Watch Out John - Nancy's Still on the Job
Wednesday 05 January 2011
by: Linda Bustyn | Ms. Magazine | Op-Ed
As Nancy Pelosi hands off the Speaker’s gavel to John Boehner today, she also hands him a tough act to follow. Despite insistent attempts to malign her during her four years as Speaker of the House, the California congresswoman turns out to have been arguably the most effective person in that post in U.S. history. And it’s not just rah-rah Democrats saying so.
“We’re looking at an extraordinary set of accomplishments over a brief period of time,” said Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. “She ranks with the most consequential speakers, certainly in the last 75 years.”
Pelosi faced a House so divided along party lines that she couldn’t count on a single Republican vote for legislation–which means that she had to wrangle fellow Democrats to demonstrate a discipline and unity they have not been famous for. Out of that unity emerged a record of public policy triumphs unmatched since the Great Society legislation of the 1960s, according to University of Oklahoma political science professor Cindy Simon Rosenthal. “And much of it is because of her,” says Rosenthal.
Health-care reform.
Financial reform.
Ethics reform.
A $787 billion stimulus.
The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
A minimum wage increase.
Student aid.
Extending health coverage to 11 million children.
The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
All of this legislation was very important to women and reflected Pelosi’s feminist values. “She is for women’s rights unequivocally,” says Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation (and publisher of Ms.). Pelosi herself told me in my interview with her in the new issue of Ms. magazine,
Everything from rocking the baby to serving in the military to heading corporations—removing barriers to participating is a responsibility we all have. It’s not only good for women, it’s good for America.
With the Republicans now back in charge of the House, Pelosi has her new job (which was also her old job)—as House Democratic leader—cut out for her. Hard-won gains such as health reform are being threatened with repeal. Pelosi today decried such efforts, saying it would “do very serious violence to the national debt and deficit.” Let alone to the health and wallets of American families.
House Republicans may have the votes, but Democrats still have Pelosi to lead a spirited defense. And who better? Rep. Jan Schakowsky describes her as “absolutely the strongest, most disciplined and focused person I’ve ever met.”
And Feminist Majority Foundation vice president (and Ms. executive editor) Katherine Spillar puts it, “In Boehner’s quest to sabotage health-care reform, he’ll face a tough opponent—perhaps the toughest in history.”
So Boehner gets the gavel today, but Pelosi’s still got the platform, the guts and the smarts to keep the accomplishments of her tenure from being dismantled. Knowing how she stood up to withering attacks and seemingly insurmountable political odds, we’re placing bets on her.
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Comments
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Oooooh ... she had to fight
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 10:51 — Vic Anderson (not verified)Oooooh ... she had to fight with Her OWN DEM MAJORITY for the little piles of Obamanible shingle "sustenance", above! Does it taste Like CHICKEN grit?
Yes, what an honorable term
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 12:01 — Anonymous (not verified)Yes, what an honorable term of service...starting with Impeachment Off The Table and right on through suckling corporations to her shriveled breast...boy, if only the dems could conjure a couple hundred more like her...if only...
Keep fighting for us, Nancy!
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 15:33 — Anonymous (not verified)Keep fighting for us, Nancy! We've got your back. And thanks!
she accomplished nothing,
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 15:57 — Anonymous (not verified)she accomplished nothing, the health care reform is like putting a band aid on a gaping wound, the patient died. Financial reform and the stimulus were wall street sanctioned and did little or nothing to help the country. As her place in recent history as speaker I would put her right above Tip Oneal, which is the bottom of the barrel .
It is interesting to read
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 16:06 — Tom Baker (not verified)It is interesting to read comments made by right wingers. They are always so full of hate and vitriol. It is ok to disagree, but why be so hateful about it?
Ms. Pelosi has an abysmal
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 16:22 — Anonymous (not verified)Ms. Pelosi has an abysmal record on pushing for Middle East peace. She has supported the status quo, which has failed, despite what Gen. Petraeus warned us concerning the injury Israel's trajectory can do for the United States in the future. Altho' I don't support Petraeus generally, he at least had the guts to say it out loud.
