"Minority leader Nancy Pelosi will play rough with GOP"

[Clio the Leo]

Minority leader Nancy Pelosi will play rough with GOP

By Greg Sargent
As you know, a lot of people have been arguing that Nancy Pelosi is a bad choice for minority leader because she prevailed over major losses in the House, she's not a natural communicator, she's deeply unpopular, and she'd represent the face of unrepentant liberalism. Today's much-discussed New York Times editoral opposing her candidacy hits on some of these arguments.

But all this seems to badly miss what one of the most important roles of the new minority leader will be: To draw a very sharp line against GOP efforts to role back Obama's accomplishments.

This task could matter at least as much in the new minority leader as communications or presenting a new face for the party. And while Pelosi clearly has a negative and polarizing image, few would argue she hasn't succeeded at building coalitions and maintaining unity at moments of extreme political stress -- exactly what she'll need to do if she's going to hold the line against repeal efforts.

The key thing to understand is that we're about to enter a period of brusing procedural wars -- precisely the type of thing that Pelosi has already excelled at. Republicans are already discussing ways to starving the new health care law by, say, limiting funding to agencies that would implement portions of it or using spending bills to block federal insurance regulations they don't like. The next minority leader will have to be ruthless in her willingness to use procedural tactics to combat this kind of stuff.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/nancy_pelosi_is_well_suited_to.html

[ProSense]

1. The NYT buying into or trying to sell nonsense

Nancy Pelosi has been Speaker since Democrats won in 2006 and through the gains in 2008. She was instrumental in helping the President to secure his policy triumphs. Republicans hate her for that.

Boehner and McConnell have a 14 percent and 12 percent approval rating, respectively

In 2007, both Reid and Pelosi had higher approvals than those idiots.

No one in the media is calling Boehner and McConnell divisive and no one called for them to step down after they got their butts whipped in 2008.

Nevermind that the majority of Democrats support Pelosi, the MSM want Democrats to cave to Republican spin.

Progressives won, including Congressman Grijalva in Arizona.

The real reason Republicans won is because more Republicans voted in a lot more races.

Dems win moderates, conservatives dominate GOP

A lot of House Democrats in traditional red states lost and a lot of blue dogs lost. Most of the Democrats who lost opposed the President's agenda, the Democratic agenda Nancy Pelosi helped to push through.

[patrice]

2. Kick their asses Nancy, really, we don't have anything left to lose.

[OHdem10]

3. She can assign a couple of members to keep up with TV

Appearance and to get out and refute distortions
and lies. She can do some TV appearces but
she needs surrogates to do fighting.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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

[Beacool]

5. Hear, hear!!!

I don't personally like Nancy, but no one can argue that she has been a very effective Speaker and that she has a set of steel. Funny how the two top female leaders in the party are the ones who are known for their toughness.

;)

[ProSense]

6. "I don't personally like Nancy, "

but the President is a "weak ass."

Sorry to interrupt whatever is going on here.

[Beacool]

7. Not at all, come and join the fun.

:D

[jesus_of_suburbia]

11. "the two top female leaders in the party are the ones who are known for their toughness"

:yourock:


I totally support Nancy in her bid for the Minority Leader of the House.

She was effective.


She was a strong leader who knew the Republicans weren't out to make friends. This is something SOS Clinton knew from the 90's. Experience.

[Beacool]

46. Hi, Jesus!!!

Nice seeing you.

Yeah, experience does matter, although apparently not when choosing a president.

:eyes:



:pals:

[damonm]

16. It's SO fun...

all these "tough-guy" REthugs are terrified of two women and a skinny Black dude.
Hilarious!
:rofl:

[Dr Fate]

22. So terrified that they never attack us or defeat us or anything.

When it comes time for the "terrified" Republicans to attack us- they always take it "off the table." Is that what you are saying?

I really wish it were true- but the GOP aint scared of fighting us at all.

The only people I see who are really "terrified" are the centrist Democrats who contantly take fighting Republicans "off the table."

If by "terrified" you mean that the conservatives constantly hit us, fight us and force us to compromise, then I say that maybe the DEMS need to be "terrified" for a change.

[damonm]

29. Wow. ALL of them miss.

[Dr Fate]

31. As your detailed, point by point refutation demonstrates. n/t

n/t

[avaistheone1]

36. It's simple.

Because for the most part the Republican leadership is stupid and they have nothing to offer in the way of programs of policies for the American people.

So I can understand why Pelosi, Hillary and Obama scare the hell out of them.


k&r

[mkultra]

33. Well, if anyone is responsible for her making it into the minority leader role

its her.

[polichick]

8. Repukes are terrified of Nancy, and they should be! I hope she kicks their asses...

...as much as possible.

[GoCubsGo]

14. That's why they're the loudest pushers of the "She's bad for the party" meme

It's the very reason they're claiming they're "giddy" over the prospect. I hope the Dems ignore their phony posturing, and keep her on as Minority Leader. I want to see them crap their pants some more.

[FBaggins]

9. I'm all for it... but could someone tell me HOW she plans to do that?

Don't get me wrong... I'm all for an actual democrat leading the democrats in the house. And now that the caucus is MORE progressive than it was a week ago, there's certainly no reason to move the leadership to the center.

But how exactly will she "play rough"? There aren't that many parliamentary games that you can play (as in the senate) and Republicans don't have all that many moderates to pick off on individual votes. What does "playing rough" look like? Spitballs? Strong language?

