Posted by
John - History Buff and Philosophy Buff on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 9:31:55 AM
I was surprised and insulted by Speaker Pelosi's speech just before the vote yesterday. When it was announced that the Speaker's speech may have been a part of the reason the bill failed, the democrats, specifically Rep. Frank, came out and blamed the republicans. Rep. Frank should have been talking to the republicans in an "uncharacteristically nice" way through this entire crisis. The democrats needed this bill to pass because they control congress. Pelosi's speech was repleat with disdain for the President and the republicans. I think it was Obama that said that "words matter". I am sure that the democrats on Capital Hill have forgotten that even though it came from a member of their own party who wants to become President. Rep. Frank should be begging the republicans to vote for the bill and do whatever he can to get their agreement because he was one of the ranking members of congress that would not allow more oversight of Frannie and Freddie back in 2004-2005.
Rep. Frank said "give me the names of the 12 republicans [who did not vote for the bill becasue of Pelosi's remarks] and I will go and talk uncharacteristically nicely to them." He also asked how could someone hurt the country over what was said by Pelosi. Words matter and that is that. There is no question that Pelosi is a very weak House Speaker. The Congress has the lowest approval rating of any Congress in history. And then on the very eve of the vote on one of the most important bills for the American People, she delivers a very partisan speech when she was trying to get the votes of members of the party for which she is bashing. This is a perfect example of a politician speaking out of both sides of her mouth. She should be ashamed of herself and should resign given her awful record and the approval rating. It is clear that new leadership is needed in order for the American People to get relief. Clearly, Speaker Pelosi is more interested in politics than the plight of the American People. This is also clear when she told 16 freshman democrats that they could vote against the bill because their races for re-election were tight. Why would she do this if she thought the bill was necessary? The answer is that she does not really care about the American People, she cares about keeping majority status in the House and her position as Speaker. This also demonstrates that she wanted bipartisan support so that many of her democratic colleagues could vote against the bill so as to keep their seats. Another member of the House was on NPR, I believe, and was saying how they wanted the republican vote to pass the bill but at the same time use that vote agaisnt them in the House races. This is disgraceful and Speaker Pelosi allowing this is a justifiable reason for her to resign.
Rep. Frank should also resign his position on the finance committee. Coming out and blaming the republicans when 95 democrats voted against the bill is beneath contempt. However, the scary part is that liberals will agree with him. Democrats only needed 12 more votes but 12 of Frank's own finance committee members voted against the bill. What about the 16 freshman House members that were told they could vote against it? The democrats did not need the repulican vote to pass the bill. This is what is not told to the American People in the mainstream media but should be recognized by the people anyway. If anyone of us tried these tactics in our jobs, we would be fired on the spot.
However, the American People have been given an education in the last week on how corrupt the system is and how much elected officials only care about keeping their seats in Congress and lining their own pockets. This past week teaches all of us how our government works and how it can breakdown. We are taught that the people we elect have our best interest at heart. This is clearly not the case and it takes time for us to know learn this honest fact. Does anyone ever wonder how it is that these politicans become so rich in Congress when they only make a couple hundred thousand dollars a year? How is it that they become millionaires only making that kind of money? It could be they were millionaires before the were elelected. However, it is more likely that they receive money from lobbyist and from compaines like Freddie and Frannie.
It is clear that most people were against this bill. This is the reason that Speaker Pelosi told the freshman House members they could vote against it because if it passed, they could still go back and tell the people they stood up for them even agasint their own party. Cannot even liberals see through that? Or do the democrats in Washington truly believe that the liberals will see it and ignore it or just not see it at all? They are right to think as such because liberals will not see the corruption in their own party or will ignore it for political gain. It is sad really. I do believe that some republicans do the same thing. Pelosi should come out and tell the American People that those democrats that voted agains the bill were wrong to do so. She cannot do this because she knows that this bill was very unpopular with the people and because she told many of those democrats to go ahead and vote against the bill. What arrogence she has along with Rep. Frank and many other ranking democrats.
Speaker Pelosi should resign as speaker. She is not one to cross the isle for the good of the country. She was under the impression that passage of the bill was a given and she got up there to make a speech, assuming it would pass, so the democrats could take all the credit and at the same time saving seats for her party. It was a very good plan until it went very wrong and we are now seeing how she is not a leader and cannot get people to come together for the good of all. She violated the principles of her party and that is to do what is best for the "little guy".
For all that went wrong yesterday, Pelosi shoud resign as Speaker of the House....but at least she gave the people an education on how the process works and how it is corrupted. She burst many young people's views that those in Washington actually have their interest at heart and really care for the people they represent. Pelosi could not have given the young people of this country a better lesson at a time when the lesson learned early in life that the elected officals have the people's interest at heart should have been affirmed by the actions of those in Congress.