BlogHer - Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker to be: Will her first 100 hours bring action? Rhetoric? - Comments

Pelosi fashion report

Liz Henry — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 13:55:43 -0600

Allow me a snarky moment to point out somehting that just came my way on a mailing list... Commentary on What the well dressed Speaker is wearing. I recall the days of how the newspapers used to write about Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire with a shudder... It's not like I don't look at what people are wearing but in a political context it is SO dumb to do and it points up the ways sexism frames women's discourse to silence their actual voices in favor of making them "be" what the dominant culture decides their bodies and clothes signify. Sorry for the jargon but that's how I feel about it!

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Liz Henry
lizzard@bookmaniac.net
Badgermama - personal & mommyblog
http://liz-henry.blogspot.com

Gawd, I would PAY to see a

Dana Loesch — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:47:39 -0600

Gawd, I would PAY to see a Pelosi/Clinton face off.

I'm going to withhold judgment and see what she does first. Then I'll open my mouth. I'm crossing my fingers that she keeps economics 101 in mind with regards to repealing tax cuts. My husband and I are NOT rich. We own a small business, employ people, and are trying to live the American Dream - is there one anymore? - while raising a family. I know that we would've been in trouble with some past tax-raising proposals. I'm a bit worried.

Dana
Mamalogues.com
In the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Pop Mama
Since Eve

Clinton v. Pelosi?

Pam — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:26:02 -0600

That's a race I'd LOVE to see. Bring it!

Nerd's Eye View

Ready or not, here we come

Liz Henry — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 19:48:16 -0600

Ready or not, women are running things and are going to be doing more of it. With a 51% majority I don't see why not. Now that's realism. We are 51%, aren't we?

It's not like "there can be only one" woman in politics... If it comes to Pelosi vs. Clinton in the Democratic primaries, that would be incredibly cool.

Bring it on! I'm ready! I'm ready for that, and I'm ready to fight the ongoing sexist backlash we've all fought all our lives as women, if we have two brain cells to rub together.

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Liz Henry
lizzard@bookmaniac.net
Badgermama - personal & mommyblog
http://liz-henry.blogspot.com

HIllary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi: Too Many Women?

drudolph — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 15:38:32 -0600

I have to wonder: Now that Nancy Pelosi is Speaker, will this damage Hillary Clinton's chances for gaining the presidency? Regardless of what you feel about their personal merits, do you think the U. S. is ready for women to be running one and a half out of the three branches of government? (I would hope it wouldn't matter, but I'm too much of a realist to believe that.)

Dana

Mombian: Sustenance for Lesbian Moms
http://www.mombian.com

High hopes for Pelosi and action

Liz Henry — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 13:17:56 -0600

I'm feeling really optimistic about Pelosi and her promise to start the ass-kicking within 100 hours. Rumsfeld is already out. I'm hugely encouraged by her promises to focus on accountability, integrity, workers, and health care.

Oh, and I agree with you about expecting the most insanely dumb sexist commentary ever on her clothes, hair, makeup, and performance as a mother. I said on one of my blogs that this would happen within 6 months. Of course it only took about 5 minutes before the misogynist guns were brought to bear. And then, of course, it will only remain for someone to remark that he was surprised at how friendly and attractive she is... Someone should keep a list of people who do it and call them out, so that journalists and newspapers start to realize how inappropriate it is, and how it alienates many, many women -- from politics, and from their own power.

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Liz Henry
lizzard@bookmaniac.net
Badgermama - personal & mommyblog
http://liz-henry.blogspot.com

Accountability

Chantel Williams — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 12:53:06 -0600

I'm going to hold judgement on having a Female SOH until I see something change in her first one hundred days and yes I do this with optimism and hope.

More importantly we as writers, bloggers and journalist need to start holding the media and each other accountable. Its no longer important what a woman wears or what she looks like in difficult times. We at war and we're heading into a recession if things don't turn around. I for one will be writing scathing letters and calling out journalists who do the following.

I, for one, am going to go out on a limb here and predict that lots of political reporters who tried not to look too hard or long at Democratic Speaker Tip O'Neill or Republican Tom DeLay will scrutinize the new Speaker and write copiously about what she wears at her swearing in...

Let's talk about what's important not what color lipstick she's wearing.

Chantel Williams
BlogHer Life Contributing Editor
http://www.lifeandtimesofchantel.com

Grains of salt...

Atena — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 11:31:59 -0600

First off, I freely admit that everything I know about Nancy Pelosi, I learned in the last 12 hours.

While I agree that it is high time that we have a woman speaker of the house (or any other position of power, really), I think it's dangerous to celebrate ANY woman getting into this (or any) position of power, simply for the sake of being female. Vagina and uterus do not a compassionate politican make.

There are plenty of women who are pleased to support policy that hurts women, children and families. There are plenty of "groundbreaking" women who will make irresponsible, hurtful decisions in the throes of politics (et tu, Condoleeza?). Sure, '1st Woman Speaker of the House!' looks great on paper, but what does it really mean?

