As Speaker of the House, Rep. Pelosi is the third most powerful person
in our government. She controls what bills get brought before Congress.
She sets the agenda. So don't believe any of that nonsense about the
Dems not being able to get anything done because they only have a
razor-thin majority (note--the majority would be a lot bigger if the
Democrats hadn't quashed all the congressional challenges, without any
investigation, in 2006). Here's the truth: Pelosi could, and should, have
stopped all war funding. She could have let the investigations commence
into Bush administration misdeeds. She could have put impeachment ON the
table where it belongs, even if only as leverage to advance Democratic
agenda. She could have stopped Bush and the Neocons in their greedy,
oil-drenched tracks.
Instead she did exactly the opposite. She has promoted and enabled
every single Bush initiative, and as a result, our country teeters on the
brink of financial chaos. Had she done her constitutionally mandated job
and begun impeachment proceedings (for any one of hundreds of Bush
high crimes and misdemeanors, not the least of which is lying the nation
into war), she could have prevented this crisis. She has personally
stifled and quashed many investigations and has allowed Bush officials to
ignore congressional subpoenas in the ones that did proceed, rendering
Congress toothless. Worst of all, she has given away much of Congress'
constitutional power of oversight.
VoteStrike.com has discovered the recent so-called bailout bill gives the president dictatorial power to spend hundreds of billions with zero checks and balances. Bush could arrest Congress tomorrow and no one could do anything about it. Seriously.
Now you may well wonder why Pelosi would allow this. The way I see it,
there are two possible answers. She's either a blithering moron; or
she's in Bush/Cheney's pocket. Either way, that makes her unfit for office
and worse, a fake Democrat. So while she talks a good game, pay
attention to her actions. Her grandstanding speech on the House floor
blaming the Republicans for the financial crisis--while she herself was
pushing a phony "bailout" bill that not only exacerbated the problem but
made things even worse--was hypocrisy at its worst. Get a mirror,
Madame Speaker. It is YOU who are to blame.
Running against Nancy Pelosi as an Independent is Cindy Sheehan.
Sheehan is tough as nails and refuses to bow down before the big oil agenda.
As Pelosi sadly demonstrates, just because someone has an (D) after
their name doesn't make them a Dem. Sheehan may not be the best public
speaker but she is right on all the issues and she is competent,
passionate and will fight for the rights of her constituents and Americans--and
not assiduously ignore us like Ms. Pelosi does time and again (while
constantly making excuses and blaming Republicans).
Which brings me to my last note--a personal experience. This year I
worked on the Clint Curtis for Congress (D) campaign down in Florida.
Early this year, Curtis, a progressive democrat, spoke to a representative
of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee about campaign
funding. The representative asked Curtis if he would fall in line with
Pelosi--do what she says and vote as she dictates. Curtis was stunned, and
told the rep no, he would vote along with his constituents' wishes--you
know, the way representative government is supposed to work. Wrong
answer. The DCCC kicked Curtis to the curb and recruited a pro-Bush
millionaire bluedog corporatist Dem to run against the Republican incumbent.
Curtis was defeated handily in the primary, out-fundraised by 14 to 1.
So think twice before voting for Rep. Pelosi simply because there's a
(D) after her name. For Pelosi IS the problem. I urge you to support
Cindy Sheehan for Congress.
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but
because of those who look on and do nothing." -- Einstein
