Pelosi Says She Would Drain GOP 'Swamp'

[XtremeJibber2001]

Does anyone think Pelosi will meet her own promise? Or will the dem's over promise and under deliver, again.

Pelosi Says She Would Drain GOP 'Swamp'

By DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press
Friday, October 6, 2006; 1:58 AM

WASHINGTON -- Franklin Roosevelt had his first hundred days.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is thinking 100 hours, time enough, she says, to begin to "drain the swamp" after more than a decade of Republican rule.

As in the first 100 hours the House meets after Democrats _ in her fondest wish _ win control in the Nov. 7 midterm elections and Pelosi takes the gavel as the first Madam Speaker in history.

Day One: Put new rules in place to "break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

Day Two: Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Time remaining until 100 hours: Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients.

Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds _ "I hope with a veto-proof majority," she added in an Associated Press interview Thursday.

All the days after that: "Pay as you go," meaning no increasing the deficit, whether the issue is middle class tax relief, health care or some other priority.

To do that, she said, Bush-era tax cuts would have to be rolled back for those above "a certain level." She mentioned annual incomes of $250,000 or $300,000 a year and higher, and said tax rates for those individuals might revert to those of the Clinton era. Details will have to be worked out, she emphasized.

"We believe in the marketplace," Pelosi said of Democrats, then drew a contrast with Republicans. "They have only rewarded wealth, not work."

"We must share the benefits of our wealth" beyond the privileged few, she added.

Pelosi, 66, has been a leader of the House Democrats since 2002. But her political apprenticeship dates to childhood, when her father was mayor of Baltimore.

Now, her political base is about as liberal as it gets, San Francisco. It's a fact that Republicans love to emphasize to voters who might want to visit, but not feel comfortable living there.

Republicans find her an attractive political target, and recently said she would try to "cut-and-run" from Iraq while "launching bitter partisan investigations" of the Bush administration, possibly including impeachment hearings.


House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks about the economy during an address at Georgetown University in Washington, Thursday, Oct 5, 2006. (AP Photo/Chris Greenberg)
House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks about the economy during an address at Georgetown University in Washington, Thursday, Oct 5, 2006. (AP Photo/Chris Greenberg) (Chris Greenberg - AP)


Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist is seen in this Dec. 5, 2003 file photo taken at the Supreme Court in Washington. FBI files on Rehnquist provide details on decades-old confirmation battles. (J. Scott Applewhite - AP)
SEE FULL COLLECTION
Feedback

In Today's A Section

» More in Today's Print Edition
Save & Share

* Tag This Article


Saving options
1. Save to description:
Headline (required)
Byline
2. Save to notes (255 character max):
Blurb
3. Tag This Article

A grandmother five times over, Pelosi pops chocolates, shuns coffee and flashes her wit. Asked what offices should would occupy if in the Capitol if she becomes speaker, she laughed. "I'll have any suite I want."

She would, too.

"If the election were held today we'd be successful," Pelosi predicted, claiming that her party's prospects are expanding as the campaign enters its final month. "So many other races are emerging right now," she said.

Democrats must gain 15 seats to regain the majority they lost in 1994, and have candidates in competitive races for 30 or so Republican-held seats, according to strategists in both parties. By contrast, only about a handful of Democratic-controlled seats appear ripe for possible Republican takeover.

Democrats have a pamphlet that lists all their promises and have run through several slogans in the past year or so as they test campaign messages. In recent days, Pelosi said, their prospects have improved by the discovery that former Republican Rep. Mark Foley of Florida had sent sexually explicit computer messages to teenage male pages.

Not long before sitting down for a lunchtime interview, she turned down a suggestion from Speaker Dennis Hastert that they jointly appoint former FBI Director Louie Freeh to recommend improvements in the page program.

"That was about protecting their majority" rather than the pages, she said dismissively.

Instead, she wants to put Hastert and other Republicans under oath and make them say what they knew of Foley's actions, when they learned it and what they did to stop him.

The potential for political gain is clear to her.

"It's an opportunity for growth among women" for the Democrats, she said. "They don't always vote and this could be a motivation."

With married women, in particular, it's a huge issue, she added.

Among older voters, too.

"If there's an ethical issue, seniors take a hike" and abandon politicians they blame, she said.

"If we hold onto seniors we win the election."

[St. Jerry]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Pelosi won't do squat about Iraq.

[BadDog]

[quote="XtremeJibber2001"]Does anyone think Pelosi will meet her own promise? Or will the dem's over promise and under deliver, again.
[quote]

They're off to a good start, according to today's paper.

Let's see how they've done when the 100 hours are up. (That's 100 hours in session. If they stick to the plan to work 5 days a week instead of the 3 days a week they've been working this century, I would guess that will be sometime around start of February.)

By the way, I don't think they've over-promised -- they've been saying impeachment isn't going to happen. Which would have been a promise that would have gotten me to switch my registration to Democrat. Let's see what happens when the multiple committee hearings start.

(If Bush, Cheney and Rummy hang, not only will I join their party, I'll do volunteer fundraising for 'em!)

