Boehner's back.

Rep. John Boehner of Ohio was re-elected Minority Leader in the US House of Representatives today. This is a good thing.

I've been a fan of Boehner's ever since my days of working on the Hill. He ran the Education & Workforce Committee like clockwork. His staffers were bright and efficient. He made the Minority feel like they were part of the process and railroaded them when need be. And on top of it, he knows how to throw one helluva party.

Not much has changed since then, except it's harder to get a ticket to his parties and...oh yeah, we're now the Minority.

Since assuming the role of Minority Leader, Boehner has done as good a job as anyone could expect with the challenges he has faced in this troubled economy and communication vacuum. An unpopular GOP President and a Presidential campaign all have distracted from his efforts to communicate his message and improve the House Republican Caucus.

Not anymore. Republicans are sorely lacking leadership. No longer will a Republican President or a Republican Presidential candidate shape the national debate on behalf of the GOP.

It's up to Boehner and McConnell now.

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em.