Robert Shrum: Pelosi Delivered. Dems' hold on House didn't last. Their landmark legislation will.

[flpoljunkie]

Pelosi delivered
The Democrats' hold on the House didn't last. Their landmark legislation will

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 4, 2010, AT 4:16 PM

Let us now praise Nancy Pelosi.

Long after the midterm stories have faded, and the predictions of the President’s political demise prove as facile and false as they were with Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, history will accord Pelosi an unprecedented scale of achievement for a House Speaker. The breakthroughs of the past two years bear her indelible stamp. She has been not only the master of the House, but a moving force in changing America for generations to come — and despite their fulminations, the GOP that has demonized her will not succeed in undoing those changes.

It was Pelosi, in a meeting with President Obama after Republican Sen. Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts, who rebuffed Rahm Emanuel’s argument that comprehensive health reform couldn’t pass, so Democrats should retreat to a modest bill that focused on expanded coverage for children. 'What makes you think I would support that?' she bluntly asked. Pelosi understood, as did Obama, that Democrats had to act in this session of Congress — or forfeit for another decade or more the chance to move decisively toward health care as a fundamental right of all Americans. She then persuaded her members to live with the Senate version of reform, and to trust that the filibuster-challenged body would pass the necessary amendments.

It was a legislative tour de force from someone who plainly believes that the purpose of politics goes beyond serving the self-interest of politicians. From the stimulus that averted a second Great Depression to Wall Street reform to the transformation and expansion of college student aid, Pelosi and the President have written more landmark legislation than anyone in nearly half a century. Majority Leader Harry Reid did his best in the sclerotic Senate, and at critical moments change squeaked by the Republican blockade.

In many instances the change Pelosi initiated in the House fell short in the Senate — from climate change and energy security to the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” But what did reach the President’s desk will lift the lives of hundreds of millions of Americans — and the credit belongs not just to Obama, but to Pelosi and the colleagues she persuaded to take the risk of their convictions. Not for her, tokenism and triangulation.

more...

http://theweek.com/bullpen/column/209011/pelosi-delivered

[Vinca]

1. I think Pelosi did an amazing job as speaker. Unfortunately,

all things go to the Senate to die and that's what happened.

[denem]

2. 60 votes; 60 votes; 60 votes!

The Dems greatest mistake was not to introduce filibuster reform in 2009.

[Lochloosa]

3. Again, show me the 60 votes. List 60 DEMS in the Senate. Go Ahead.

[denem]

6. There were NEVER 60 Dem votes in the Senate of course.

Lieberman killed the Medicare Buy In all by himself, after first pledging his support to Harry Reid. Joe is the lowest life snake of the all IMO

[Lochloosa]

7. And he would have killed any change in the rules. If not him, Ben Nelson would have.

[indepat]

9. And for weeks we've heard Nancy slimed in every pub commercial, as if all that has gone wrong since

junior's reign commenced was somehow Nancy's fault. :shrug:

[karynnj]

4. Wonerful, well deserved praise

I would be willing to bet that Pelosi would have chosen passing this legislation even if she knew it meant losing the leadership. That is statesmanship and what elected leaders should do.

[tinrobot]

5. Sadly, the House paid the price for the Senate's sins.

[polichick]

12. So true - the Senate is a pit of vipers. nt

[Clio the Leo]

8. White House needs to do whatever it needs to do to get Shrum out there more...

... he can be a surrogate czar or something.

[robcon]

10. Shrum: dreaming.

We were told the country had gone Democratic, and we'd be in control for 40 years.

Does no one remember the triumphalism of 2006?

[gkhouston]

11. Yes, I do, and I thought it was bullshit at the time. I do think it's going to be

a hell of a lot harder to get rid of healthcare than the Republicans are telling their base. There's a reason why they fought the thing like rabid weasels.