NANCY PELOSI BALKS TRADITION, REFUSES TO FALL UPON HER SWORD!

Icheoku has been accused in the past of being a chauvinistic portal and that we unfairly pile on women; so as we hold-out Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not following tradition and disemboweling, we are fully aware of what could be headed our way as a result. Despite that, Icheoku will proceed with the commentary as a speaker who lost control of the house refusal to make way is a topical issue and we pride ourselves in rendering our opinion on such issues.

Historically speakers of America House of Representatives follow in the tradition of Japanese Samurais and their generals who upon losing a battle will fall on their sword and die. They resign the speaker-ship and often times outright resignation from the membership of the house generally follows. This principally is in order to save face and party, as well as take responsibility for their party's poor performance in the midterm election. They also do this to help their party reorganize and strategize; and to get its house in order for the next election. 

Last November 2, 2010 American voters developed amnesia and voted back in Republicans as the majority party in the House of Representatives. Like former speakers Newt Gingrich and David Hastert who respectively presided over their Republican party's loss of the control of the house and went into retirement, people expected Democrat Nancy Pelosi to follow suit. But lo and behold she proved herself the woman she is and clawed and scratched to retain the leadership position of the new minority democratic party. Icheoku asks, why did you not respect tradition Madam soon to be former speaker and quit or is there something in the water of power that is so intoxicating and difficult of many incumbents to just do the honorable thing? Does this clinging on power by Speaker Nancy Pelosi typify what would happen in the event a woman becomes president of America; would such madam president change the constitution and demand for a third term?

In her acceptance speech, she refused to take personal responsibility for her party's loss last November but instead blamed it on a stubbornly unemployment situation in the country. Icheoku asks Madam Speaker, on whose desk does the buck of fixing or solving the unemployment problem in America stop but the formerly democrat controlled house presided over by Madam Speaker. Icheoku likes madam Speaker a lot; but we are not love-struck on her speaker-ship as to not to call her out on this her adamant refusal to take responsibility for her party's loss of control and step aside or even quit the scene for a rebuilding of the party. Now she had to condescend, stepping down from her former high perch to displace natural minority leaders; which denudation continued, sweeping away the only black man in the power structure of the house, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina; admitted that a ceremonial new House No.3 Democrat position was created to assuage some black hurt-feelings. Icheoku asks the democrat, why  must it always be black democrats being asked to make way for their white counterparts - Governor of New York, Senate candidate Meek of Florida, President Obama at one time and now Jim Clyburn.

Icheoku however appreciates those 46 free-thinking democrats, especially Madam Speaker's only challenger Representative Heath Shuler of North Carolina, who voted their conviction in the 150-46 fall in line votes that secured the minority leadership position for Nancy Pelosi. It is the right thing to do by these democrats who truly voted as majority of them thought but lacked the balls to go the whole nine yards. It is this diddling by democrats that led to their trouncing by the more vociferous Republicans who goes to the jugular not minding obstacles on the way. it is still mind-boggling that democrats lost the last November election despite what they have been able to accomplish; judging from where things were when they took the baton from President G.W Bush and company. Election have consequences and Madam Speaker should have left the scene to make way for new leadership to emerge and steer the party back to relevance.

Having been in power for the past eight years as house leader, madam Speaker finds it very difficult to just give up all the perks and power that come with such high office; but is justifying her  position as the person to lead democrats back to majority status. Icheoku however disagrees with Madam Speaker that she is the only one that could lead democrats back to majority soon enough. Madam Speaker was one of the main reasons why democrats lost in the first place as people voted in protest against her, even when she was not on the ballot in several states, against the running democrat. But hey, democrats love their 70 year beautiful grandma Speaker and soon to be new minority leader and Icheoku wishes them well. Anyway, congratulations Madam soon to be minority leader.