Federal Shutdown Has Come to This: PAC Calls Boehner a Crybaby
House Speaker John Boehner is the target of a new attack ad about the government shutdown in Washington that features a sobbing baby with the politician's name over the child's tear-stained face and the hashtag #GOPTemperTantrum.
Friday marked the fourth day of a government shutdown brought about by a legislative impasse in which House Republicans have voiced determination to roll back or delay parts of Obamacare with their desired changes tucked into a continuing resolution that funds government. The President and Senate oppose that move, and the Supreme Court has upheld Obamacare as the law of the land.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are being affected by the shutdown that has shuttered major programs, national parks and many arms of America's government.
Now, the video from the House Majority PAC, a pro-Democrat group, is capitalizing on the fact that Boehner has something of a tearful reputation, and in effect the video says he is trying to emotionally manipulate others into getting his way. Boeher does get choked up pretty regularly while he's being interviewed by journalists or giving public speeches.
To be clear, nobody begrudges a grown man the relief of tears when coping with trauma or life's difficulties.
Long past are the days when men were expected to be hardened, macho roughnecks without feelings.
And weeping—albeit for very different reasons—happens on both sides of the aisle. Americans wept along with President Barack Obama after a school shooting left 26 children dead in Newton, Ct.
Moments of national grief aside, it will always be a tiny bit surprising to see political leaders weep on the world stage.
Some have accused leaders of engaging in emotional manipulation when it happens, and it happens around the world more frequently than you might think.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other ayatollahs are known to inspire sobbing when they weep openly during weekly Friday prayer services in Tehran.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan once wept over a poem about a child's death once.
Guess global leaders have bad days, too.
Related stories on TakePart:
• Surprise—the Federal Shutdown Actually Started Last Week
• How Would Thomas Jefferson Solve the Government Shutdown? (VIDEO)
• Save Our National Parks From the Shutdown!
Original article from TakePart
