What an odd juxtaposition: the Pope and John Boehner. The former comes to America and brings holiness and charity while the latter takes the occasion to resign.

A speaker would certainly respond to the Pontiff’s speech with words of hope and plans for a better America. Instead, the nation was informed that preserving the “institution” of the House was the catalyst for his withdrawal, nothing about the continuing loss of efficacy of an entire political party.

As the Holy Father visited the poor, the emaciated, the immigrants, touched their bodies and the souls of the rest of us, will any in the U.S. House of Representatives be moved to emulate this lover of humankind and go out personally to find and reconcile our own downtrodden and ignored people?

These elected officials are frozen in deficits, their careers fermenting in war and paid vacations.

Boehner could not face an impending vote of removal and so threw in the Nixonian towel rather than even retain his seat and work for the people who elected him.