Here is an excerpt from a statement from House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) earlier today.
[T]he president continues to blame anyone and everyone for the drought but himself.
Yes! John Boehner, laying it on the line. Why doesn’t the president accept the blame for the massive affliction that is almost unprecedented in national history? I bet John Boehner would, if he were president.
Here are some thoughts.
- It is possible that the drought is not Barack Obama’s fault. Possible. I’m not saying it is, not saying it isn’t.
- If it is fair to blame the president for a drought, Boehner should be furious at George W. Bush, who presided over the worst drought to hit the Southwest in 800 years.
- Perhaps because he recognizes that it is his fault, the president has repeatedly proposed ways to deal with the drought. Here’s Obama’s weekly address from Saturday.
- Meanwhile, the GOP’s weekly address focused on an attempt to back out of a commitment to slash military spending. Does this fix the drought? No, but it makes their friends in the defense industry happy and, besides, the drought isn’t their fault.
- Echoing that leadership, Paul Ryan, when asked about the drought today in Iowa, suggested that the press “play ‘Stump the VP’ later,” obviously not understanding that if Romney wins, he instantly becomes responsible for the nation’s weather. Also not understanding that he isn’t the VP.
- But back to Boehner. Boehner could conceivably lay some of the blame for that drought at the feet of the oil and gas industry. Seeing as how they’ve given him almost $600,000 over the course of his career and Barack Obama hasn’t given him one penny, he’d probably rather not.
- If Obama were responsible for the drought, it seems unlikely he’d have 90 percent of Ohio under drought conditions, given that it’s a swing state and all. Or is the drought in Ohio the governor’s fault? Is it Boehner’s fault in his district? I’m not clear on the differentiation of powers — but, then, I’m not a powerful politician.
Actual campaign material via Peter Gray.
All of that said, it’s possible that Boehner is right. There were some weird lights over Nebraska last July, as captured in this very professional video:
Is it possible that this was the Air Force, acting on the president’s command, unleashing some new superstructure that would empty the skies of moisture for a period of 12 to 18 months? It would be a smart thing to do, given that the drought will probably hurt Obama’s chances of being reelected. If this is what happened, my apologies, Speaker Boehner.
But tell Paul Ryan he should still answer reporters’ questions.
