John Boehner Whines About Having To Read Health Care Bill (VIDEO)

Here's a video of House Minority Leader John Boehner reacting negatively to the House Health Care Reform bill on the grounds that reading legislation is hard. And just who the hell obligated Boehner and his colleagues to read laws, anyway? Some group of "voters" in a "congressional district" or something? It's crazy. Maybe Boehner needs to preserve some free time to replenish the orange glow of his visage, which projects leadership!

The funny thing is, regarding this bill he couldn't possibly peruse, he's got all sorts of definitive assumptions about it. "We've got better ideas," he says, "and we'll be talking about them over the next week." Sure! It's not like anyone told John Boehner about the summer-long health care debate that we'd be having. He's only now getting up to speed.

[WATCH]

Of course, maybe Boehner should just sit down and leaf through that sucker! If he did, he'd probably like what he reads. As Igor Volsky pointed out yesterday, a whole slew of measures that the GOP requested have been provided in the bill. These include -- SPOILER ALERT (because I wouldn't want to ruin the best parts for Boehner) -- deficit neutrality, long-term cost reduction, across-state-lines competition, medical malpractice reform, protections for small business, and much more.

So, Boehner should take some time and read the bill. Based on past performance, it shouldn't take long. I mean, if it took Boehner and his colleagues five minutes to agree to the absolute essential-ness of the 300-page PATRIOT ACT, he should be able to get through this bill in under an hour. Weekend's coming: somebody get John Boehner a reading lamp!

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Comments

[Seán O'Nilbud]

What is the point in reading an article which could have been written by Rush Limbaugh with the judicious adddition and removal of a bunch of "not"'s.

[HoneyBunches]

he's like the slacker in college that would complain about reading for classes... no one said being a Senator would be easy ... you might actually have to do some hard work once in a while and read ... otherwise you might end up voting Yes on Rape

[Nezorf]

If you want to read the 1990 pages its right here http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf

P.S. Thats only around 1000 pages of a normal novel, and 800 pages of an academic journal. As a grad student I read about that every week.

[LeftVetPatriot]

The type is so big, too.

[SangZe]

Illiteracy hurts.

[rkimball]

they made the bill 2,000 pages long & very difficult to read with many insets & references. the plan is to discorage reading & just signing of the bill. it will pass with flying colors. who wants to go through the torture of reading it. thank you, pelosi. job well done.

[Joel Redman]

They do that to close loopholes and keep things from slipping through. As they find a problem they add an amendment (ie inset) to change something. Or they are amending a previous bill. This is the reason we have to certify lawyers. The law is not so simple.

Tighten you tin foil. Someone might actually catch a thought.

[rkimball]

that's no excuse. they have ghost writers & proof readers capable of simplifing the final document.

[cybexg]

So far, I've read all the major versions....

what is your excuse?

[Fotios]

If I went to work and slapped down a stack of papers in front of my clients and said, "I don't want to work with you because I have to read all this stuff to get up to speed on your account." They'd fire me.

We are reforming 1/6th of our economy, so sorry if Democrats didn't write the bill in crayons at a 3rd grade reading level so people have time to read it in between crying sessions with Glenn Beck.

[termgirl]

Little Johnny doesn't like having to do his homework. It's BORING and he wants to go outside and play cowboys and Democrats with the other Republican fouth -graders.

[mhazard]

Then he should not be paid a salary. Reading the bill and being informed is his job, like it or not.

[rosiebond007]

So far they have not come up with an alternative "Healthcare Bill" or even a suggestion of one .... what have they been doing through August ?

They are all windbags and full of it .... they are in the wrong job and don't like to work.

Hey, let's go to another fundraiser, have a drink and boy, am I hungry ... who's paying today ????

[mhazard]

Treats on big insurance, no doubt.

[taddles]

For someone who hasn't read the bill he sure has a lot to say about it. Pity his job description doesn't include reading bills....oh wait.

[brady61995]

living in ohio is like a prison term

[ReedYoung]

If he had even tried to begin reading it, he'd know it's in fonts large enough that even Senator Byrd can read it! The so-called 1990 pages are equivalent to about 199 real pages.

[shockwave11]

You're right...and it's double-spaced with huge margins.

[ReedYoung]

There's really no good excuse for any of us not to read it. So I'm going to do that tomorrow.

[Harrier]

If a congressman does not want to read paperwork, perhaps he should enter into a different line of work

[brady61995]

he could open a tanning bed salon so everyone can be as orange as him. westchester ohio where he is from is a very white scarey place

[rosiebond007]

Good comment

[Lisamiamoore]

Maybe there's an audio version to help the poor dude out.

[LCLA]

Unfortunately, Boehner's audio version is called Faux News.

[ztck5356]

LOL!!!

[EndTheEcho]

This is to cover both parties.

Is it just me, or do these sort of press conferences with the people standing the background, seem like someone with low-self esteem needing his or her peeps to back him up and grow a spine.

On to what he said, health care ideas in the upcoming weeks, WTF happened to August, September and October? You have had months to put out your idea, but your have no ideas, just obstruction.

[lmvd3]

The background folks do always seems so lame, but in Boehner's case they're necessary. You never know when he had one vodka too many. They are there to not just figuratively, but to literally prop him up.

[Joel Redman]

The republican party can only announce what they won't do. It's part of being the party of NO.

[mhazard]

Because they don't really want reform. And they have no ideas.