Speaker Nancy Pelosi

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t vote for Nancy Pelosi for anything. Yet, Speaker Pelosi commands a power few know about and she seems to want to control the legislative agenda of the Presidency. It is her right to control the process, but not the agenda.

As much as I dislike to reference FOX news here’s a quote from a column by Bret Baier.

“Something else that appears complicated are Speaker Pelosi's multiple requests for military air travel. Transparency advocate Judicial Watch obtained internal documents by the Defense Department detailing attempts by its staff to accommodate Speaker Pelosi's numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft, along with frequent last minute cancellations and changes costing taxpayers money.”

There are 257 members of the House who keep Ms Pelosi in power. They are the Democrats. The Republicans number 178. To me 257 members do not constitute enough of an “across the land” constituency to enable the kind of power Speaker Pelosi requests, demands or thinks she is entitled too.

I remember as a young journalist working in Washington, D.C. and walking, with a bunch of other reporters, into Speaker John McCormack’s office for an interview in 1969. I was impressed as youth is wont too, but I don’t remember the office trappings and perks being beyond imagination or the power sacrosanct.

I understand there are perks that go with any office or committee chairmanship, but demands for taxpayer subsidized aircraft and big ones at that, all under the guise of security are a bit much.

Yes, the speaker of the House is second in line to the Presidency after the Vice-President, but like the auto company executives who screwed up by flying to Congressional bailout hearings in company jets, Madam Speaker needs a public relations adjustment.

She is not the President. She was not elected by the majority of citizen voters. She was re-elected speaker by only 255 votes of members of a very exclusive club and does not have my vote to run the country. At the moment Mr. Obama does and the speaker should follow her leader.