The political fallout and narrative of House Speaker John Boehner’s, R-Ohio, resignation has been filled with misleading criticism and misguided praise. While the legacy of his speakership will be in dispute for some time, Boehner’s presence has been both a benefit and a detriment to our country.

So-called conservatives have taken great joy in Boehner’s departure.

After years of being foremost among his critics, members of the tea party are hopeful that the next leader will be a true believer and fighter for their cause. Yet their critiques of the speaker could not be further from the truth.

The Republican Party of 2010 — pre-Boehner — was destitute and broken, having fought and lost on Obamacare, Wall Street reform, the stimulus and deficit spending. Under Boehner, Republicans were able to halt the president’s agenda.

Sequestration and austerity measures helped shrink the deficit against Obama’s will. The speaker scheduled dozens of votes to attempt to repeal Obamacare. And, in unprecedented fashion, Boehner extended an invitation to a foreign leader to address Congress without White House consultation.

Additionally, Boehner led Republicans to unprecedented judicial victories against the overreach of the executive branch. Congressional Republicans and their allies have fought executive actions on immigration, environmental regulations and, again, on Obamacare to great success.

Boehner built the largest conservative majority in the House since before World War II. This is an astounding feat considering the continued unpopularity of the Republican Party and its antics during the last few years.

Anyone who believes John Boehner hasn’t been fighting Obama since day one isn’t paying attention.

The speaker has done everything within reason — and then some — to fight for his party. He amassed Republican majorities, stalled and stopped Obama’s legislative agenda and even gathered token legislative successes. All while Democrats were in power in the Senate during his first four years and the White House the entire time.

That being said, during his five years as speaker, Boehner provided plenty of fodder to question his virtue. He single-handedly obstructed comprehensive immigration reform, walked away from budget talks with Obama and stood by idly while Ted Cruz and associates shut down the government in 2013.

Had the speaker taken a stand on these issues, 11 million immigrants could have begun contributing to our economy beyond the shadows, and Social Security would have been able to meet its obligations to future generations. Yes, his speakership would have been at risk with these compromises, but Boehner would have accomplished once-in-a-generation progress and been heralded with praise worthy of his office.

Instead Boehner engendered a stagnant and repressive congressional culture of low expectations. Once the exception, funding the government at the 11th hour now inspires congratulations and celebrations. The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives was at the whim of conservative extremists, bullied into shutdowns and near defaults.

Even the recent controversy with Planned Parenthood is telling of Boehner’s leadership. He allowed a legitimate debate to be overrun with falsehoods and doctored videos, to the point where it cost him his job. Derision toward Boehner should focus on his inability to sacrifice on issues of true significance, and not his ability to fight.

The people and events that follow Boehner’s departure should now concern us. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is widely expected to receive a promotion, and his eight years in Congress will make him the least experienced speaker in more than a century.

McCarthy has never led a congressional committee or authored legislation of significance. He is only the heir apparent because of Eric Cantor’s inability to win a primary. In announcing his bid to become speaker, McCarthy promised to “lead the fight” for conservatism.

This will surely be welcome news to conservative extremists, while the rest of the country will be asking, with 15 months left in the Obama presidency, how much fighting is there to do?