The Orange Man Leaves the Building

It won the 1946 Academy award for best original song. As John Boehner entered the stage yesterday, he was singing Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah. A wonderful day to exit.

There was cannibalism at work here, as Mr. Boehner was devoured by the same forces that elevated him. The most wrong of the right wing, the strongest brew of the Tea party, the shut it down Chloe, shut it down voices finally were too much for the man of orange.

We have watched from his tearful entrance as Speaker to his not so tearful exit. The party of Mr. Boehner is not governable as it is at war with itself as well as with the Democrats. No matter how many government shutdowns, no matter how many anti-Obamacare votes, no matter how many confrontations with the President, it would never be enough. As wrong and stubborn as Mr. Boehner could be, it could never satisfy the insatiable appetite of his fellow House members for Armageddon.

Maybe the best joke President Obama told at the annual political roast related to an incident when Mr. Boehner's own turned their ire on him and not the President. "Orange" the President stated, "really is the new black." 

Mr. Boehner leaves as the walls were closing in on him.  It may well be that the last vestiges of common sense, much like Elvis, will be leaving the building when Mr. Boehner departs. Plenty of sunshine may be coming his way, but for the rest of us, even darker clouds loom on the horizon.