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Let Us Now Praise Nancy Pelosi

by: JimC

Thu Nov 04, 2010 at 05:49:39 AM EDT


(Yes, yes, and yes. - promoted by Dean Barker)

Yes, I'm serious.

Given the dynamics of these things, she is unlikely to return as Speaker when Democrats take the House back, even if that happens in just two years.

I would like to note that she served her country and the Democratic Party honorably. She showed toughness when she had to, and she was vital in passing the healthcare law, which remains the signature accomplishment of the last two years.

She defended a couple of people that I would not have defended, but she hasn't had a personal scandal or even a whiff of one. And frankly, such loyalty (within reason) is the side I'd like to see leaders err on, because too many people in politics are too quick to throw others under the proverbial bus.

There was that awkward moment when she said, "Oh, he [Obama] was for a lot of things on the campaign trail," but she was hardly the only one who had that type of thought. I'm not going to blame her for saying it out loud.

She "took impeachment off the table" when she took the gavel. This annoyed many people, but I believe it was the right thing to do. It avoided creating a revenge cycle of impeachment proceedings. And it did not exclude other actions taken, say, by the Justice Department. People can say it created a certain climate where that was more difficult, and they may have a point, but let's not kid ourselves, any such action was always going to be difficult. It should be difficult.

Finally, when the GOP tried to make her a lightning rod -- really starting on day one, but especially this year -- and some Democratic members distanced themselves to save themselves (see above), she never wavered. She never condemned anyone who did that. Privately, who knows, it had to hurt and maybe that showed. But in public, she held strong.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

JimC :: Let Us Now Praise Nancy Pelosi
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Yes. (4.00 / 1)
I don't talk much about Pelosi, mostly because the right-wing has decided to demonize her in a dopey cartoonish way, so it's not very useful bringing her up in our state context.

But out of all the Democrats in leadership positions - including the White House - she is the one I have been most proud of these past two years.  It is cruel and ironic that the Democrats' most effective leader is the one who will lose her position.

If I could have the chance to meet one Important Democrat to say "thanks," it would be her.

birch paper; on Twitter @deanbarker


Modern day Americans are ambivalent about women. They want (4.00 / 2)
strong mommies and attractive wives, good managers and silent partners, the little woman behind every good man.  For some, the "Nanny State" seems to represent a nurturing entity that's resented because real mothers never measure up.  
Nancy Pelosi was resented because she eclipsed that other Nancy, Ronnie's Mommy.  

The only explanation for her demonization - (4.00 / 3)
and its success - is sexism. The Speakership is inherently a partisan position and hasn't been filled with especially charismatic folks. But we didn't see a similar effort to make the election about Denny Hastert or Tom Foley, or even Newt Gingrich.

[ Parent ]
not sure I've met a republican (4.00 / 1)
who isn't a sexist or racist.  They and the tea baggers hate women, blacks, gays, latinos, and....well, you get the picture.  No surprise that they were (and still are) so mad that our President is black, the speaker is (for at least a few more weeks) a woman, and we now have a Latina on the Supreme Court.

[ Parent ]
Disagree. (0.00 / 0)
Some Republicans are just concerned about their own pocket (regardless of who's actually better on that) and some are holding out hope that Eisenhower will come back.

And once upon a time, John McCain was a real statesman.

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner


[ Parent ]
ask them about illegal immigrant (0.00 / 0)
and tell me they're not racists.  They may care about their wallets first, but the racism is there.

[ Parent ]
I never denied racism is there. Sharron Angle and Jan Brewer came from somewhere. (0.00 / 0)
What I said was that it's not every Republican.  They cater to that, but it's not 100% of their party.

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner


[ Parent ]
it's just a lot easier (0.00 / 0)
to say all of them than clarify by saying 90-95%.  I bet you or I can find one who isn't racist/sexist/homophobic.  I can also find you a corporation that isn't greedy, but why try to look for that needle in a haystack?

[ Parent ]
Because, frankly, Jon Stewart is right. (4.00 / 2)
Senator McConnell saying that his party's #1 legislative goal is to win the next election and take more power is symptomatic of a larger political environment in which partisanship plays an outsized role in our society and its institutions.  And yes, his party is far more radicalized, far less intellectually honest, far more hell-bent on partisanship, far more willing to sacrifice the good of the country for short-term political gain than ours is, but we're not them, and we shouldn't become them.  We don't stoop to the level of our political opponents for the same reason our party doesn't support stooping to the human rights abuses of our country's enemies: we want to win and we want to deserve to win.

I'm not for unilateral disarmament or for watering down legislation in hopes of Republican votes that won't come, but I don't see a need to demonize every Republican.  There isn't a Mike Castle for every Sharron Angle, but to the degree that there are Mike Castles, we should embrace them and work with them.

I'm a loud and proud member of the blue team, but we could use a little more recognition of the fact that we're all on the red, white, and blue team. Too bad the Cold War's over, am I right? (kidding)

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner


[ Parent ]
I'd agree with this (4.00 / 2)
Certain decisions were maddening, and she was plagued by blue dog idiocy. But in a party addicted to petty circular firing squad tactics, she did pretty good.

Plus, have the republicans had a speaker in the last 20 years not plagued by scandal? Seriously, not sure...



Nancy is on my list of heroes (0.00 / 0)
most of whom are women.  Granny D, Carol, the wonderful NH legislators I have watched, my farmers market organizers.  If you want to get something done, ask a busy woman.  
Not that I don't love my progressive men too, but women start from a harder place and I need to celebrate them.

Sexism is alive and well in the USA. (4.00 / 1)
Given how visceral the attacks against Pelosi have been.  Just shows you that Americans still can't accept a strong woman in power.  IOn related news Brazil became the latest country to elect a female President.  That's like 15 countries now?  We can't even seem to get women elected in decent numbers to Congress nevermind the White House.  When will America grow up?

We rank 89th (0.00 / 0)
in the percentage of women in government.  After Cuba & Tajikastan, among others.  Just another of those rankings that make us look more and more like a third world country, many of which have to do with the health and status of women.

[ Parent ]
New Hampshire has chosen Democratic women in elections for: (4.00 / 1)
  • President
  • US Senator
  • US Representative
  • Governor
  • Executive Councilor
  • State Senate President
  • State House Speaker

And of course, Jeanne Shaheen is the only woman in American history to have been elected both a Governor and a US Senator.

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner


[ Parent ]
Cheers to the most effective Democratic Congressional leader in a generation (4.00 / 1)
And the highest ranking woman in American government so far.

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner


George Bush (4.00 / 1)
admits to giving the orders to torture by waterboarding in his new book. Yup - admits to a war crime.

Taking impeachment off the table was the wrong decision, and will haunt the Democratic Party for decades to come.


Eugene Robinson weighs in (0.00 / 0)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...


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