Democrats pressing Pelosi to step aside

[Akoto]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a fresh sign of turmoil among defeated Democrats, a growing number of the rank and file say they won't support House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a politically symbolic roll call when the new Congress meets in January.

"The reality is that she is politically toxic," said Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley, one of several Democrats who are trying to pressure Pelosi to step aside as her party's leader in the wake of historic election losses to Republicans last week.

Pelosi startled many Democrats with a quick postelection announcement that she would run for minority leader. She has yet to draw an opponent for the post.

Party elections are scheduled for next week, although a postponement is possible.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEMOCRATIC_TURMOIL?SITE=TNKNN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[elocs]

1. Pelosi has nothing to worry about from the defeated Democrats or their turmoil.

Or maybe that story could have been better written by the AP.

[Aramchek]

2. fuck Mike Quigley! Nancy ain't going anywhere.

[24601]

32. She's definitely leaving the Speaker's Chair & Suite. And that's

certainly somewhere. So she IS going somewhere.

[Xenotime]

41. Can she get the position back when we take back the House in 2012?

[24601]

59. Election to Speaker requires 218 votes. The Constitution doesn't

even stipulate that the Speaker must be a Representative: "The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers...."

US Constitution, Article I, Section 2.

[tularetom]

3. Nobody has the balls to run against her but these weenies oppose her

Well, fuck em.

I'm about to give up on some of our so called Democratic congresscritters.

On the other hand it's entirely possible that the Associated "Press" is just trying to stir the shit.

[davidinalameda]

4. I think she should step aside

I think she is too polarizing

my district went republican this time around and the commercials the republican ran tied the Democratic nominee to Pelosi and I hate to say it but the commercials were effective

I want to see new leadership

she's done a good job but I think her time is over

[Taverner]

5. Shit, a potted plant would be polarizing to the current crop of GOP

[laughingliberal]

35. ROFL!! nt

[blondeatlast]

39. Yep--she's polarizing because she's effective. They hated her for it (oh, and she wears

a skirt, too--they hate that as well).

[defendandprotect]

6. Who is possibly left watching TV at all .... and ADS....????

I don't understand why anyone would be watching any of this stuff???

Re Pelosi, I think it depends on what's going on --

is she going to fight the Obama corporate agenda in the party -- DLC/New Dems --

or is Pelosi in fact one of them?

Is there any attempt by the liberal Democrats to rise up against this?

Think we need a better idea of what's actually going on --

Someone might tell?

:evilgrin:

[DURHAM D]

11. "my district went republican this time around"

Yep - your district has been Republican for a decade.

Must be Nancy's fault.

Really? total bs

[davidinalameda]

24. this district has had a Democrat since the late 60s

[DURHAM D]

27. Isn't Alameda in the 2nd?

Maybe you live in the 1st - that long-time Dem incumbent was knocked out in the primary. Again, how is that Nancy's fault?

[davidinalameda]

38. I'm not in Alameda any longer

which is in California by the way and not West Virginia

I'm guessing you remember the whole "drain the swamp" thing she said when the Democrats took the House back in 2006

that was a huge joke

you had people like my former congressman, Maxine Waters, and Charlie Rangel who were all accused of ethics violations and very little, if anything, was done in regards to the charges brought against them

you had the "Let's pass the health care bill so we can find out what's in it" quote being used against Democrats

the whole airplane thing as well

the republicans successfully used these issues against Democrats

the republicans in WV ran against Pelosi and Obama and they were somewhat successful; they played on people's prejudices and fears

I used to live in her district and she did a great job representing San Francisco but she was too polarizing to be leader

we need new blood in there

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

50. Has to do with the economy, not with Pelosi! n/t

[CBHagman]

16. She's been effective, which is part of the reason she's attacked.

The other day I had to explain to a co-worker how 'cans and others demonized Nancy Pelosi, and while I'm proud to say I avoided using the phrase "bunch of men who are afraid of having their testicles snipped off," I didn't stop much short of that.

Anyway, Pelosi has every right to keep up her bid for minority leader. If most of the caucus is too stupid to vote for her, that's their problem. I just wrote my congressman to express my support for her.

The Democrats could put up Jesus as minority leader and the 'cans would say he was soft on crime and immigration, and damn it, he heals people for free.

[howaboutme]

17. I agree

I want her replaced with someone that can offer a new fresh symbolic face to the Democrats. I've seen enough of her in the last couple of years. Politicians go rancid after several years. Time for new face, new philosophies and someone that does not present the same ole, stereotypical political target that she presents.