"Remember 9/11 -- Impeach the Traitor!"

[BadDog]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Pelosi won't do squat about Iraq.

I think they will oppose the troop "surge" (which is another euphemism for "Benedict" Bush trying to kill as many Americans as possible during his reign.)

But we are long past due for a functional third party.

[XtremeJibber2001]

Does anyone think Pelosi will meet her own promise? Or will the dem's over promise and under deliver, again.

They're off to a good start, according to today's paper.

Let's see how they've done when the 100 hours are up. (That's 100 hours in session. If they stick to the plan to work 5 days a week instead of the 3 days a week they've been working this century, I would guess that will be sometime around start of February.)

By the way, I don't think they've over-promised -- they've been saying impeachment isn't going to happen. Which would have been a promise that would have gotten me to switch my registration to Democrat. Let's see what happens when the multiple committee hearings start.

(If Bush, Cheney and Rummy hang, not only will I join their party, I'll do volunteer fundraising for 'em!)

"Remember 9/11 -- Impeach the Traitor!"

Don't get me wrong, I want congress to make changes, even if I don't agree with some of them, it'd be nice to see some work done.

Pelosi won't do squat about Iraq.

Actually, I was watching Wolf Blitzer last night ... and some of the Dems he had on his show actually plan to cut funding of the war in order to end it ... not a strategy I agree with at all.

[BigKahuna13]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Pelosi won't do squat about Iraq.

I think they will oppose the troop "surge" (which is another euphemism for "Benedict" Bush trying to kill as many Americans as possible during his reign.)

But we are long past due for a functional third party.

amen on the third party idea.

the more i think about the more i prefer the british model over our own.

[BadDog]

Don't get me wrong, I want congress to make changes, even if I don't agree with some of them, it'd be nice to see some work done.

I hear you.

Probably key will be how many lobbying reform type stuff they pass initially -- before the power corrupts them.

[XtremeJibber2001]

amen on the third party idea.

I'm with you as well ... .I'll bet everyone here would agree on this ... that'd be a first.

[Dr. NO]

Hmm, the Dems were in charge from the 50's to the 90's. Exactly what did they do during that reign? Please, enlighten us all. I figure once they get comfortable in the house and senate, which will take all of about a month, they will simply begin passing legislation that you or I do not want, and then raise taxes. That is their way, it is the way of our government, no matter who is in charge and what they say.

[Bubba]

Hmm, the Dems were in charge from the 50's to the 90's. Exactly what did they do during that reign? Please, enlighten us all.

Surely you can't be as ignorant as you just appeared. Let's see...

Voting Rights Act of 1965
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Medicare
Medicaid
Environmental Protection Act
Occupational Health and Safety Act

Just some of the basic protections we all enjoy today. I don't know, maybe they didn't do anything after all.....

[MarieM]

I've caused some controversy among some business friends and associates because I said I like Nancy Pelosi...I also like Hilary Clinton...but those aren't good things to say in a group of NH business-owners.

I don't mean I agree with every stand that they've ever taken on every issue. Both of them are probably more liberal than I could ever dream of being. BUT...walk a mile...

How cool is that video of Nancy Pelosi holding that baby while she's telling all the underlings where to be and what to do. I don't think that there are whole lotta people on this board with the same perspective as me. It's tough to be a woman...be a boss...hold your own with the "old boys" and then pick up the kids, do the laundry, be PTO president, chaperone the field trip...and keep everybody's head above water. Barely two weeks after I had my fourth baby, I brought her to work, put her in the baby swing, and waited on customers.

Nancy Pelosi, Hilary Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, Condoleeza Rice...you guys just don't have a clue. Apologies if I'm out of line.

Other than that...did you see the interviews that Charles Gibson had with the freshman Dems? Nobody's willing to go toe-to-toe with their "Commander-in-chief."

[JerseyGuy]

Hmm, the Dems were in charge from the 50's to the 90's. Exactly what did they do during that reign? Please, enlighten us all.

Surely you can't be as ignorant as you just appeared. Let's see...

Voting Rights Act of 1965
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Medicare
Medicaid
Environmental Protection Act
Occupational Health and Safety Act

Just some of the basic protections we all enjoy today. I don't know, maybe they didn't do anything after all.....

Actually, I'm very curious to hear the answer to Bubba's initial question. IS Dr. NO as ignorant as he appears? Are those of us who argue with Dr. NO on ANY subject simply wasting our time, in the same way that an adult wastes his time by trying to explain the physical and mental effects of prolonged sleep deprivation to a colicky one-year-old?

Please, I want to know. At least JibJab concedes a point if he's obviously incorrect. Is Dr. NO merely an ill-informed Grumpy Old Man with an internet connection and too much free time on his hands?

[XtremeJibber2001]

Dem's already back peddling ...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/08/ ... index.html

This is utterly pathetic.

[Bubba]

Dem's already back peddling ...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/08/ ... index.html

This is utterly pathetic.

Oy....OK...what are they back peddling on?

[BadDog]

Stupid football -- screws up everything...