Who should be Speaker of the House when Obama is President?

[Radical Activist]

Besides who you like on the issues, who would be the most effective Speaker of the House after Obama is elected?
I mostly included current leadership for the poll. Post your own and make an argument if I didn't put your favorite on the list.

I'm not including John Conyers because he isn't going to give up his committee seniority to join leadership. I'm not including Kucinich because, while I love him on the issues, the poll is about an *effective* Speaker.

[MercutioATC]

1. Can I just vote for "anybody but Pelosi"?

I had such high hopes for her..what a disappointment she's been.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

2. I WILL DO THE JOB

[Just-plain-Kathy]

13. Maybe this will explain why Nancy's not doing her job.

Bohemian Grove 2008 Guest List REVEALED- Activists take 9-11 Truth to Elite's Summer Retreat


July 23, 2008
truthaction.org

Activists from truthaction. org have obtained the official guest list for Bohemian Grove’s 2008 midsummer encampment along with a map of the Grove’s facilities. According to the guest list, this year’s attendees include George H. W. Bush, David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, several former CIA directors and Paul Pelosi, Nancy’s husband. Also attending are two members of the Grateful Dead, one of whom is camping with the elder Bush.

http://truthwire.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/bohemian-grove-2008-guest-list-revealed-activists-take-911-truth-to-elites-summer-retreat/

[Just-plain-Kathy]

21. What? No one responded to Paul Pelosi partying with the Bilderberg Group?

No one wants to question Nancy's loyalty? She's obviously allowing Bush to get away with murdersssssssssssss.

[avaistheone1]

32. Defintely not Rahm Emanuel. He is a corporate Democrat. That would be like having AT&T or Walmart

running the congress. No thanks.

[trueblue2007]

39. Anyone but Pelosi.

I want one my senator. Earl Blumenauer.

[awoke_in_2003]

48. Senators cannot be

Speaker of the House.

[yurbud]

57. yep, ABP, ABP!

[terrya]

3. I'd be delighted if my Representative, Jan Schakowsky, was Speaker.

Needless to say. :-)

[Radical Activist]

9. That's who I voted for

but I keep hearing rumors that she wants Obama's Senate seat.

[Ino]

4. Robert Wexler (nt)

[kansasblue]

6. ditto

[RiverStone]

29. I'll 3rd that!

[JBoris]

31. Make that 4 votes for Wexler! nt

[Aloha Spirit]

Eleanor Holmes Norton

[Va Lefty]

47. I'll second that

[GodlessBiker]

5. Kucinich.

[lligrd]

8. I'll Second That nt

[Just-plain-Kathy]

15. ditto.

[tekisui]

16. Indeed.

[Radical Activist]

26. Well he has such a great record of passing bills

and building consensus that I'm sure he'd do an excellent job. :eyes:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

7. Linda Sanchez - she's great

No, not her sister Loretta who leans too far to the right.

Linda Sanchez has been on the right side of every issues as far as I can remember. And she has lots of charisma and fight in her.

[Lost4words]

10. Robert Wexler!

8643

[AndyTiedye]

11. Barbara Lee

[Xipe Totec]

12. Dennis Kucinich

isn't is obvious?

[Radical Activist]

27. It takes more than inflexible ideology and overdramatic speeches

to be a good speaker of the house. Kucinich hasn't shown much ability at passing bills, building consensus, gaining new allies or any of the other important qualities needed in a Speaker.

[tucsonlib]

41. "Inflexible ideology and overdramatic speeches"?

Funny, I would have said "courageously incorruptible and eloquently sincere". Do you give cynic lessons?

[Radical Activist]

53. Speeches get old when someone never accomplishes anything.

I like Dennis but he's more effective as a spokesperson than he is at getting things done in Congress.

[Xipe Totec]

51. Therefore your choice is?

:shrug:

I gather ideology is off the table for you?

[Radical Activist]

52. Not at all.

Someone can be both liberal and an effective legislator. I'd pick Jan Schakowsky. She's very liberal, actually passes bills, and has done things that a person needs to do to become a leader in the House, such as help raise money for her fellow Democrats.

[FSogol]

14. Which one has the most PTA experience?

;-)

[Radical Activist]

17. I almost didn't include Maxine Waters

I'm a little surprised she's winning.

[awoke_in_2003]

50. Hell, I'm surprised

Pelosi got as many votes as she did.

