The most powerful woman in American political history

As the highest ranking woman in American political history, Nancy Pelosi has already done more for the American people than the Republicans did in the scandal-riddled Congress of 2006, now labeled the worst do-nothing congress in history.

In one of its first official acts under Democratic control, the House voted 280-152 on Friday to curb the middle-of-the-night, backroom dealmaking that resulted in approval of embarrassing--and sometimes illegal--pork barrel projects.

Forty-eight Republicans joined 232 Democrats to require committees to disclose all sponsors of so-called earmarks. The new rules would prohibit lawmakers from trading their votes for special spending projects tacked on to legislation, and it would require members to certify that they have no personal financial stake in their requests. Chicago Tribune

Some of the items listed in the bill include ending the K-Street project, (YAY!) a ban on gifts from lobbyists, restrictions on tickets to sporting and entertainment events, restrictions of privately funded travel, restriction of lobbyist organizations participation in congressional travel and expenses for officially connected travel.

The House of Representatives on Friday voted to reinstitute the "pay as you go" budget rule that Democrats credited with helping end federal budget deficits in the 1990s.

The House approved the internal House rule that would require any new tax cuts to be paid for with other tax increases or spending reductions. Any increased spending on "entitlement" programs, such as the Medicare health plan for the elderly, also would have to be paid for with spending reductions or tax increases. CNN

Nancy Pelosi has cut up the Republican's credit cards! Now if we can just whittle away at the deficit...This next quote just has a nice sound to it:

For now, Democrats are rejoicing in their new power as well as their new speaker and hope America notices the change having a woman in charge.

At a women's tea on Wednesday, Pelosi's 8-year-old granddaughter told the crowd of nearly 1,000 women about how her grandmother would make it easier for other girls to pursue the job of the (sic) dream (and how she likes to eat chocolate ice cream for breakfast).

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., told the crowd that Pelosi's "devotion to family plays out every day."

"When you see her take a call on her cell phone, it is as likely to be one of her children as it is a committee chair," DeLauro said. "I don't know the scope of the change. But this woman brings something special." sfgate.com

In an article titled, "The Default Majority," Rich Lowry says that the Democrats are doomed to failure before they even begin.

The "do-nothing Congress" is dead. Long live the "do-nothing Congress." Such should be the proclamation upon the ascension of Democrats to control of Congress, with Nancy Pelosi breaking what she calls the "marble ceiling" to become speaker of the House. Real Clear Politics

The author is saying that raising the minimum wage is not worth doing, or it's already been done, or who cares about a bunch of teenagers anyway...The author invokes the unimpressed spirit of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The Democratic substance is vanishingly thin. They will raise the minimum wage, but 29 states already have a minimum wage that's higher than the federal rate. The effect of the hike basically will be to give a small boost to the wage of teenagers working summers or after school. FDR would yawn. Real Clear Politics

Think about it, the author is chastising Nancy Pelosi for not being like FDR, a man the author is against. (WTF?) I am sure that the author would like congress to get back to real issues like flag burning and Terry Chiavo. Other authors point out their own misgivings on the present congress:

In Concord, Gov. John Lynch, House Speaker Teri Norelli and Senate President Sylvia Larsen are singing the same tune. They have pledged to protect us from big oil, stingy employers, second-hand smoke, high college tuition and a host of other worries.

One can be thankful for their humility. For all of their faith in the power of government to cure any ill, at least they are not following John Edwards' lead and promising to end poverty itself. Union Leader

Heaven forbid someone try to end poverty. Who in their right mind wants to end poverty?

Let us hope that after 100 hours the Democrats have gotten this out of their system. The Democrats were elected precisely on their pledge that they would not run Congress as the Republicans had. The voters have every right to expect better. Sure, the Republicans had it coming, turnabout is fair play, what goes around comes around, etc., but an even older rule should apply here: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Cincinnati Post

I am gratified to hear that in the cold, sober light of day, somebody is taking the time out of their busy schedule to write about the issue of whether or not the nasty old Democrats are going to be mean to the poor defenceless Republicans. Somebody has to stand up for Denny Hastert and all of those lonesome lobbyists.

Their hope is to show what do-nothings the Republicans were when they controlled the 109th. But the Democrats' agenda has little to do with what brought them to power for the first time in 12 years – namely, dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq. Dallas News

It has been a whole week, and Nancy Pelosi STILL hasn't ended the war in Iraq. When will the American people learn not to trust the Democrats?

Chicago Tribune:
Dallas News: Linda Chavez: An empty whirlwind
sfgate.com: Madam Speaker
CNN: House okays strict 'pay-as-you-go' budget rule
Union Leader: The new nanny: Pelosi wags her finger
Cincinnati Post: OK, 100 hours, then knock it off
Real Clear Politics: The Default Majority