secret, even though the president called for it to be at an open table to have C-SPAN cameras in the room."
Mr. Boehner, there’s some things you should know about Chicago politics before you make that argument. Let's itemize.
1) You said the voters are being shut out of the debate.
Well, in Chicago, politicians don’t care enough about the voters to shut them out. There is no illusion that we have a voice. Our politicians simply tell citizens what they did after they did it. Would you really like the nation’s health care reform to go the way of our parking meter deal? We could make that happen.
Furthermore, if the administration were really running the same sort of Daley fiefdom to which we Chicagoans are accustomed, you would be a part of a large rubber stamp. Obama, acting like Daley, would simply tell the congress to pass the legislation or else. Then your colleagues in the house would vote unanimously to approve it, and applaud their efforts just like our city council pats itself on the back.
Be happy there’s at least a debate, Mr. Boehner.
2) You said that the administration demonizes the opposition, just like Chicago politicians.
That can’t be true -- there is no opposition in the Windy City, because our mayor appoints aldermen and key oversight positions. If there were opposition, the mayor would find a way to bury it.
3) Secret Backroom Dealings.
How dare you make the assertion that Chicago politicians aren't on the level! ... oh, wait, you might be right about this one.
To sum up, we’re not quite sure how Ohio politics work, Mr. Boehner, so we don’t really talk much about them. Perhaps you ought to clam up about Chicago Style Politics, because you don’t know what you’re getting into, buddy.
