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Speaker of the House John Boehner announced Friday he will resign from both Speaker of the House and Congress at the end of October.
Some said over the weekend it was because he was so touched by the Pope's call for peace that he saw this as a way to help create political peace in Washington DC.
Others feel it is a way for him to avoid the possibility of a so-called "government shutdown"---not to worry that Planned Parenthood will be once again fully funded by tax payers as he pushes Obama's budget through in the name of "not shutting down the government."
And now he won't be around to deal with the fall out.
Only God knows our hearts, but most think there are other reasons besides being a Catholic, for Boehner's actions.
Rep. Matt Salmon, (R-AZ.) said, "I think he did the right thing. Any time any person becomes bigger than the issues at hand, then that person has to have an element of self sacrifice for the greater good. That's what he did today."
Rep. Paul Ryan, (R-Wis.) vice-presidential nominee with Mitt Romney, called Boenher's decision "an act of pure selflessness."
Not all agree.
Marco Rubio was speaking at a Family Research Council (FRC) event when the announcement was made Friday morning.
The crowd, made up of Christian leaders and pastors, cheered and applauded---loudly.
Rubio responded to the crow's response by telling them "this is not a time to bash anyone..." scolding them for their response.
Clearly Rubio either misunderstands where evangelicals and true conservatives are in their thinking, or doesn't care.
In August, Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, a co-founder of the Conservative House Freedom Caucus presented a "motion to vacate the chair" in an effort to remove Boehner from his position of Speaker with a "no-confidence" vote.
Not only is America divided on the fundamental social issues, but Congress is as well.
And unfortunately, so is the Republican Party.
Sarah Palin has called them the "Ruling Elite" within the GOP, those who want to run as conservatives to get the conservative and evangelical vote, then after elected, their votes and actions are more aligned with so-called moderates, which are actually liberals.
How many promises did "conservative" candidates make to voters about their intentions to repeal Obamacare?
What about the promises to de-fund Planned Parenthood?
Elected officials got the votes at home, went to Washington DC as a majority, took a series of votes that were meaningless with no chance of repealing Obamacare or de-funding Planned Parenthood, then reported back to the citizens that they tired, but it was complicated and the citizens didn't understand---"we're working on it---and we'll let you know how it goes."
Same thing happened in Washington State this year. When a vote that actually meant something was taken---the budget---only 7 Republicans had the courage to vote against it, and said they did so because it fully funds Planned Parenthood.
The army of other Republicans in the WA state legislature voted for the budget, after promising to de-fund Planned Parenthood, saying, "It's complicated" and the ordinary citizens simply don't understand.
After their vote helped secure the state budget, including Planned Parenthood funding, they then denounced Planned Parenthood, writing meaningless letters demanding progressive Democrats, including the Governor, block funding for Planned Parenthood, etc., etc., etc..
Pathetic.
As WA State Rep. Matt Shea, one of the 7 who actually voted against funding for PP in the state, told me on our live radio show recently, "It isn't complicated. You either stand for the values you promised to stand for when you were elected, or you don't."
The same message comes from Washington DC.
People do understand. It isn't complicated. And they're sick of this kind of deception in our states and in our nation's capital.
Boenher's exit, or benediction as we are calling it, has already created chaos within the Republican Party---a Party whose leaders are committed to make Jeb Bush or Lindsay Graham their next presidential candidate, while actual members of the Party are clearly supporting "outsiders," not "insiders."
Over the weekend, Party elites seem to be coalescing around the House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA.) for the new Speaker, whom they feel will carry on in much the same way John Boehner has led. He is also Boenher's choice to succeed him.
Popular talk show host and best selling author Mark Levine is warning Republicans in Washington DC: "Don't replace outgoing House Speaker John Boenher with Rep. Kevin McCarthy."
Levine makes a compelling case against conservatives and people of Christian faith supporting those who want to continue as we are---saying one thing, then doing another.
He quotes Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) whom Levine says is a true conservative: "We need leaders who are solid, who are intelligent, who are strategic, who are constitutionalists, who can bring in ---not just the mainstay of the Party---but demonstrate to millions of us in the grassroots that the message has finally been received. [We need to see that] there is a serious effort---not just a PR effort---but a serious effort to try to govern and keep the President in check---that they are prepared to fight, prepared to show courage, and that they're going to stop cutting deals with the inside the beltway crowd."
Columnist Ben Shapiro says, "With Boenher's resignation assured, and his attendant determination to ram through Obama agenda items and prevent a shutdown, Ted Cruz becomes the only Republican in a position to hold up funding for Planned Parenthood. It's easy for Donald Trump to endorse a shutdown over Planned Parenthood. It's easy for Carly Fiornia to endorse a shutdown. But only Cruz in the Senate has the ability to implement that strategy."
Shapiro says he's done it before and must do it again.
He's right in that Senator Ted Cruz has been talking about a so-called "shut down," which is not nearly as grave as the progressive activist press leads the American people to believe.
Cruz told a large group of pastors last week to get their flocks active. He said, "We have a moment where we can stand together and act, and all we need is for our elected leaders to actually do what they said they would do."
The Senator said: "They campaigned promising to defend the right to life. Now is the moment where we distinguish word from action."
Shapiro writes, "Boenher's parting gift to Planned Parenthood seems pre-ordained. But all that means is that pro-life Americans are looking for a champion to stand up in the face of overwhelming odds on behalf of the unborn."
Shapiro is right. Boenher has already said he will put a "clean" budget in front of the President, however, it will likely be a continuing resolution (CR) that will be in effect until December 11, comfortably after Boenher is gone.
Americans are looking for a champion.
The young prophet Ezekiel said on behalf of God: "I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so I would not destroy it; but I found no one."
Why? Because the leaders "practiced oppression, wronged the poor and committed robbery."
The decisions America will make over the next 13 months will, I believe, have generational, as well as eternal implications.
Be Informed. Be Prayerful. Be Vigilant. Be Pro-Active.