I am psyched that a woman will fill the Speaker of the House position, but honestly, I'll be (pleasantly) surprised if the fact of her womanhood has a significant effect on the policies she promotes supports. If anything, I'm concerned about uterine backlash - Pelosi trying to downplay the fact that she's female and distance herself from "women's issues" to rally more political support. We'll see.

Atena

Assumptions, Biases & Irrational Fantasies

Double Agents: Blogging Mamalife, Creativy & the Human Experience

Re: Welcome pro-choice representatives

bobafifi — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 11:26:00 -0600

> What I find amazing is that the idea that
> women should have control over their own bodies
> is considered "radical" and "far-left liberal."

The underlying fear of course is that if women have the right to choose, then they may decide to NOT choose us! (the men, that is ;-)

-Bob
bobafifi.com

usedviolins.com

fluteplayer.net

Welcome pro-choice representatives

media girl — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 11:21:20 -0600

NARAL has a welcome to new pro-choice legislators. That's good to see.

What I find amazing is that the idea that women should have control over their own bodies is considered "radical" and "far-left liberal." I also find it amazing that the Democratic Party has dropped the ERA from its platform.

The "don't worry, we'll get around to your (minor) issues later" argument is often heard, especially from the "big boys" on the "A-list" political blogs. It's nothing new. "Second Wave" feminists heard it in the '70s, and they're still waiting.

This is one case where the people are leading the politicians, though. Despite the added scrutiny and superficial valuing of women (and I too can't wait to hear about what Nancy Pelosi wears on her first day as Speaker) and the unexamined chauvinism on left and right alike, women are making great strides. The "aggressiveness" of the new generation is refreshing in that it reflects a new mindset that women need not plan on filing and typing jobs.

Matsu has written some great stuff on this:
http://mediagirl.org/node/283
http://mediagirl.org/node/1194
http://mediagirl.org/node/1189
http://mediagirl.org/node/1115
http://mediagirl.org/node/1110
http://mediagirl.org/node/34

--
media girl

I Disagree

Kalyn Denny — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 10:49:28 -0600

I respectfully disagree. I teach fourth grade, and the impact on the girls in my class when Utah had their first woman governnor elected a few years ago was remarkable. For the first time ever, that year girls ran for Governor when we had our class elections. Our woman governor was a fairly conservative Republican, but still was able to be a good role model for what a woman can achieve. So in my mind, anything that leads to incremental change for women is good.

Yes, there have been some alarming things happening in congress, and yes some less-than-liberal democrats have been part of the switch in control due to this election(including Jim Matheson from my own district in Utah, who doesn't always completely represent my views.) But when I was president of my teacher's union local and had to do a lot of recruiting candidates, campaigning, and lobbying, one of the lessons I learned quickly is that only the people who WIN get to do anything in politics or government. Principles are great, but a person who completely represents your principles can't do a thing for you if they don't win the election. Maybe rather than considering women's wombs "property of the state" some of those candidates have simply decided they'd rather be serving in government as a moderate than reading about it in the newspaper as a far-left liberal.

I also think it's a bit early to decide that women have lost their rights. Another thing I learned is that politics is a process, never a final result.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Equal rights, yes, but

media girl — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 09:52:48 -0600

...she's coming in with a lot of Democrats who consider women's wombs property of the State. I'm delighted to see a change in power. I'm delighted to see a woman as Speaker (though Pelosi has seemed rather underwhelming so far). But I do not believe this election necessarily represents a positive step for women ... unless the Republican Party is so shattered that pro-choice Republicans will actually start walking the walk instead of doing the lemming dance.

South Dakota voters repealed that apalling abortion ban. But the Democrats won Congress, at least in part, by abandoning women's equality. How long before those chickens come home to roost?

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media girl

It's Wonderful to Have a Woman Speaker

Kalyn Denny — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 09:39:13 -0600

No matter what your political leanings are, if you believe in equal rights at all you have to admit it's high time we have a woman speaker of the house. I happen to think Nancy Pelosi is great; she's bright, articulate, and seems to be highly principled. But no matter who it was or which party they represented, I'd be thrilled to finally have a woman in charge of the House of Representatives compared to some of the men we've seen in the past.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Thrilled but cautious

Pam — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 08:06:35 -0600

I'm delighted to see the shift in power, but this doesn't make up for my trepidation over the shift in the PARTY in the first place. We've wandered back to to the center, rather than to the left. I'd like to see action against the Patriot Act. I'd like to see civil rights restored. I'd like to see some action around this universal health care snuffaluppagus we keep hearing about. And I'd like to see us Marshall Plan the daylights out of Iraq. That's what I want. What I've grown to expect is a whole lot less than that.

I always got a kick out of what Tip O'Neil was wearing.

Nerd's Eye View

I'm thrilled about the Dem victory, but not Pelosi

Morra Aarons Mele — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:59:46 -0600

Lisa,

Who could look long or hard at Tom DeLay?

I worry Pelosi and her cadre have been paralyzed too long by their impotenct that power won't have much of an effect. As Jon Stewart said last night, the Dems have done such a good job inching out of the room and smirking while their father yells at their big brother for burning down the garage-- but where is their plan?

