FranPAC Favorite: John Boehner

By BRIAN DIGGELMANN According to the International Franchise Association, FranPAC “creates an opportunity for IFA members to provide financial support to candidates for federal office, and a robust PAC means more contributions to candidates who understand franchising and who will promote a legislative and regulatory climate favorable to franchising.” In the following days, we will highlight the politicians that have received the most donations from FranPAC. John Boehner - $10,000 from FranPAC Speaker John Boehner is the personification of many of the values held by republicans. The second of 12 children, he took seven years to graduate from Xavier because of all the jobs he had to take on to pay for his education. After graduating in 1977, he was hired at a small sales firm and worked his way to the position of president. Boehner’s career in politics started in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served from 1985  to 1990. His entrance to the national stage came as the representative of Ohio’s 8th Congressional district, a seat he won in 1991. In the years since, Boehner has proven himself a skilled politician, earning acclaim on both sides of the aisle. He was part of the Gang of Seven that exposed the House banking scandal in 1991 and, together with Newt Gingrich, helped create the Contract with America in 1994 which helped Republicans earn the first majority in congress in four decades. Boehner has also served as a leader in the Republican Party. He was elected the House Majority Leader in 2006 and minority leader in 2007. When the Republican Party again held a majority in 2011, he was elected to the position of Speaker, a role he still holds. As a fiscal conservative, Boehner strongly believes in removing government barriers to private sector job creation and economic growth, as well as cutting government spending and reforming congress. Contributions FranPAC gave John Boehner $10,000 in the 2011-2012 election cycle. In addition, FranPAC also donated another $10,000 to The Freedom Project, an organization chaired by Boehner dedicated to providing assistance to Republican candidates running for federal office. Key Votes As Speaker of the House, Boehner customarily does not vote except in extraordinary circumstances. One such circumstance was H.R. 2: Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, a resolution introduced to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Boehner voted yea on the IFA-supported legislation and the bill passed in the House January 1, 2011. The Senate, however, has yet to pass the bill. Fiscal Cliff In the wake of Obama's re-election, Boehner held a press conference Wednesday on the looming financial cliff. During his remarks, Boehner made it clear that he will work closely with President Obama to prevent a potential economic disaster, even if that includes higher taxes. For a more immediate fix, Boehner recommended extending tax breaks into 2013 to buy more time to find a solution.