# Any good reason to keep Pelosi as speaker? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919 "2020-11-06T19:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/41 "2020-11-07T03:43:09Z")
And they claim she is related to Newsome, but she is not. Their families are quite close, I hear, however. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/42 "2020-11-07T04:39:08Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Dick Cheney said that about Bush. From Dick Cheney’s point of view, he was right. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/43 "2020-11-07T07:02:20Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I don’t necessarily see the need for “new blood” if she is good at what she does, just for new blood’s sake. I hear she is a political mastermind. Not knowing how to judge this myself, I would just say if she is, keep her. Why changes horses when you are about to begin crossing a new stream? But crossing the streams is a [bad idea](https://youtu.be/wyKQe_i9yyo). ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/44 "2020-11-07T11:49:29Z")
🙂 Here, I use “stream” to mean a new administration in charge. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/45 "2020-11-08T16:17:25Z")
a while back here in NC Dems and some Pubs got together to oust incumbent Dem house speaker and put in a different Dem speaker. Dems had the house majority when that happened but some of them did not want to change speakers so they needed GOP votes. That kind of effort would never happen in DC. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/46 "2020-11-18T18:03:12Z")
Dems voted to keep her as leader. Full house vote is next year with new Congress ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/47 "2020-11-18T18:21:32Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > A Dr is supposed to practice medicine and be an expert in that field. They are not typically making big decisions on spending, foreign policy, laws, etc. Really bad example. Same is true for engineer, lawyer, dentist, carpenter, plumber etc. And you don’t see “governance” as a skill? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/48 "2020-11-18T18:27:10Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > By forming a circular firing squad while McConnell laughs into his wattles. I laughed out loud at this. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/49 "2020-11-18T20:19:10Z")
But didn’t Pelosi get a haircut or something? The democrat party hates America! /s ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/50 "2020-11-18T20:25:14Z")
I’d tend to keep her as long as she is motivated, competent and capable. She is worth replacing if the candidate is better at dealmaking, diplomacy, whipping votes, forming policy and motivating colleagues - or if Pelosi becomes less skillful or loses interest. The problem is not her age. Not now. But because of her age, in any case there should be a plan and an understudy. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/51 "2020-11-18T22:34:37Z")
The best reason to keep her is that she has been brilliant at the job. Everywhere but in the House, the Dems are at each other’s throats. She has kept all the factions in line. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/52 "2020-11-18T23:05:16Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The best reason to keep her is that she has been brilliant at the job. Aye; that’s how I see it too. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/53 "2020-11-19T17:11:58Z")
Being brilliant at her job includes losing 63 seats in 2010 ? And she is partly responsible for that . And more Dem seats lost this year. BTW she was not speaker in 2018 when Dems gained seats. She was speaker in 2008 when Dems gained 23 seats but if she gets credit for that she has to get blame for the 2010 debacle. Of course a guy named Obama did well in 2008. the 2 people below her in the Dem leadership are both in late 70s so doubtful they become the next speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/54 "2020-11-19T17:26:45Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > BTW she was not speaker in 2018 when Dems gained seats. This is a bit disingenuous. She was the leader of the House Democratic Caucus. Which is pretty much what she remained when she became speaker. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/55 "2020-11-19T18:56:47Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Being brilliant at her job includes losing 63 seats in 2010 ? And she is partly responsible for that How? The Speaker has little to do with elections. Pelosi cant be blamed or lionized for either election. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/56 "2020-11-19T19:27:25Z")
Right. Her impact is as a parliamentarian. That’s her job. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/57 "2020-11-19T21:43:28Z")
TL;DR: I think Pelosi’s nowhere near as politically adept as she was 10-15 years ago. But still, who would you want to replace her with, and why? Longer version: I think she’s failed to take advantage of the times when she had **leverage** , which should be the sort of thing you learn in Politics 101. Two key instances. First, the Covid bill back in the spring that at the time was described as ‘Covid 3.5’ because it didn’t do that much and a proper fourth bill was expected. What it _did_ do was provide some more funding for small business relief, which Mitch really wanted for his constituents after big businesses took advantage of loopholes inserted by that slime Rubio in one of the earlier bills that enabled huge businesses to raid the fund first. Lots of people on the sidelines were shouting that this was the last opportunity for Dems to get any of their priorities in a bill, because after this, Mitch would have everything HE wanted, so why should he pass anything after that? Meanwhile, Pelosi was saying don’t worry, she’d make sure that ALL the Democratic priorities would be in the next bill. And they were! That was the HEROES bill that, after passing the House, just sat there all year while Mitch ignored it to absolutely no one’s surprise. Except maybe Pelosi’s. Second instance was the continuing resolution (CR) that funded the government from October 1 through December 11. Here, Pelosi had a dizzying array of options, and somehow wound up with worse than nothing. She could have passed a full-year CR with assorted Covid-related aid attached, and said, “if we don’t get more Covid relief, government shuts down on October 1.” She could have passed a straightforward CR that excluded the Department of Homeland Security, and basically said to Trump and Mitch, “you want DHS, with ICE and CBP, far more than my people do. I’ve got a lot of people who’d love to end ICE altogether and cut CBP way back. I’ll stand up to my people on that, but here’s what you’ve got to give me for it” and listed her demands. She could have…hell, make your own sundae here. There were a world of options when you’ve got the entire government to pick and choose from. But she agreed to a simple CR with no more Covid aid…that instead of funding a whole year like a CR usually does, it funded the government just until December 11. And now that Biden’s won, what incentive does Trump or Mitch have to fund the government past December 11? Now _they’ve_ got _us_ by the balls. Total fucking political malpractice on Pelosi’s part. One more thing: all these negotiations that Pelosi’s conducted with Mnuchin (IIRC) behind closed doors - the “behind closed doors” itself was stupid, when you’ve got public opinion at your back. The Covid negotiations should have ALL been conducted in plain sight, with offers and counteroffers out there on CNN and everywhere. Let everybody see who’s advocating for what, and who’s stonewalling what. And that’s without even touching impeachment. Or kids in cages. But without knowing much about any possible replacement players besides their names (sorry, Tim Ryan, but who the fuck are you?), it’s hard for me to get a sense of whether there’s anybody out there who wouldn’t be even less adept than she’s been over the past two years. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/58 "2020-11-19T21:49:51Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > the 2 people below her in the Dem leadership are both in late 70s so doubtful they become the next speaker. One of them is Steny Hoyer. Hoyer’s my Congressman and trust me, you’d rather have Pelosi than Steny Hoyer. I damn sure would. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/59 "2020-11-19T21:52:39Z")
Good post up there, **RT** ; you make a compelling argument. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919/60 "2020-11-19T21:58:41Z")
JFTR, I wouldn’t blame Pelosi for the wipeout of 2010, nor would I give her the credit for the Dems regaining Congress in 2018. When a midterm rolls around and people aren’t happy with the way things are going, they take it out on the party that’s in the White House, end of story. That makes no sense until you remember how little most voters know about how our government actually works, and which party did (or didn’t do) what. 2010 was really the story of two things: (1) we were in a deep recession, and the 2009 stimulus bill money ran out early in 2010, so people were feeling the pain; and (2) the ACA finally passed and got signed, but it was controversial, and its main benefits wouldn’t show up for another few years, so it was a net negative. And of course, 2018 was about Trump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-reason-to-keep-pelosi-as-speaker/924919.md?page=4)