One week after the media tried to downplay the fact that Senate Democrats blocked a coronavirus relief bill, vulnerable House Democrats are showing once again that it’s Democratic leadership that is stonewalling relief efforts.
The centrist Democrats who flipped Republican-held seats have been pushing Speaker Nancy Pelosi to stand down from her all-or-nothing approach thus far. Pelosi has been unwilling to compromise on her demands while Senate Democrats used the filibuster to sink the GOP’s bill.
Centrists such as Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger have insisted her fellow Democrats must bring something to the floor, saying, “My conviction is to actually do my goddamn job and come up with a solution for the American people.” New York Rep. Max Rose said that the actions of House leadership made him “disappointed to be a Democrat.”
Back in March, Pelosi nearly torpedoed the first round of coronavirus relief with a ridiculous list of funding demands, including a federal $15 minimum wage. She couldn’t even win the cover of the media then, and she ended up backing down. Now, members of her own House caucus are convinced that swing voters view them as blocking relief again.
For being labeled as a master strategist, Pelosi’s second stint as speaker reeks of political amateurism. She’s now twice stalled coronavirus relief bills with extravagant demands, leading her centrist members who won the House majority for Democrats to panic. Meanwhile, he’s been unable to control her progressive wing, who have been pushing primaries against her own committee chairs and members of leadership.
Pelosi endorsed the doomed Senate run of Joe Kennedy III in Massachusetts, a vanity play where Kennedy thought he could just take the seat from incumbent Ed Markey because of his Kennedy name. And who could forget the speaker of the House openly flouting coronavirus restrictions to get her hair done, before claiming the salon set her up.
Pelosi has stumbled her way through the last two years, including being dragged into an impeachment fight she never really wanted. Her political instincts are gone, blunted by the years of glowing media coverage that never really pushed her on any issue. Centrist House Democrats know firsthand what swing voters are thinking, and if they’re pushing on Pelosi to make a deal, it shows that she’s struck out once again.
