Huey P. Long (1893-1935) (Kingfish), governor of Louisiana, senator, famous proponent of wealth redistribution, and presidential candidate, had many famous sayings.  One saying that is quite appropriate in today's political atmosphere is this: "The only difference I ever found between the Democratic leadership and the Republican leadership is that one of them is skinning you from the ankle up and the other from the ear down."  That was the closing sentence of his famous "High Popalorum and Low Popahirum" speech. 

What a seer Long was with regard to politics.  It seems that the the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted on Wednesday (March 6, 2013) to approve a $982-billion continuing resolution (CR or "con res") to fund the federal government through the remainder of FY2013.  The vote was 267-151.  Most significantly, ObamaCare is fully funded in the CR.  House Republican leaders rejected requests from conservative groups to include language in the CR that would have withheld funding for implementation of certain provisions of ObamaCare.  And House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) refused to say whether the House has any plans to limit any part of ObamaCare.  Ironically, it was Boehner who said on February 8, 2012, that an ObamaCare mandate requiring health-care plans to provide cost-free coverage for sterilizations, contraceptives, and abortion-inducing drugs was an unconstitutional violation of the free exercise of religion.

Yet, in a "must-pass" situation, we see Boehner and Republicans again cave in.  CNSNews.com asked Boehner, "Are there any provisions that will curtail any aspects of Obamacare that you intend to attach to any must-pass legislation in this Congress?  If so, what are they?"  To that question, Boehner responded, "We have voted several times to defund Obamacare. I am sure we will again this year."  But in a "must-pass" federal funding bill situation, the House has never attached any provision to defund ObamaCare.

The Republican-controlled Rules Committee rejected a request by Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) to allow the entire House to vote on an amendment to the CR sponsored by Bridenstine, Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), and Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) that would have removed funding for certain parts of ObamaCare.  Bridenstine and Huelskamp last week sent a letter to Boehner (and Eric Cantor) asking that defunding language be included in the CR, but the CR did not include that language.  And fourteen Republicans last week wrote a letter to Boehner (and Cantor) asking that language be included in the CR that would reverse the sterilization-contraception-abortifacient regulation in order to protect the free exercise of religion, which is guaranteed by the First Amendment.

As Rick Moran wrote, "[t]he House passed their version of the con res yesterday.  Only 14 Republicans voted against it - a vindication of sorts for Speaker Boehner who has had trouble bringing his caucus along with him on previous votes."  The latest CR is designed to avoid a government shutdown that would have occurred with the expiration of the current CR on March 27.  So, yet another tax-reform opportunity lost.

Is Boehner lying?  No, technically he is not.  Is Boehner equivocating?  Yes!  Are Republicans and Democrats any different?  Well, according to Huey P. Long, no, and now there is ample evidence to back up Long.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Dr. Warren Beatty (not the liberal actor) earned a Ph.D. in quantitative management and statistics from Florida State University.  He was a (very conservative) professor of quantitative management specializing in using statistics to assist/support decision-making.  He has been a consultant to many small businesses and is now retired.  Dr. Beatty is a veteran who served in the U.S. Army for 22 years.  He blogs at rwno.limewebs.com.