Letters for George: A Nancy Pelosi File

Dear George,

The big news this past week, of course, is that the Democratic majority was seated in the House and Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker. She is the only speaker in over sixty years to be re-elected for a second term after a period out of office. Pelosi has been an extremely effective in the past, and we are optimistic about prospects for the next two years, certainly in terms of curtailing Trump’s destructive influences. Here is some pertinent Nancy Pelosi information.

Love,

Dave

BORN: Nancy Patricia D’Alesandro Pelosi, March 26,1940, Baltimore, MD, age 78, the youngest of six children.

FAMILY BACKGROUND: Her father, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., was Mayor of Baltimore for 12 years and a Democratic U.S. Congressman, and her brother Thomas also served as Mayor of Baltimore. Her mother Annunciata attended law school and organized Democratic women.

RELIGION: Roman Catholic

EDUCATION: Institute of Notre Dame (a Catholic all-girls high school); Trinity College, Washington, D.C. (1962, B.A. in Political Science).

SPOUSE: Paul Pelosi, San Francisco native, owner of a real estate and venture capital investment and consulting firm (married 1963)

OFFSPRING: 5 adult children and 5 grandchildren.

CURRENT OFFICE: Representative (CA 12th District, 80% of San Francisco city and county) (2013-present), Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2019).

PAST OFFICES: Democratic National Committee member from California (1976-96); chair of California Democratic Party (1981-83); Representative, CA 5th District (1987-93); Representative, CA 8th District (1993-2013), House Minority Whip (2002-03), Speaker of the House (2007-11), House Minority Leader (2011-19).

HOUSE SENIORITY: 10th ranked Democrat

NET WORTH: In 2012 Business Insider reported that Pelosi’s net worth was $26.4 million, the 13th richest member of Congress. Her assets include a San Francisco home in Pacific Heights, a combined home and vineyard in St. Helena, CA, two commercial buildings in San Francisco, and a townhome in Loomis, CA.

LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Instrumental in passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to create millions of American jobs; Affordable Care Act (Obamacare); Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act; health insurance reform legislation expanding insurance coverage and strengthening Medicare; strong Wall Street reforms; Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act; child nutrition and food safety legislation; clean energy and security act; assessment of environmental impacts of development; ethics reform legislation; minimum wage increase; college aid expansion; GI education bill.

IDEOLOGY: Based on an analysis of voting record, National Journal ranked Pelosi 66th in the liberal rankings in 2013. Based on bill sponsorship, GovTrack categorized Pelosi as a “centrist Democrat” in 2014 and as a “rank-and-file” Democrat in 2013. She voted with the Democratic Party 97.4% of the time in 2013 and 94.5% in 2014. ProgressivePunch.org ranks her 29th in lifetime progressive votes among all congresspersons.

FUND-RAISING: Since 2002 Pelosi has raised over $700 million, more than any other congressional Democrat, and at least $100 million in the last election alone.

HONORS: National Women’s Hall of Fame (2013). Ranked #26 on Forbes list of the world’s 100 most powerful women. Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating Person of the year (2006). Honorary Doctorate of Law degree, Mount Holyoke College (2018).

DISTINCTIONS: First woman, first Californian, and first Italian-American to lead a major party in Congress. The highest ranking woman in American political history.

RATINGS FROM ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS: American Civil Liberties Union, 100%; Human Rights Campaign, 100%; Planned Parenthood Action Fund, 100%; League of Conservation Voters, 93%; Americans for Prosperity (Conservative), 2%. (govtrack.us)

APPRAISALS: “An extraordinary leader for the American people” (Barack Obama). “The most powerful woman in American politics and the most powerful House Speaker since Sam Rayburn a half century ago” (Christian Science Monitor). “The strongest and most effective speaker of modern times” (Thomas Mann, Brookings Institution). "As the first woman to lead a party in Congress, Ms. Pelosi, elegant and energetic, has the kind of star quality that many say makes them again excited to be Democrats” (Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times). “She’ll cut your head off and you won’t even know you’re bleeding, That’s all you need to know about her” (Alexandra Pelosi, daughter).

CRITICISMS: Republicans often call Pelosi a “latte Democrat” for her progressive views on the environment, women’s reproductive rights, labor unions, and other issues. RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman said she was neither a “new Democrat” nor an “old Democrat” but a “prehistoric Democrat.”

TWITTER FOLLOWERS: 1,744,975

PERSONAL: Nancy Pelosi is a chocoholic with a special passion for Ghirardelli chocolates from San Francisco. She held off running for office until her youngest child was a senior in high school. She is known in Washington for her stylish suits and ready smile. One of her favorite leisure pastimes is doing the New York Times crossword puzzle.

QUOTE: “I didn’t run as a woman (for party whip). I ran again as a seasoned politician and experienced legislator. It just so happens that I am a woman, and we have been waiting a long time for this moment.”

SOURCES:

www.ajc.com, “Who is Nancy Pelosi?”

www.ballotpedia.org, “Nancy Pelosi”

www.cbsnews.com, “New Congress: Democratic members sworn in…”

www.forbes.com, “#38 Nancy Pelosi”

www.govtrack.us, “Nancy Pelosi”

www.media.caq.com, “Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.”

www.nytimes.com, “Nancy Pelosi, Icon of Female Power…”

www.notablebiographies.com, “Nancy Pelosi Biography”

www.pelosi.house.gov, “Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi”

www.progressivepunch.org, “Progressive Score”

www.time.com, “Nancy Pelosi backtracks on defense of John Conyers”