As Arianna Huffington wrote last night (about Dean, but I think it applies to Pelosi et al too),

Howard Dean just finished a jaw-dropping interview with Lou Dobbs on CNN, seemingly designed to inspire voters in states where the polls haven't closed to rush right out and vote Republican. Among the lowlights, he promised voters they wouldn't see Democrats cut-and-run in Iraq, called for a "thoughtful" exit from the country after it's been "stabilized," and told Dobbs "there isn't much we can do to change the president's policies" in Iraq.

Memo to Howard: What do you mean, there isn't much you can do? Then why are we voting for you? Of course there are things you can do -- starting with tightening the purse strings.

And waiting until Iraq is stabilized sounds a hell of lot like the president's plan -- hanging in there -- i.e. staying the course -- until the Iraqis stand up, so we can then stand down. Have you looked at Iraq lately, Dr. Dean? Does it look like it will be "stabilized"
in any of our lifetimes?

And why would you use the GOP's "cut-and-run" framing -- even as an example of what you won't be doing? Time to change your talking points.

Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker to be: Will her first 100 hours bring action? Rhetoric?

Lisa Stone — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 01:47:33 -0600

While I sit tapping my fingers impatiently on my computer, waiting for more Election '06 results to roll in, one thing appears certain: Americans have sent more Democrats (232) than Republicans (203) to Congress in January (more here). That means House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D - California) will likely be awarded a new job: Speaker of the House. Here's a sample of voter reponses:

"Democrats take the House! Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to be speaker of the house. Rock on, it's hard being a Democrat and a woman in politics; the public sees you as TOO liberal. She now has the highest political office held by a woman." - Keely2640's LiveJournal

"While Republicans across the country are groaning over the loss of the House and the possible future loss of the Senate, there are still reasons for them to hope...For whatever problems the Republicans are encountering now, there is no question that the Democrats' reign in the House of Representatives will not be easy. Future Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's position is "impossible," says [Alex Maugeri, president of Princeton College Republicans]." - Rachel Dunn for The Red, Orange and Blue blog

If Ms. Pelosi wins the nomination as predicted (she's run the House Democrats since 2002), Pelosi will be the first woman to hold this powerful position, which is third in line for the American presidency. She's also the first Speaker to have posted on a blog.

The scope of Ms. Pelosi's control and power has yet to be determined -- at midnight California time, critical Senate races are too tough to call and party control of this chamber hangs in the balance.
But as you can see from the blog posts above, that isn't stopping us -- and probably shouldn't. So how do YOU think she will do? What do you think she should do?

Ms. Pelosi has a few ideas herself: On Oct. 6 she charted her course for her first 100 hours on the job The Washington Post:

"Day One: Put new rules in place to "break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

Day Two: Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Time remaining until 100 hours: Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients.

Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds _ "I hope with a veto-proof majority," she added in an Associated Press interview Thursday.

All the days after that: "Pay as you go," meaning no increasing the deficit, whether the issue is middle class tax relief, health care or some other priority.

To do that, she said, Bush-era tax cuts would have to be rolled back for those above "a certain level." She mentioned annual incomes of $250,000 or $300,000 a year and higher, and said tax rates for those individuals might revert to those of the Clinton era. Details will have to be worked out, she emphasized."

Ms. Pelosi has since elaborated with today's blog on The Huffington Post: "One Hundred Hours, taking the tonal high road at the start of Election Day. By the time victory was clear, however, she was as pointed and partisan as her San Francisco constituents have come to expect:

"The American people voted to restore integrity and honesty in Washington, D.C., and the Democrats intend to lead the most honest, most open and most ethical Congress in history," Pelosi said. She added, "And nowhere did the American people make it more clear that we need a new direction than in the war in Iraq. 'Stay the course' has not made our country safer, has not honored our commitment to our troops and has not made the region more stable. We cannot continue down this catastrophic path." She called on the Bush administration to work with Democrats "to find a solution to the war in Iraq."

Her partisanship is tempered, however: What Ms. Pelosi does not do is invoke the i-words -- "investigate" and even "impeachment" -- that many critics of the Administration's policies on pursuing the Iraq war and surrounding issues (federal wiretapping, administration of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo) that her own Bay Area constituents have called for.

Whether Ms. Pelosi breaks much new ground with her plan is another issue, complains Blogger Chris Nolan:

"I'm still not sure that's a good thing to see Pelosi running the House. Yeah, I know, she keep the troops in line. And yeah, it's high time someone did. But, I'm one of those old codgers who remembers the waning days of Democratic control of the House and Senate way back in 1994. And well, I gotta tell you, it wasn't anything to get excited about. What's worse, some of the same geezers who ran the show all those years ago have been hanging around Capitol Hill for 10 years waiting to get back in power. That's not what you'd call a healthy situation."

What do you think -- do you expect legislative innovation from Ms. Pelosi, or business-as-usual, donkey-style? Will we get 100 hours of rhetoric or action? Any predictions (or wishlists) for the Speaker (to be)?

I, for one, am going to go out on a limb here and predict that lots of political reporters who tried not to look too hard or long at Democratic Speaker Tip O'Neill or Republican Tom DeLay will scrutinize the new Speaker and write copiously about what she wears at her swearing in...