Why Nancy Pelosi Is Right

by James Frye

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said recently in a fundraising email that the Democrats “will keep control of the House. Period.” The first impulse would be to dismiss this as nothing but something any party leader would say about an upcoming election, but I think she’s spot on here.

Let’s start with the polls.  Most push the fact that the Democrats and Obama have slipped in popularity right now, but further down in all of those stories is something that has held steady:  Most voters don’t like the Republicans’ ideas, they don’t want them in charge of the economy again, and they aren’t real fond of the job the GOPers have done either.  The obvious point here is that people still want the Democrats to do what they voted for them to do in 2008 and are unhappy they haven’t done them yet.  They won’t be turning to the party that got us into the mess we’re in to put us in a deeper hole.

Point number 2:  What do the Republicans say about how they would govern if elected?  They haven’t yet.  If you plow through the public statements of Republican leaders, it’s pretty clear that they are schizo about their plans.  Some want to go back to the Bush policies; others are taking credit for the stimulus jobs they voted against.   Minority Leader Orange Glow Boehner says he’ll announce the Republicans’ plans soon, while NY Rep. Peter King (R-Nutcase) wants to keep the Republican agenda hidden.

There is a major problem with whatever the Republicans claim they’ll do if they retake one or both Houses of Congress this year that they neglect to mention as well:  Barack Obama will still be President after November and he will veto their silliness.

Which brings us to point number 3:  The Republicans themselves.  This site and many others regularly report on the incredible nonsense coming from the right.  OK, every party has its fringe and the more outlandish stuff said and written by what passes for conservatism wouldn’t be a factor if the only ones saying it were just supporters of their cause.   This year is different – the “Obama is a Marxist” style insanity is coming from Republican incumbent officeholders and candidates wanting to be one.

We get it that this makes the Republican base (aka The Tea Party) all tingly when rightwing radio talkers claim that Democrats and liberals are evil incarnate; but when it comes down to it those folks are just sound coming out of a radio.  The problem for the Republicans is when their candidates do it too and they have to win over more than the minority of angry old rightwing male sign wavers at the ballot box.  They have to get the votes of regular folks who are a bit more sane and don’t buy crazy.

This doesn’t mean the Democrats can coast.  The rightwing media has done one job well – keeping from the voters what the Democrats have accomplished over the last two years.  They have to do two things to get their base and more to vote to keep them in power:  go after the target-rich Republican nuttiness and inform voters about the impressive list of accomplishments the Democrats achieved so far.  The rightwing crazies aren’t getting much traction outside of their own people so November is the Democrats’ to lose, no matter what the polls say now.

Will Nancy Pelosi be right on election day?  No one can say for sure, but as the old Magic Eight Ball of my youth says, “Signs point to Yes.”

By: James Frye

Long time progressive activist in the Pacific Northwest and self-studying student of politics