New GOP Majority Leader - New Vehicle, Same Path

In what some news organizations tout as a "surprise" vote, John Boehner has been elected the new House Majority Leader following the interim stint by Delay stand-in Roy Bount. But the result should surprise no one except the most casual observer. The GOP simply had to make a symbolic display of stepping away from the leadership cabal of Delay and his cronies, if the incumbents are to stand a chance of retaining control of the House in the upcoming mid-term elections. Yet the problem they GOP leadership faced was how to give the "appearance" of change or reform without actually promising or instituting any substantive reform measures. The logical answer was Boehner, a more than 15 year veteran of the House who is steeped in the methods of perks and perogatives of the House members.

Consider the following observation:

As the candidate himself realized, Boehner as the reform candidate was not an easy sell. His beach parties for rich donors were notorious, as were the stories of how he handed out checks from tobacco executives on the House floor a decade ago.

The standard defense mantra used by Boehner and others to scrutiny about influence peddling and dealings with Lobbyists like Abramoff:

"Yes, I am cozy with lobbyists," he told lawmakers concerned about his K Street connections, "but I have never done anything unethical."

Boener is an unrepentant and professional "bagman" for the Washington lobbyists. He trained under Delay since his third term in Congress. Boehner was chosen to be the new majorioty leader precisely because he was not publicly selected by Delay and Hastert to be the placeholder for Delay, who arrogantly assumed that his return to power was inevitable. He was also chosen because he presented no threat of actually shaking up or changing the way things have been done in the GOP controlled House of Representatives. The candidate who ran for Majority Leader who did present a prospect of real change ran such a distant third in the initial round of voting that he promptly withdrew. Keep in mind that Blount remains on the team as Majority Whip. Though the name plate on the office door will change, don't expect to see much shift in the direction or practices followed in the course of the GOP culture of corruption that permeates the House leadership.