[mvd]

18. Waters or Kucinich

Either one is fine.

[Alter Ego]

19. Dennis Kucinich

[Sebastian Doyle]

20. Dennis Kucinich

He should have been Speaker of the House since January 2007.

[butterfly77]

22. Who voted for Steny Hoyer,,,

he has been going along with Bushco for years..

[TheKentuckian]

23. I'm a Wexler supporter on this one

he probably doesn't have the machine in place.

[anigbrowl]

24. Yeah, good idea. Maxine Waters? Get real you lot.

I suspect disruptors at work.

[Hippo_Tron]

25. Barney Frank

Unfortunately he's too far down the hierarchy for that to happen.

[mb7588a]

28. There WILL come a time in the near future-

-when Obama is president, Durbin is Senate Majority Leader, and Rahm is speaker.

Chicago will rule the world.

[Radical Activist]

30. mwahahahaha! (evil laughter)

But can we have Jan instead of Rahm? I'd rather have Illinois liberals rule the world. And Durbin isn't from Chicago.

[avaistheone1]

33. Well why don't we just have AT&T as speaker then?

Not much difference between them and Emmanuel.

[samuraiguppy]

34. I heart Maxine Waters nt

[Norrin Radd]

35. Kucinich

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

36. Wexler or Kucinich

Principles to the fore.

Pelosi can rot as a backbencher for "taking it off the table." Thanks, b#$%h.

[smiley_glad_hands]

37. Whomever the Dem majority votes for.

I'd say Nancy gets another term.

[liberalpragmatist]

38. Pelosi

I know she's not popular here but she has been a very effective Speaker. No, I don't agree with every decision she has made or everything she has done, but she's been an excellent party leader. She's holding together a fractious caucus with a large number of Blue Dogs, yet she's managed to keep the caucus unified and has passed virtually every piece of legislation the Democrats pledged to pass in '06. The big problem is that most of it has died/been filibustered in the Senate.

And yes, impeachment is a complete pipe dream. She was right to not touch it. Now, if an Obama administration will pursue prosecutions, I'm all for that.

Even as Minority Leader she was good, corralling the vast majority of House Democrats to oppose the war in the first place.

Being Speaker is NOT an easy job. It's easy to want a partisan bomb-thrower, but the best speakers are ones who know what is achievable and how to get things passed. You think Tip O'Neill or Sam Rayburn were purists?

Hopefully with a greatly expanded Senate majority, a moderately expanded House majority and President Obama, we'll have a real opportunity to move major legislation through. I wouldn't trade Pelosi for an instant knowing the kinds of party-line votes we'll need.

And why people would want Maxine Waters, who has repeatedly been named one of the most corrupt members of Congress, escapes me. Just because someone votes the way we like doesn't make them ethical or good leaders. I'll take someone like Donna Edwards or Diana DeGette over Maxine any day.

[Raine]

43. Totally agree nt

[renie408]

45. Damn you with your fancy 'logick talk'...we would much rather hear an uninformed and emotional

rant about how Pelosi is the anti-christ and NEVER does anything right for the Dem party. Don't you know that she is a secret GOP operative?? I have it on GOOD authority that she is EVIL, I tell you, EVIL.


I can't ever remember how to do the sarcasm thing, but pretend I did.

[Radical Activist]

56. But, but, but Kucinich shouts and waves his arms when he gives speeches!1!1!

That makes him better qualified!!!

[tucsonlib]

40. Kucinich Not an Effective Speaker? What the Hell is Your Definition of "Effective"?

If you had included Dennis in this poll he'd win hands down. Too late to add him?

[Radical Activist]

55. The ability to build consensus and get bills passed.

Two things Kucinich has never shown much ability at doing during his time in Congress. Voting right and giving dramatic speeches doesn't make someone a good Speaker of the House.

[oasis]

42. Waters backed Hillary so she hasn't a prayer.(eom)

[oviedodem]

54. That may NOT be why, being a member of the Congressional black Caucus is the bigger reason.

[PBS Poll-435]

44. You forgot the obligatory "other"

I would much prefer Louise Slaughter, currently the Chairman of the House Rules Committee.

[snake in the grass]

46. I am...

quite surprised that Pelosi got so many votes being that she is a worthless dud who is complicit in Bush's crimes. I don't know if she is just as greedy as Bush or if they have something on her but I'd rather see her in jail than as Speaker.

[AllentownJake]

49. Wexler

EOM