What the Democrats need is more Nancy Pelosi, not less. But why does that scare both parties?
I thought hard about the potential damage of pouring 900 words or so of high-test on a smoldering fire that burns in part because folks with alleged good intentions will not let it die. l guess I figure if I can get the last word in, at least then I can selfishly move on, even if that is exactly what we all should be doing right about now. But I’m striking the match anyway and want to type about Nancy Pelosi and why she should be the next Speaker of the House. Go ahead, get a hose if you want. I understand …
And before I go any further I want say this about Pelosi: She is a political titan and one of the most iconic politicians in the history of the United States of America, starting with a guy named Washington. She is the first and only woman to ever ascend to Speaker, and got there the old-fashioned, American way — by twisting arms, digging in, crawling over political dead weight and standing up straight and tall. She has a master’s command of policy, knows whose number to call and when, and is fearless in the face of misdirected, raw contempt. She is often loyal to a fault, which hands down still beats almost every other alternative. She is a hero to tens of millions of people around the world and that’s the least of it.
We should consider ourselves lucky to have this iconic woman still in the fight and on our side when the Democrats take back the House in 85 days. We should count our blessings to have one of the most loyal, fierce Americans in the history of our creaky political system standing up to the slimy, duplicitous lightweights in Trump’s GOP.
So here’s the easy part: If you agree, I suggest you skip the rest, and enjoy your Sunday morning (but not until you have done at least one little thing to further the Democrats cause this November). If you don’t agree, you are about to be scolded and are not to go anywhere. Worse, if you agree, but still think she should not be picked to be our next Speaker, you have a real damn problem, and need to think very deeply about what it really is that is holding you down.
This is the part where I say that if Nancy Pelosi were a ‘William’ Pelosi or a ‘Jonathan’ Pelosi or a ‘Mike’ Pelosi or a ‘Derek’ Pelosi we wouldn’t be having this one-sided discussion. In fact, I wish we could just stop here, because really that is what most of this is about, and what that real nagging problem is. As an old, white guy I still occasionally limp around from this one. When I suddenly realize my subtle misogyny is causing that hitch in my progressive step, I slow down and stretch out my brain a bit. There. All better.
Let’s dig deeper, though, and get to this part: Along with, and besides, that misogynistic problem, you are too soft and conditioned to realize you are being played by the Republicans, who have been moving blue chess pieces around our board for so long you are used to living in a state of perpetual check. They say jump, you politely ask how high. They say “Nancy Pelosi!” and you accommodate by screaming bloody murder and going into full retreat. You want to play the game like a maestro? You would do well to start taking lessons from a Grandmaster like Pelosi and learn the art of the attack. You think it’s just luck that despite all the venom directed her way, she’s still at the top of the game?
Those Republicans who are shoving you around the board like some shell-shocked pawn on ice want you to dump Pelosi while they genuflect to Paul Ryan, Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy. Let me tell you something, those three combined couldn’t carry one tenth of Pelosi’s integrity and have sniffed so much of Trump’s backside they are actually close to falling for all that putrid manure they are dealing you. Are you starting to see how silly you look now?
But, hey, what about all those Democrats running away from Pelosi out there on the campaign trail? Why, they won’t even say her name! Well, yes, this is politics. Here’s another name you aren’t hearing tossed around out there by those very same Democrats, Trump. Why, in the name of treason, when the GOP is so clearly on the run and in desperate retreat — and much of it thanks to Trump’s evil doings — wouldn’t Democrats be screaming his name across the countryside?! Because they don’t have to, that’s why. His only remarkable trait is the ability to run his big mouth even while underwater. The GOP is trying to make Pelosi an issue so Trump isn’t. My, how 1998 of them. You let this work now during these heady days of #Metoo, well, you are the problem, and damn sure aren’t living in 2018. Quit-playing-their-game.
A Democratic House with Pelosi at the helm is what positively scares the living shit out of the GOP, because they would be forced to live with the fact that what they couldn’t kill, has somehow made her and her party stronger. Try this analogy: Remember when those bastards almost killed Obamacare, but couldn’t quite? Now everybody wants some. And who knows, maybe Obamacare can help with that misogynistic limp.