The US has the leverage to completely change the ball game in the Middle East by forcing Israel to make concessions and settle. This will not make Israel less secure than the dangerous path it is on, and it would give us much more leverage and the ability to ally ourselves where we NEED to, not where Israel tells us to.
Pelosi never moved strongly to reduce our military being in bed with Israel, nor our politicians. It is amazing that such a small country, can have so much influence over us.
Pelosi traded in short term election and fundraising goals for the long-term interests of our country, and now the Mid. East issue will never move beyond la la land in Congress, even though events on the ground are truly alarming.
You should not print
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 16:52 — John Richetti (not verified)You should not print (cowardly) anonymous messages like two of the above, especially the appalling misogynistic one ("her shriveled breast"). Who is this jerk? How about giving us your name!
It is not cowardly to call
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 23:15 — Anonymous (not verified)It is not cowardly to call out a traitor and war criminal, which Ms. Pelosi certainly is.
It is not cowardly to point out that anyone who supports Pelosi can only do so on the basis of blind party loyalty or the fact she's the first woman to "ascend" to Speaker...
The author of this tripe does both.
True progressives do not support illegal wars, torture, health care for some, corporate control, and unaccountability for crimes large and small--
Pelosi--and the bulk of folks who call themselves democrats--are not true progressives. They are corporate shills.
Pelosis's "accomplishments" as speaker, listed by the author, are nothing but polished turds. Not even a modicum of intelligence is required to see this. Folks who defend Pelosi likely defend Obama, all the while completely oblivious to the seamless symmetry of the ir policies to those of Bush.
Wake up. Republicans Democrats do not rule.
Corporations rule, and Ms Pelosi has indeed suckled them at her shriveled breast.
Don't like mean metaphors? Politics is too rough a room for you, then. And read up on slander and libel.
And satire. Which is protected even if you don't get it, because your knee jerked up into yoour etes...
As a former big Pelosi
Thu, 01/06/2011 - 23:44 — SF Progressive (not verified)As a former big Pelosi supporter I must disagree with this article. Pelosi's accomplishments were minor and can easily evaporate under Repug domination. The biggest mistake she made was taking "impeachment off the table" and allowing the Bush/Cheney crime/war machine to continue unabated. She had the most flagrant impeachable offenses (illegal wars, torture, fraud) to investigate and act upon and she did nothing. Thus allowing the current rebirth of the worst politicians in U.S. history. Now they are assured that no matter what they do, there will be no accountability, no punishment, just book deals and well-paid speaking engagements.
Pelosi has constantly backed
Fri, 01/07/2011 - 13:08 — Ken (not verified)Pelosi has constantly backed the horrible assault on the Palestinian people by Israel. Whatever good she has done (questionable) has been offset by her hawkish stance aagainst a people living in genocidal conditions impossed by the right-wing Israeli government. Please Google "Pelosi and Israel" and learn more. She is not who her backers think she is. Dig a little deeper. Please.
I live in the S.F. Bay area and have been following her sordid career for many years.
Thank "God" for Madam
Fri, 01/07/2011 - 14:54 — Anonymous (not verified)Thank "God" for Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi... she's a lady that will continue to bring tears to the eyes of every Republican in the House of Representative. She has a set of NUTS. Republicans have a set of PEANUTS. What a GREAT President she would be. Go get-um Nancy, make life easy for President Obama. The "Tan-Man" and his clowns will make it easy for you to return to office in two years.
John Richetti A high
Fri, 01/07/2011 - 16:24 — Anonymous (not verified)John Richetti
A high percentage of politicians including Nancy The P are bought and paid for Ho's . They sold out for 10 Silver Sheckels to the State of Israel . We are a Z.O.G. .....Zionist Occupied Government . They bark and we grovel .
Nike Air Max Günstig
Mon, 01/21/2013 - 13:03 — Nike Air Max Günstig (not verified)http://lipricorn.com/index.php/mangoes/item/6-kent-mango/6-kent-mango?start=5380