On the House by John Boehner (audio)
Source: Purchased Audible, 7+ hrs. I am an Amazon Affiliate
**Caution: foul language throughout**
On the House: A Washington Memoir by John Boehner, read by the author, is an insider's look at how the House of Representatives works from backroom deals, challenges with fellow party members, and camaraderie between representatives when the media is not in their face or fundraising isn't front and center. I loved his no-nonsense attitude, but what I found lacking was his own self-reflection on how he could have steered his party and others in different and better ways during his time as Speaker of the House. Much of what he imparts in his years in the House are more "I was right and others were wrong" commentary, which I don't feel to ring true.
It was great to see his relationships with Presidents Gerald Ford, George Bush, and Barack Obama, especially as Speaker Boehner tried to navigate "Crazytown." I found it ironic that Boehner started his career in the House as a radical who wanted changes to the House bank, but ended up fighting against "radicals" (Tea Party and otherwise) in his days under the Obama administrations. He has more colorful words for people like Sen. Ted Cruz and others, which I'm sure you've heard about online or TV.
Much of the issues facing Boehner were related to the 2013 government shutdown, which he had warned his fellow Republicans that such a standoff would fail against the Obama administration. He may have been right, but allowing the party to hang itself out to dry to prove a political point (which it didn't) runs contrary to the earlier set up of the book where he hails his respect for the country and its institutions. Mind you, he's still a Republican with ideals that lean toward smaller government, but in this case, it seems he could have fought Cruz (who was not in the House) harder by pushing his own party away from shutting down the government.
What I did find interesting were the yarns about his childhood and his early House years, including his assessment of Sen. Ted Kennedy and others. Some of these stories seem a bit inflated, but that's typical with memoirs focused on making the speaker sound more upright and honest than they may have been. We all want to remember our past actions in the best light.
As an aside, I had no idea that the Speaker could make their own rules for their office, including being able to smoke inside! But Boehner did just that! Another fun fact, according to Boehner, Bernie Sanders is the most honest and non-cynical politician in government.
On the House: A Washington Memoir by John Boehner is his review of his time in the House from his early years scrapping his way to the top and as Speaker of the House, one of the most powerful positions in government. What I got out of this is that you are only as powerful as the relationships you build and the consensus you can achieve through those relationships. However, as more politicians become "radical" -- adhering to their beliefs without room for new information or compromise -- the government is likely to become far more dysfunctional.
RATING: Tercet