John Boehner Wants Our Sympathy?

New Speaker of the House,
John Boehner

Excuse me if I have trouble appreciating John Boehner's version of his life as being an unique version of the American Dream. He intimates that he had a very difficult childhood being one of eleven children and having to work in his family's  bar/grill. He tells us the he  had to scrub the floor and tote around cases of beer. And then, lo and behold, he had to work his way through college.


I have news for John. His childhood was quite normal. He had a family that provided him with food, shelter, an education, and the basic necessities. And I definitely cannot sympathize with his complaints about having to work in the family business. Almost all children who grew up on a family farm or whose family operated a small business had to help the family by doing whatever they were able. Farm children had to work both before and after school. My family owned and operated a Hardware store. My sister and I had to shovel coal for the furnace in the morning before school and then sweep, dust, organize, and stock shelves after school. We did not consider it a burden; it was life and a good life at that. For many, a family working together to succeed is a source of great happiness.


If Mr. Boehner thinks that working his way through college is unusual, he must be comparing his experience to his wealthy country club friends. I have news for him. Many Americans have worked their way through college, and many still do.


If Mr. Boehner wants to observe a difficult childhood, he should leave the suburbs and spend some time in the inner city. He was never homeless and hungry. He did not have to find cardboard boxes to keep himself warm at night. He did not go to high school during the day, work at Krogers after school, and then sleep in an abandoned car at night. He did not have to fear for his life walking home from school. His family was not evicted and put on the street. These are the circumstances of a difficult childhood.


Many Americans will not be shedding a tear for Mr. Boehner and his difficult childhood.