The Republicans want her in this seat just like Democrats want Sarah Palin to run. They are both lightening rods. Eric Cantor even tried reverse psychology by saying that Democrats should replace her, thinking that they would do exactly the opposite.

[Lord Magus]

23. When was the last time your district DIDN'T go Republican?

Or if not, when did they elect an actual Democrat instead of a typical West Virginia DINO?

The fact that Republicans despise Pelosi so much is part of the reason that she should be our House leader for as long as she wants to be.

[davidinalameda]

25. if you feel better by calling people names

then I'm happy for you but I hate to break it to you that not all Democrats are liberals

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Psephos]

31. Actually, you're part of the problem.

Political power results from forming majority coalitions among parties who judge their common interests to outweigh their differences.

Emphasis upon word majority.

Contrary to your post hoc analysis, conservative Democrats were largely why we had a majority the past four years. They initially took seats from pugs in districts that were either red or purple. (I.e., had a lot of independents and swing voters.) The freshmen classes of 2006 and 2008 were disproportionately conservative Democrats compared to the overall make-up of the House.

We lost the House because many independents who voted D in the two previous elections did not vote D in 2010, costing conservative Dems their seats in districts that weren't naturally Democratic to start with.

Reclaiming the House in 2012 will not happen without candidates who can again prevail in red or purple districts.

[Lord Magus]

33. Just having a majority isn't enough.

We have to actually use it. Conservadems have always been a detriment in that regard. If they hadn't watered down the stimulus, the economy would be in much better shape economically, and thus would have done much better in this year's election. If they hadn't forced the removal of the public option, the most popular part of healthcare reform, the Teabaggers couldn't have been as effective at demonizing it (not to mention that we'd have gotten a vastly better law). When we regain the majority, we need to do it with Democrats who will vote like Democrats.

[Psephos]

45. I agree with that.

I still can't believe that with a D House, D Senate, and D President, we got that P.O.S. healthcare bill instead of a single-payer universal system.

Nonetheless, without a majority, nothing happens. As you said, it's not enough to have a majority, but it IS the necessary first step.

There just aren't enough Congressional districts that will reliably vote D and ensure a majority, if only true-left progressives are running. We need some candidates who are closer to center for the purple districts, candidates who once elected, will stick with the party on crucial votes. There are also huge advantages in Congressional powers (committee chairs, subpoena powers, procedural strategies, etc.) for the majority. Frankly, that *alone* is probably worth tolerating Blue Dogs. Emanuel may have sucked as a White House CoS, but as a majority builder, he was brilliant. He made sure that D candidates matched the districts they had to run in. We got four good years of House rule from his efforts.

To build a majority and maintain it requires a big tent. Coalitions depend on emphasizing common interests, not disagreements. PoliSci 101.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

51. We never had the majority. I wish people would wake up and realize this.

Sure we had majority Democrats in name, but many of those Democrats joined with Republicans, watered down legislation, and so that's how we got the P.O.S. healthcare bill.

Note that we got a public option in the House, along with many, many effective pieces of legislation--over 400 of them--that passed the House, thanks to Nancy Pelosi and Whip Jim Clyburn!

And I do agree that we need to build coalitions around policy, but understand that the result may not always be everything we like or want. That's the price we pay for having that big tent.

[laughingliberal]

36. True. If they were we'd be getting some effective policies out of Washington.

Instead, we pass economic policies Reagan would have been proud to call his own and...surprise...they don't work. Isn't 30 years of failed supply side shit enough?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

55. Please open your eyes: those bills were watered down by the Blue Dogs.

We got a public option in the House!

The financial reform bill was watered down precisely because due to the corporatists and Blue Dogs in the party. That's the way it works. It's not Pelosi's fault. Her job is to make sure legislation that is somewhat reflective of the party's principles get passed.

Remember when the Republicans were in control, they didn't get everything they wanted, i.e., privatizing social security.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

49. What is it going to take for us to understand that ANY Democrat would have been demonized

by the wingnuts and the Corporate Media. Case in point: there's nothing about Barack Obama that is even remotely liberal, and what do we hear day in and day out: Obama is the most liberal, radical, president ever!

They hate Nancy because she is effective. No matter what Democrat holds that position, the Republicans would go after that person.

