Pelosi To Progressives, Pundits: Don't Blame Us For Senate's Shortcomings

[laughingliberal]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday urged progressives and pundits alike not punish House Democrats in the 2010 elections for the lethargy and shortcomings of the Senate.

In a conference call with online reporters and bloggers, Pelosi made the case that had her chamber been given full control over the legislative process, both the party and country would be in a better place. But the Senate is a co-equal branch, and its procedural rules have forced either moderation or complete non-consideration of important reforms. The end product is, natutrally, frustration among Democratic voters and progressive-leaning thinkers. But as the party has been urged by economists like the New York Times' Paul Krugman to do more on the job creation front, the Speaker stressed the need to draw distinctions.

"I appreciate what Paul Krugman says," said Pelosi. "It would be helpful though if some of those people who are saying these things that the House did more. Remember, we did more. We passed jobs bill after jobs bill after jobs bill that were not picked up in the Senate because of the need for the 60th vote... we know what we need to do and that's what binds our caucus."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/13/nancy-pelosi-senate_n_761770.html

Holding the House should be Job 1. They have been on the side of progressives far more than the Senate.

[Xipe Totec]

1. Throwing the senate under the bus?

:wow:

[glitch]

4. She's telling it like it is. nt

[emulatorloo]

9. Yep, House put out some great legislation that got FUBARed by Repubs in the Senate

[polichick]

2. Both you and Pelosi are right - we have to hold the House. nt

[Hekate]

3. Pelosi has sent bill after bill after bill to the Senate, only to have them die there. She is right.

[laughingliberal]

5. If the bills the House passed had been signed into law, we'd be in much better shape right now,

economically and politically.

[Hekate]

11. No duh. And Pelosi can't do a damned thing about that, can she? Nor can Obama, really.

We know who's holding things up -- Republican senators on an Adlerian power trip. Yet the refrain here is to constantly hammer on Speaker Pelosi and President Obama.

Hekate

[laughingliberal]

12. I have nothing but admiration for Speaker Pelosi. As for a couple of Democratic Senators who...

voted to uphold the power tripping Republican Senators' filibusters on good legislation, the less I say at this point the better.

A little pressure from the WH on the recalcitrant Blue Dog Senators might have helped. Maybe not but would have been nice to see.

[PopSixSquish]

6. Nancy Pelosi has Been One of the Most Effective Speakers in History

She's held the Democratic caucus together through a bunch of tough fights and she's never lost a vote.

I'm going to be furious if Nancy loses her job as Speaker and Harry keeps his as Senate Majority Leader.

[toddwv]

7. The House version of the Health Care Reform bill had a Public Option

Just saying...

[laughingliberal]

8. In fact, all 3 bills passed out of committee in the House had a Public Option & not one had an...

excise tax on workers' benefits.

[Nite Owl]

10. Go Nancy!

She's been on our side and has been superb in getting the votes in line even with the Blue Dogs to contend with.

[hollowdweller]

13. Pelosi is my favorite Dem Leader

I'd much rather have her as president than Obama.

She's also more effective than Reid.

The GOP knows it too. That's why she gets the smear treatment. She's so good they'd like to vanquish her.

If some of the legislation passed by the house had been taken up by the Senate and not altered and passed IMO these dem boards would't be full of bitching and carping and the Dems would have better been able to cash in on some of the populist anger the Tea Party has used so well.

[laughingliberal]

14. Agree 100%. nt

[DaveinJapan]

15. I disagree with Speaker Pelosi that the Senate is to blame, per se.

It's the ridiculous filibuster abuse situation that is the problem.

As Congressman Frank pointed out in an interview regarding DADT yesterday, the President wants it repealed, top military commanders want it repealed, the majority of the House voted for repeal, the majority of the Senate Committee on Defense Appropriations voted for repeal, AND the majority of the Senate voted for repeal...and yet here we are.

The procedure is the problem, it should NOT take 60 votes as a matter of course in order to get things done.

[laughingliberal]

17. However, the Senate is able to change their rules at the beginning of each Congress.

After several years in the majority, the Democrats had ample evidence the Republicans' game plan was obstruction. They chose to keep the filibuster in place as is and we were treated to Blue Dogs like Lieberman and Nelson playing 'King for a Day,' to water down important legislation.

[DaveinJapan]

18. True enough. nt

[LaPera]

16. K&R!

[Rex]

19. The Senate is full of bloated lawyers and career bureaucrats.

On the good side - a lot of Repukes are going to be getting pink slips in November.