[totodeinhere]

10. Right. In the House the minority has no power. n/t

[FBaggins]

17. They do if they're close enough and a few moderates are willing to work with them.

But this is the largest republican majority in several decades. Roughly 90 of which a brand new and likely have the tea party to answer to back home.

There won't enough moderates to work with. Not enough Bart Stupaks on the other side.

[Dr Fate]

20. The same way she took Republicans to task when she had power!

Dont tell me you forgot about all the knock-down, drag out "on the table" fights that Nancy fought and won.

Someone has been day dreaming about ponies and has not been paying attention....!!! No one puts fighting the GOP on the table like Pelosi!

GO "Fighting" Pelosi! Lead us on to victory!

[FBaggins]

21. With the key difference that she used to win

and now doesn't have the votes.

[Dr Fate]

23. I thought the "doesn't have the votes" was our excuse when we held both houses.

Funny how the excuses stay the same no matter what.

I don't seem to recall all of these major, important, election winning victories that she secured for 2010. Even if you could list them all, they did not translate into midterm DEM wins one way or the other.

If she is truly the best we can do, fine. Is she? Really? I hope so, b/c it is clear that professional DEMS will be stuck in "stay the course", status-quo mode for some time.

[FBaggins]

25. You do understand the key difference between "majority" and "minority" don't you?

Virtually every time we "didn't have the votes" it was in the Senate. The Speaker did a great job of keeping the caucus together for virtually all important votes.

[Dr Fate]

27. I understand the similarities. Under both, the base is told "we dont have the votes."

If she did such a great job, then the very "moderates" & swing voters (that all of her compromising was supposed to impress) failed to notice.

[FBaggins]

28. Fine... you assume that you were lied to last time.

This time it's the truth. She doesn't have the votes.

[Dr Fate]

30. We agree- she now has better (yet the same) excuses for failing. n/t

n/t

[winstars]

12. If Little Eric Cantor thinks its a Bad Idea, I am For it!!!! nt

[rocktivity]

13. As rough as Boehner and Cantor did? She coudn't do that when she was in power.

:shrug:
rocktivity

[GoCubsGo]

15. Actually, she did.

You are confusing her with Harry Reid, perhaps?

[Dr Fate]

24. She actually did just fight & defeat Boener? On which alternate Earth did this occur?

Here on Earth Prime, she just lost the House to him.

[MaeScott]

18. Pelosi rocks. Need more like her. nt

[Dr Fate]

19. We should just keep on doing whatever it is that we have been doing.

Until it works.

I vote that we keep everything just like it is. It's all just fine the way it is. Someday it will all work.

This is Dr. Fate, reminding you to "Keep on keeping on!"

[ProSense]

26. That's what Republicans do.

The despicable attacks didn't work in 2006 or 2008 so they kept doing it until it paid off.

Then again, that's a simplistic view of what just happened.

[Dr Fate]

32. LOL! Everytime I say we need to fight as hard as Republicans...

...some "centrist" comes along and admonishes me for "wanting us to be like Bush."

Careful, you are starting to sound like a far left. ;)

Not to worry- DEMS dont imitate successful Republicans when it comes to how they do their fighting, they prefer to imitate elements of conservative strategy when it comes to adopting "centrist", conservative positions on the issues.

I hear that this will really impress swing voters. Some day.

[ProSense]

34. Hmmmm?

"...some "centrist" comes along and admonishes me for "wanting us to be like Bush."

Bush wasn't mentioned, and is it your belief that anyone who disagrees with you is "centrist"?

Could be they just believe you're wrong?

[Dr Fate]

35. Hmmmmm to you too!

LOL! You dont have to disagree with me to be a centrist. You just have to agree with a conservative, or agree with or make excuses for DEMS who are agreeing with conservatives.

Bush was not mentioned, but Republicans during his term were, so I'm sure you got the point. Replace "Bush" with "Republicans" if it will make it less confusing for you- but my comments stand either way.

I doubt that just doing the same thing over and over will work for us, but hey, keep the faith, baby. You indicate that the whole "stay the course" thing worked for the GOP, after all.

[niceypoo]

37. The people who claimed 'the left' was ruining everything...

...now look like fools

[ProSense]

38. Actually, the people

who thought this was going to punish the Democratic Party into performing magic (with fewer Democrats) are the ones complaining most about the outcome.

[niceypoo]

41. Dusting off your old 'pony' talking point?

*lol*

[Dr Fate]

44. It was the centrist & moderate voters who "punished" the party, not the base.

Even after all we did for them- after all we compromised away to impress the moderates- they failed to show up and vote for DEMS.

Call me back when centrism fucking works.

[ProSense]

39. "I doubt that just doing the same thing over and over will work for us, but hey, keep the faith

baby. You indicate that the whole "stay the course" thing worked for the GOP, after all."

Somehow following this discussion, I really don't think you have a point: Not to worry- DEMS dont imitate successful Republicans when it comes to how they do their fighting

[Dr Fate]

43. Great points! n/t

n/t

[DavidDvorkin]

40. Yes! She will begin impeachment proceeding against George W. Bush!

Oops. Never mind.

[Safetykitten]

42. Oh. My. God. We never learn.

[Faryn Balyncd]

45. Kick their asses, Nancy!

:kick: