Experts in autocracies have pointed out that it is, unfortunately, easy to slip into normalizing the tyrant, hence it is important to hang on to outrage. These incidents which seem to call for the efforts of the Greek Furies (Erinyes) to come and deal with them will, I hope, help with that. As a reminder, though no one really knows how many there were supposed to be, the three names we have are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. These roughly translate as “unceasing,” “grudging,” and “vengeful destruction.”
I hope y’all will bear with me here. We are all aware that Nancy Pelosi has decided to step down from Congressional leadership, essentially planning, it appears, to serve this term in Congress as just another Representative, while also being a resource for the new Minority Leader and Whip for coaching and advice. Somehow, this feels very final – and not just to me. Tributes and rememberances are pouring in, many from the last people you would expect, and, although almost everyone will have seen some of them – and some may have seen all of them – I want to share several in one place here.
The 19th Magazine was named after the 19th Amendment, so it comes as no surprise that it concentrates on women, and especially minoroty women, as well as persona of fluid gender, and their effect on our politics. Of course they would write about Speaker Pelosi. Here’s some of what they said –
Pelosi was considered one of the most effective legislators and political negotiators in Washington, ushering President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act, through the often fractious House of Representatives amid stiff Republican opposition. Pelosi also supervised the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, the repeal of a 1993 law known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” that directed the Defense Department not to ask about military applicants’ sexual orientation, and two major components of President Joe Biden’s economic agenda. In a statement, Biden praised Pelosi as “the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in our history.”
It’s easy now to forget just what an achievement it was to get the ACA through the House. Congress was so splintered that even President Obama wanted to pull the legislation – and n=Nancy had to argue him into proceeding. Which she did. And it got passed. It was an extraordinary accomplishment, and it spurred an extraordinary effort from readers and member s of Daily Kos: 2,616 red roses were delivered to her DC office, timed to arrive on her 70th birthday.
“She sent half of the roses to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and is distributing the other half to hill staff to thank them for all their hard work on the health reform legislation.” And there’s more to the story – Walter Reed reported some patient responses.
I mentioned these flowers over at Democratic Underground a couple of days ago. I have no idea whether I started something – I didn’t follow up, and so many great mindsthink alike – but yesterday at DU I found this:
I thanked Madam Speaker for service as the best Speaker in US history and wished Paul a speedy recovery. I explained that we raised $4200 for Senator Warnock in her honor and that many of our members had volunteered for GOTV and curing House ballots. I noted that she inspired us every day and that our hearts would be with them this Thanksgiving. The flowers will be delivered on Wednesday so that the Pelosi’s can enjoy them for Thanksgiving. Thanks so much to everyone who participated!
Heather Cox Richardson, being a historian, naturally provided a little history –
Pelosi was elected to Congress in a special election in 1987, becoming one of 12 Democratic women (now there are more than 90). She was first elected speaker in 2007, the first woman ever to hold that role. She was speaker until the Democrats lost the House in 2011, then was reelected to the position in 2019, and has held it since. Jackie Calmes of the Los Angeles Times tweeted: “As an ex–Congress reporter, I can speak to the records of 8 of the 55 House speakers, 4 Dem[ocrat]s & 4 R[epublican]s back to Tip O’Neill. I’m not alone in counting Pelosi as the best of the bunch. 2 Dem[ocratic] presidents owe their leg[islati]v[e] successes to her; 2 GOP presidents were repeatedly foiled by her.”
Robert Reich commented:
I had the privilege of working with her, and although I didn’t agree with her on everything she did or refused to do (I was disappointed at her initial resistance to a bill that would bar House members from actively trading in stocks, for example), she will go down as one of the most effective and forward-looking Speakers in American history. At a time when America came as close as we’ve ever come to losing our democracy, Pelosi effectively beat back Trump, refusing to bow to his demands. (One of her most memorable public moments was ripping up Trump’s vacuous and hateful 2020 State of the Union Address in front of millions of American viewers.) She led two successful efforts to impeach him (although the Senate shamefully failed to convict). She organized the January 6 committee, making sure it was bipartisan yet without it containing any Republican election-denier.
But I think I am most powerfully impacted by things said by people who were in direct opposition to her politically. People who disagreed with her the most. Such as John Boehner.
And Steve Schmidt:
She passed a test that was laid out by President-Elect John Kennedy in front of the Massachusetts Legislature on the eve of his ascension to the Office of President of the United States.+
First, were we truly men of coursge – with the courage to stand up to one’s enemies – and the courage to stand up, when necessary, to one’s associates-the courage to resist public pressure, as well as private greed?
Secondly, were we truly men of judgment-with perceptive judgment of the future as well as the past-if our own mistakes as well as the mistakes of others-with enough wisdom to know what we did not know, and enough candor to admit it?
Third, were we truly men of integrity-men who never ran out on either the principles in which they believed or the people who believed in them-men who believed in us-men whom neither financial gain nor political ambition could ever divert from the fulfillment of our sacred trust?
Finally, were we truly men of dedication-with an honor mortgaged to no single individual or group, and compromised by no private obligation or aum, but devoted solely to serving the public good and the national interest.
It is a tragedy of our era that so few men and women have kept faith with that test laid out by John Kennedy. That is why Nancy Pelosi should be celebrated and honored.
Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone, we certainly could use more like her. I suspect AOC is such a one, and Katie Porter, and I hope they get their chances to demonstrate it, and that they are seen for it. But I also know there are others out there. Help us help them build a climate in which they can be heard and seem and appreciated. In Nancy’s place, that is what I would want my legacy to be.
The Furies and I will be back.
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