The meaning of the idiom ‘herding cats’ has come to mean, for many, the wrangling of the unmanageable. In this case, it may be taking on a different meaning. Democrats, as usual, have taken the job of cleaning the Washington litter box, after it being soiled by Republicans, and with an ensuing fight over the leadership of the House, are spilling the contents on the floor. In less than two weeks the Congressional Black Caucus are tending to reopened wounds, and representative-elect for New York’s 14th congressional district, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined a climate change protest outside Nancy Pelosi’s office. As an incoming Democratic Congresswoman, I am sure had Cortez made the request she could have gotten access for the group [Sunrise Movement] with Pelosi. That would have been more productive than their symbolic arrest.
For advocates of climate change legislation what bigger friend could you have than the potential incoming—liberal Speaker of the House, whose district is in one of the states most affected. The devastating fires currently burning, destroying and taking lives in California are proof of that. The Democratic Party has treated its politics as a game of Jenga for years; stacking a coalition of various shapes and hues, rising to incredible heights only to be sabotaged from within and tumbling into a conglomeration of scattered blocks of broken ideas.
Despite tirelessly working to whip Democrats into a winning coalition this past election cycle, and retaking the House of Representatives, Pelosi is being labeled as old hat and an albatross around the neck of progressive politicking. On Capitol Hill, a lot of pols say that Barack Obama should share the nicknamed Affordable Care Act [Obamacare] with Ms. Pelosi. The previous accolade is my way of asking for an explanation as to what the opposition to Nancy Pelosi is really all about? It would be really lazy of me to write about ageism or misogyny and take the easy path to excoriate her critics. I am fully aware that Ms. Pelosi has made errors in judgment, application and execution but what makes her less effective than say, Chuck Schumer who failed to secure the Senate for Democrats or Mitch McConnell whose hypocrisy knows no bounds?
The arguments against Ms. Pelosi are reminiscent of the complaints lobbed at Hillary Clinton. In the former Democratic candidate for President case, we rejected someone qualified because so many hated her establishment personality and put in place someone hateful and personally repugnant. Maybe now that I am older, I am able to value experience without discounting enthusiasm. I fully agree we need enthusiastic young Democrats, but I hope Pelosi’s detractors can admit she has a valuable asset to offer, experience.
For a moment take the time to ask yourself a question; why have Republicans fought so hard to disparage, disavow and demean Nancy Pelosi? The only time I see that much vitriol directed at an opponent is when you fear their effectiveness. Nancy Pelosi is the face of the unifying force that has saved the fortunes of the Democratic Party in recent years, be they black, gay, single, educated or strident…WOMEN!
Vote in 2020 for Change.