Democratic voters would be more energized if Pelosi had opposed Obama more

[Enrique]

She at one time had the correct position on offshore drilling, she was fairly strongly opposed to it.

When he came out with his plan to expand drilling, I don't know what Pelosi could have done legislatively, but she could have issued some statements stressing caution. Remember, Raul Grijalva had warned about a BP platform that appeared unsafe (not the one that blew). Pelosi could have held hearings and grilled Salazar and elevated the whole issue and made it controversial, as it should have been. Then when the well blew, at least it would be clear that the Democratic Party had some foresight. Obama's calculation wouldn't have ruined the whole party's image.

Pelosi right away when Obama was elected wanted to repeal the Bush tax cuts immediately, not let them expire. But she didn't push it. That was a mistake, imo. Obama's poll numbers have been going up recently and I think it's because he's talking about the Bush tax cuts. He's talking about rich and poor. I think the Democratic Party should always be talking about rich and poor. I think that's mostly what we're about.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

1. You have no idea what you're talking about. The fact is that SHE DID oppose him!

That's the point!! Of all of the so-called leaders in the Democratic Party, she is the ONLY one who has stood up to everyone. Don't you realize that we got a public option in the House? Don't you realize that we got cap n' trade in the House? There are well over 300 legislative accomplishments in the House alone!!! Say what you will about Nancy Pelosi, but she has been the only true leader in the party. Van Hollen comes a close second.

And what does she get for all of her accomplishments? BLAME FROM US AND EVERYONE ELSE!!

What does she get? Underappreciation for all that she has done. I wasn't a big Pelosi fan until now. But you gotta give credit where credit is ultimately due.

This has been the most productive House in the history of the country. Don't blame her. Blame Harry Reid and the cowardly Senate DemoCRAPS (not all of them, obviously)!!

And what does she get for it?

An badly informed American electorate that is seemingly prepared to put Republicans back in charge.

It is unfair. Ridiculous. And utterly depressing!!!

STOP BITCHING ABOUT EVERYTHING AND GET OUT AND VOTE. GET YOUR FRIENDS OUT TO VOTE!!

Show Nancy Pelosi that we appreciate everything that she has done for us.

[ProSense]

2. Yes,

undermining the President to score points with a few people who can't be pleased (see Elizabeth Warren) would have been the best thing to do.

Question: Feingold voted against Wall Street Reform, why isn't he leading by double digits?

Maybe you should heed Grijalva's words

A lot of voters were frustrated after the health care reform vote. There's no denying that. Progressives said they'd vote against a bill that didn't have a public option, and here we are today -- lots of good elements in the final version, but no public option to hold down costs and provide competition for the private sector. None of us can forget that year-long fight for a better health care system, or the emotion we poured into it. Why do I bring this up now? Because the valuable lessons we learned during that year give me a lot of confidence heading into this Social Security battle with the president's deficit commission.

There are plenty of people reading this today who think progressives' problem was failing to stick to their guns. If only we held the line, they say, we'd have a public option today. That was not the case. The Senate wasn't going to budge on a public option for reasons that have nothing to do with good public policy. House progressives -- my friends and colleagues and I -- didn't have enough cards in our hand to make it happen all by ourselves. I think progressives' central mistake during health care was telling ourselves that we did.

That was a hard lesson to learn. It meant that just standing for what's right isn't enough in Washington. Even for a long-time public servant like myself, that was a bitter pill. When you read a given political situation, we learned, you have to account for everything, not just what the best outcome would be for the American people. We knew a public option would be the best outcome, and we said we wouldn't accept anything less. Well, in Congress, to be honest with you, you rarely get what's best for the American people. We thought we could change that in one fell swoop. I hate to say it, but we were wrong

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[dave29]

3. Speak for yourself, this Democratic voter is energized, and prepared to work to get Democrats

elected and held to the fire.