[Dawson Leery]

7. Most of the bluedogs will not be around to cast that vote.

:nopity:

[Marie Marie]

8. Yes and when they replace Nancy Pelosi with Joe Blow

then Mr Blow will be the new target of the darlings on the right. I think the reason you heard Nancy Pelosi mentioned so much on the right was because of the huge support for Obama during the Presidential election from Independents. So as not to offend those Independents and the Middle of the Roaders, they switched their vitriol to Nancy and made her the Liberal Boogie Man (or woman in her case) who must be defeated.

[blondeatlast]

40. Sounds about tight. nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

52. EXACTLY!! Yellow Dog. Blue Dog. It doesn't matter. That Democrat will be the target

of the wingnuts. Period!!!

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[madrchsod]

18. age discrimination- how democratic of you.

[CountAllVotes]

21. does that mean that Jerry Brown should retire too?

He is governor elect here in California and he is 72 years old! :argh:

:dem:

[blondeatlast]

42. What a bigoted thing to say (from someone who is well below 70). Did I take

a wrong turn at Google this morning? I thought this was Democratic Underground?!

[Historic NY]

10. In other words a couple of our Bluue dogs don't want her.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

29. +1

[bluestateguy]

12. Depends

If it's her vs. Health Shuler, then I am for Pelosi.

But I would also be pleased with her stepping aside in favor of another progressive Democrat like George Miller or Jan Schakowski.

[Crunchy Frog]

13. Can they replace her with someone other than Steny Hoyer?

[onehandle]

14. Tough shit. nt

[4lbs]

15. Yeah, why would Democrats want a person that won 80% of her district?

It's not like she knows how to win re-election or that she's loved by her constituents or anything.

[madrchsod]

22. who was born a democrat and been in politics all her life?

who started as political intern in 1962?

ya let`s not pick her...

[kctim]

44. That's not the problem

the problem is that she contributed to many Dems NOT winning re-election because she isn't liked by anybody other than her constituents and die-hard progressives.

But by all means, keep her as the leader of the now MINORITY Dem House. I'm sure candidates like Mccaskill will be thanking you just as Carnahan does.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

53. Why would Democrats want a person who won 80% of her district...

...and passed over 400 pieces of legislation. Yeah, that person, to these people, are ineffective...and polarizing!

:sarcasm::sarcasm:

This is why Democrats always lose. Always! We don't stand up for our leaders even when they've been effective!!! :(

GO NANCY!!!!!!

[madrchsod]

19. quigley is a punk ass kid who just made a fool of himself...

he`s a neo liberal who was handed..take a guess.....rahm`s on seat.

mikey is luck nancy is a lady..

[Ramulux]

20. The blue dogs can bitch all they want

They wont be able to actually do anything, after this election there are now like 30 of them left. Even if there were more, they dont have anyone to nominate who would come close to beating her.

[lobodons]

28. Congratulations to the Republicans

They were able to frame the dialog to demonize Pelosi. They won this last round. Pelosi fell victim to her success and to the Republicans ability to craft the message.

[ProSense]

30. The media pushing a handful of blue dogs as "Democrats"

They are full of BS. George Miller has a message for Republicans.

[Duke Newcombe]

34. With each month that goes by...

I appreciate and respect Speaker Pelosi more and more.

Madam Speaker, please tell these folks to take a flying one at a rolling donut.

[laughingliberal]

37. Let me think...how shall I put this?

Fuck 'em!

[blondeatlast]

43. Squared. nt

[immoderate]

46. Sign me up.

--imm

[caty]

47. Hmmmmm.......

She has the experience.

She gets things done.

She is great at her job.

The rethugs hate her

I'm for her. Hope she gets the job.

[Kalyke]

57. Your picture is disgraceful

I live in Appalachia and I voted on the machines that require paper back-ups - in fact, my entire state, Tennessee, was one of the first states to require it.

Now, far too many people are voting for shit candidates, but to characterize the entire region as too ignorant to vote is bigoted.

[AndrewP]

48. Hopefully she wins the position of minority leader

[Tatiana]

54. Name a true liberal/progressive representative that has a problem with Pelosi.

Why are they so against Pelosi running for minority leader?

They know that she is going to try to position and pull the party back to left of center.

As minority leader, she won't be as beholden to the President's specific demands... she's free to lead as her conscience dictates and to fight the Republicants as hard as she can. I've noticed that her rhetoric regarding social security and the catfood commission has become increasingly populist (which is where I think she is politically - she compromised with the President and Reid as Speaker, but I think as minority leader, we'll see a lot more passion and a lot more fighting for the average American).

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

56. Well done!!! +1!! n/t

[myrna minx]

58. +1 n/t