Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Deconstructing Nancy Pelosi

Speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi outlined how proud she is of her Congress. Apparently the Democratic Party is not so proud, because they put her on early when a lot of her consituents in California were probably not yet home from work. We did a little deconstruction of her list of accomplishments:

(1) Passed the 9/11 Commission recommendations to protect the American people. - I feel safer already.

(2) Helped rebuild the Gulf Coast for the survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. - Rebuilt the Gulf Coast? That will be news to New Orleans. Oh, right, New Orleans is inland and not on the coast.

(3) Put recovery rebates into the hands of more than 130 million families. - The tax rebate George W. Bush asked you to give? Way to take credit.

(4) Passed legislation to keep hard-working American families in their homes and to keep toxic toys out of the hands of our children. - What about the many Americans who are finding it hard to find work?

(5) Increased the minimum wage for the first time in ten years. - And how much per hour is that minimum wage?

(6) Improved fuel efficiency for the first time in 32 years. - I'm still driving the same car as two years ago. It's not very efficient but I don't drive it very much. You pass a long calling for improved fuel effeciency and you think you've improved it.

(7) Passed the largest college aid expansion since the G.I. Bill 64 years ago. - And yet there is a student loan lending crisis this fall.

(8) Passed the largest veterans’ health care funding in the 77 year history of the Veterans Administration. - Largest? I'd like to see that on an inflation-adjusted basis.

(9) Enacted a new G.I. Bill to thank our veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by sending them to college. - I'll be watching for returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in Harvard Square.

No number 10? Better get back to work.

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