Sworn in today for the second time as House Speaker, 78-year-old Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) delivered what looked more like an inaugural speech to a partisan audience replete with children and families of 40 freshman representatives in the 116th Congress. Pelosi’s speech, without mentioning President Donald Trump, was a Democrat rejoinder to White House, insisting she would complete a bill to reopen the government from the Dec. 22 partial shutdown, furloughing or withholding paychecks for some 800,000 federal workers. Taking the gavel, Pelosi showed no signs of giving Trump one red nickel for his border wall, heaping pressure on the president to back down or hope to peel off enough GOP votes to override a Trump veto. Speaking to a highly partisan audience, there were few signs that Pelosi was ready to compromise on border security to end the 12-day-old government shutdown.
Pelosi served as House Speaker in a divided Congress in 2007 during the Bush-43 White House, where she eventually served with former President Barack Obama once he took office Jan. 20, 2009, until the 2010 Midterm elections when Democrats were tossed out of office. Pelosi’s liberal agenda is known by all, infuriating Trump Dec. 11 in the White House refusing to give him any money for border security. Once she cobbles together a new bill to reopen the government, she’ll face stubborn resistance in the U.S. Senate and White House. When her new spending bills are rejected, she’ll be forced to find a face-saving way out of the current impasse she wants to blame entirely on Trump. When the euphoria of House Speaker fades, she’ll be forced either to compromise or continue the current stalemate. She’ll soon face pressure from 800,000 federal workers to compromise.
Acting like she leads anti-Trump resistance isn’t in the spirit of compromise needed to end the partial government shutdown. Closing down a whopping 660 points today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average mirrored the current gridlock in Washington, where there’s little hope for a compromise. Pelosi doesn’t help things acting like she leading the anti-Trump resistance, as opposed to serving as House Speaker to bring Democrats and Republicans together. Leading the House with 235 Democrats to 199 Republicans, Pelosi finds herself unable to get the super-majority needed to pass key pieces of legislation, regardless of what happens to it in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 52 to 45 majority, with two independents and one seat left unfilled. Compromise is the only way Pelosi can get anything done, especially reopen the partial government shutdown requiring Democrats to give Trump something for his border wall.
Pelosi’s House threatens to hold impeachment hearings and continue investigating Trump for a variety of alleged crimes. While Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation rolls on, Pelosi hopes there’s something of substance to stop Trump seeking re-election, or possibly indicting a sitting president. Saying the law was unclear on whether or not the Justice Department could indict a sitting president, Pelosi threw down the gauntlet, insinuating she’d make Trump’s life hell. White threatening to impeach Trump without any high-crimes-and-misdemeanors, Pelosi has her anti-Trump base whipped into a frenzy. Talking about impeachment or possible indictments, only the most partisan Democrats, like Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Rep. Adam Schuff (D-Calif.), look forward to pursuing more investigations into Trump’s finances or his alleged ties to Russia.
Beating a back a revolt in the Democrat caucus, Pelosi won speaker 220-192 votes by default because no else presented a viable option. At 78-years-of-age, sizable numbers of Democrats wanted fresh leadership. Showing she’s willing to take on the White House, Pelosi convinced enough members that she’s up for the fight, despite consequences on the government shutdown. Forced by her caucus to not compromise with Trump on border wall funding, Pelosi begins her job on the razor’s edge. If she compromises with Trump, she’ll alienate her base, accusing her of weaknesses. If she holds firm, there’s no telling how long 800.000 government workers will be out of work or not paid. Boxing herself into a corner, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), have run out of options if they want to reopen the partial government shutdown.
Once her spending bills fail to make their way to the Senate, Pelosi will be forced back to square one, considering a quid pro quo with Trump. Some Democrats and Republicans have said DACA [Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals] should be back on the table, to give Pelosi a way out. If Trump puts DACA back on the table, there may be a face-saving way out for Pelosi and Trump. As it stands now, both sides are dug in, with Democrats insisting polls support their lack of compromise. Pelosi hopes she can convince GOP members in the Senate to override Trump’s possible veto to reopen the government. If that doesn’t happen, both sides will have to give in, where Democrats give something for border security to receive action on DACA. Pelosi’s tough talk today could easily morph into compromising on the border wall, where both sides must give in to reopen the government.
