Nancy Pelosi

The House Speakership Continues Downhill Under Republican Control

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives is second in line of succession to the Presidency under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.

Sadly, under Republican majority leadership periods, the Speakership has been going steadily downhill in competence, accomplishments, and even common decency.

In the past thirty years since the Republican “Revolution” in the midterm elections of 1994 under President Bill Clinton, we have had now six Republican Speakers, and only one Democratic Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who was a true star and extremely accomplished leader from 2007-2011 and 2019-2023.

The rest of those years, we have had one disaster after another from the following chronological list of Republican Speakers:

Newt Gingrich 1995-1999
Dennis Hastert 1999-2007
John Boehner 2011-October 2015
Paul Ryan October 2015-2019
Kevin McCarthy January 2023-October 2023
Mike Johnson October 2023-Present

Each one was horrendous and divisive, but Mike Johnson seems to have lowered the reputation of the office ever further.

Hopefully, Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House leader will ascend to the Speakership in January 2025!

The Great, Prominent Speakers Of The House Of Representatives In History

Ronald 4 Comments

At a time of chaos and anarchy over the issue of the Speakership of the House of Representatives, it is instructive to examine the history of that office, which has had 55 individuals filling that role.

A small number of Speakers of the House of Representatives have made history, and are seen as exceptional.

The longest serving Speaker was Sam Rayburn of Texas, who held that position for 17 years, only ended by his death in 1961.

Henry Clay of Kentucky, arguably the greatest Presidential candidate who did not win the Presidency in all of US history, served a total of 10.5 years as Speaker of the House.

Thomas (Tip) O’Neill of Massachusetts was third longest serving, 10 years from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s.

John W. McCormack of Massachusetts served 9 years in the 1960s, followed by Nancy Pelosi, who served 8 years from 2007-2011 and 2019-2023.

Dennis Hastert of Illinois, later disgraced by conviction on sex charges, is the longest serving Republican Speaker, serving a few days less than Pelosi, but still about 8 years at the end of the 20th and early 21st century.

Champ Clark of Missouri served about 7 years in the 1910s and Carl Albert of Oklahoma served about 6 years in the 1970s, followed by slightly less service in days by Joseph Cannon of Illinois, often called the “Czar” of the House because of his great authority that was tamed by “revolution” in House rules in 1910, and by Tom Foley of Washington State in the 1990s.

So about 87 years out of the total of 234 years of the history of the House of Representatives were served by these 10 individuals, with the other 45 serving a total of 147 years among them.

Kevin McCarthy’s 9 month tenure made him the third shortest serving Speaker, only more than Michael Kerr who died in office in 1875, and Theodore Pomeroy, who served one day in 1869.

Speaker Of The House Kevin McCarthy Clearly A Total Disgrace!

Ronald 1 Comment

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has no guts, principles, or courage! 🙁

He was elected only after many multiple ballots, and is trapped by the extreme right wing of his House majority, most specifically the “Freedom Caucus”, including Matt Gaetz of Florida, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Chip Roy of Texas and others.

McCarthy is about to allow the government to be shut down at the end of the month, which will harm the American economy!

He also insulted Ukranaian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, by not allowing him to speak before a joint session of Congress, forcing the speech to be in the old Senate chamber in the US Capitol, where a majority of Senate Republicans continue to support aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.

The House Republicans and MAGA Republicans supporters of Donald Trump, along with the disgraced former President, do not wish to aid Ukraine, and show evidence of being pro Russian, which would astound Republicans of the past, including Joseph McCarthy (no relationship), Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and a host of others.

Kevin McCarthy’s catering to right wing demagogues and Russian supporters will condemn him in history as the worst Speaker in modern times, and that is not an easy assertion, as past Republican Speakers included the disgraced Dennis Hastert and the despicable demagogue Newt Gingrich!

To think that Kevin McCarthy is two heartbeats away from the Presidency is a danger sign, and Democrats MUST retake the House of Representatives in 2024 to restore the dignity of the House, that was so well represented by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi!

If Dianne Feinstein Leaves, Maxine Waters Should Be Interim US Senator!

Ronald 1 Comment

The possibility is growing that California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is in poor health, may end up leaving the Senate before the end of her term at the end of 2024.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has said that if such an eventuality were to occur, that he would select an African American woman as a caretaker until the election of the new Senator.

He has now clarified that it would be inappropriate to select anyone who is an announced candidate for the Senate, giving such person an unfair advantage.

So it seems clear that Congresswoman Barbara Lee would not be selected, since she is in contention with two other California members of the House of Representatives–Adam Schiff and Katie Porter–for the Senate seat.

The odds now would favor Schiff for the Senate seat, with Nancy Pelosi already endorsing him, although the opponent in November of next year likely could be Porter or Lee, since the California system allows the top two vote getters in an open primary situation to be the final rivals in the fall election.

So with Newsom’s declaration that he will not select any of the competitors, it is clear that the best solution would be to select Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who is 85, and while still in great health, might like the idea of being a Senator for a limited period of time as a fitting end to a distinguished career in Congress since 1991!

She is outspoken and dynamic, and suffers no fools, and her colorful nature has made her attractive to many, but she will be past 86 at the end of 2024, so it would be a graceful way for her to leave if the opportunity arises to serve a limited time in the US Senate!

The 117th Congress Ends With Major Accomplishments, Despite Small Margins In Both Houses Of Congress!

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The 117th Congress, with razor thin margins in the House of Representatives, and a 50-50 division in the US Senate, only the fourth time ever of an even split in the upper body, can be looked back upon as a Congress which accomplished a great deal, considering the situation.

The Democratic Party accomplished a great deal, and was able to conduct a thorough investigation of Donald Trump and the January 6 Insurrection at the US Capitol, with the great help of two courageous Republican House members, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.

Democracy prevailed, and this Congress did more than any since the 111th Congress (2009-2011) with Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House on her first round in the job, and Barack Obama as President.

And it could be said that the 117th Congress actually accomplished more than the 111th Congress, and that the last Congress to have accomplished more was the 89th Congress (1965-1967) under Lyndon B. Johnson.

Nancy Pelosi: The Difference Between John Boehner And Kevin McCarthy

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This author and blogger was not very pleased with Speaker of the House John Boehner (2011-2015), but in retrospect, he was a much more decent person than the likely next Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy.

Boehner had disputes on policies with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, but he honored her on Thursday when the outgoing Speaker was honored with a ceremony and presentation of her official portrait for the US Capitol building.

Boehner said that the two had always been cordial to each other, while having policy differences, which is what should always be the case, and he teared up, something he was noted for as Speaker, a man who had feelings and emotions.

Meanwhile, Kevin McCarthy failed to show up, as he is fighting to please the most extremist right wing members of the Republican caucus, in his frantic attempt to become Speaker with 218 votes on Janury 3, 2023!

So having already been very nasty and unpleasant toward Pelosi all along, he had no grace to be diplomatic and tactful, a sign of the disaster coming when he, if he does, become Speaker.

It seems certain that he will be the worst Speaker of modern times, while Pelosi was the best Speaker of recent times.

And it seems certain that he will lose the confidence of his caucus, and will have a short, unsuccessful term as Speaker!

From The Greatest Modern Speaker Of The House To A Total Disaster In The Making!

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Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (2007-2011) and (2019-2023) will go down as the greatest modern Speaker of the House, with so much accomplished under her leadership particularly in the first two years of the Barack Obama Presidency (the 111th Congress), and the first two years of the Joe Biden Presidency (the 117th Congress).

The only other Speakers of the previous 20th century who would rank on her level of greatness would be Sam Rayburn (1940-1947, 1949-1953, 1955-1961), and Thomas “Tip” O’Neill (1977-1987).

When Pelosi gives up the gavel on January 3, 2023, she will have been the fifth longest serving Speaker of the 54 individuals who have held that office, only outdone by Rayburn, Henry Clay, O’Neill, and John W. McCormack.

Now, sadly, a Republican will take over the Speakership of the 118th Congress, most likely Kevin McCarthy of California, who is a unmitigated disaster, totally subservient to the evil 45th President, Donald Trump, who is a Fascist authoritarian demagogue, who still threatens the survival of American democracy.

Reality: Donald Trump Wanted To Murder Mike Pence And Nancy Pelosi, Next In Line Of Succession!

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It is time to stop excusing or dismissing the crimes of Donald Trump, most specifically on January 6, 2021!

Reality is that Donald Trump was ready to do ANYTHING to stop the official Electoral vote count that showed that Joe Biden had defeated Donald Trump!

So it is clear, without any shadow of a doubt, that Donald Trump wanted to murder Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, the two in line of Presidential succession!

Trump wanted to go to the Capitol, but the Secret Service prevented it, but it is clear that Trump had no scruples, ethics, morals, or conscience on that day, and really, throughout his Presdency, culminating in the plot to overthrow the US government, and install himself as a Fascist dictator!

The answer is to arrest and imprison Donald Trump, as anyone else who was engaged in such dastardly deeds would face that prosecution.

So it is up to Attorney General Merrick Garland to take that action, shortly after the Midterm Elections of 2022 have passed!

There is no alternative, even if Trump provokes violence and bloodshed, and in fact, if that ensues, then no possibility of avoiding pretrial detention, as a threat to the American Republic!

Donald Trump, The Criminal Grifter Of Gullible, Naive Americans!

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In the same vein as yesterday’s post, the second session of the January 6 House Committee hearings demonstrated that Donald Trump is a criminal grifter, appealing to gullible, naive Americans to send him money to fight what he called “The Big Steal”, that he won the Presidential Election of 2020.

Instead, that myth is the “Big Lie”, and it is now clear that people around Trump told him, conclusively, that he had not won the election, but Trump kept on lying, and spread the hysteria that led to the January 6 Insurrection at the US Capitol.

This caused loss of lives of Capitol Police; massive number of injuries among these loyal servants of the Capitol; destruction of the center of American government; and threats to Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and all of the Congressmen and Senators at the US Capitol that day.

This is clearly the example of Donald Trump, the crooked businessman, making money off the supposed election results, with at least $250 million raised, and no accountability as to what has happened to that illegal fundraising amount.

This is criminal activity, as everything else is regarding Donald Trump, and the Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland are examining what the January 6 House Committee has gathered as evidence.

Hopefully, this will lead to criminal charges against Donald Trump, as no one, not even a former President, should be immune to prosecution for crimes committed in office or out of office!

The Aging Of Leadership A Major Problem With Presidential Succession And Otherwise!

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The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 has now set up a situation where the present Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Patrick Leahy, are both 82 years old, born five days apart in March 1940.

Next year, Dianne Feinstein could be the President Pro Tempore at past 89, as she was born in June 1933, and there are signs of her seemingly having dementia interfering with her ability to do her work.

This presents the problem of aging leadership, which has to include in discussion President Joe Biden, who will be 80 in November, but also senior Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who will be 89 in September, and would be President Pro Tempore of the Senate, if the Republicans regain control this fall.

We have never had such an aging leadership in American history, as so many others in leadership are in their late 70s or nearing 80 and over.

The second and third House leaders are in their 80s–House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who will be 83 in June, and James Clyburn, the House Majority Whip, who will be 82 in July.

And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is 80 years old.

It is time for a new generation of leadership!