If you aren't actually steeped in Congress, and congressional procedure rather than just grandstanding, assessing the skill of a legislative leader may not be easy. Boehner, as Speaker, had a very difficult job. This is one of the things I addressed in my latest book. (Shameless plug, shameless plug, but hey, it's my blog). Pelosi? Her job was hard, but not as hard, so she accomplished more. But, she was really good. One of the best.
There is, however, movement against her within the House Democratic caucus. Why? It comes along several lines. One is the general notion that Pelosi has been there for a while, so, hey, let someone else do it. This argument makes little sense. Who else? A little while ago, I had a long conversation with a fellow political scientist and Congress-watcher, and between the two of us, we couldn't come up with anyone remotely qualified, and no one anywhere near Pelosi's level. The best names we could come up with were already retired. This isn't some silly, little game where you take turns 'cuz taking turns is fun. If no one else is as good at the job as Pelosi, you don't kick her out because you feel like she's been there a while. If you have the best doctor in the world with a difficult medical problem to treat, do you fire him/her and bring in someone new and less qualified just because you feel like you've had that doctor for a long time? This is stupid.
Then, there's the argument that Republicans have demonized Pelosi to the point that she is an electoral liability. Yes, she shows up in ads. So will anyone. This is not a game Democrats can play, or should try to play. I've got one word for you: Pizzagate. Too long? Too many letters? How about just one letter. You know the one:
Q.
Fuckin' Q.
Not one of the cool Qs, like Star Trek or Bond. That batshit crazy conspiracy theory. Republicans will tell any lie and their base will believe anything, including that Democratic leaders are child molesters. You can't play the game of picking your leaders based on what bullshit the other side is saying about your current leaders when the other side is as insane and dishonest as the modern GOP. No. Bad Democrats. No majorities for you.
And finally, there's the question of Pelosi's abilities. This is...
Yeah. The leftiest of the left are pissed that Pelosi didn't, I don't know, part the fuckin' Red Sea and create single-payer out of thin air, or something. The Bernie idiots are as disconnected from reality as the Tea Party/Freedom Caucus, which leads to the same level of dissatisfaction with a brilliant Speaker who is on their side. Morons, all.
Now, to be sure, I have been critical of Pelosi's mistakes. For example, I wrote this post when Pelosi pulled that shutdown nonsense of DACA. Bad move. Bad, bad move. The irony is that the lefties who want Pelosi gone were the ones backing the shutdown most aggressively because they had deluded themselves into thinking they could force the GOP to reinstate DACA. Pelosi's worst mistake may have been, like Boehner, forced on her by the extreme wing in her own caucus.
Let me be clear on this. I am in no way defending Trump's immigration policies. That guy is scum, but the shutdown was doomed to fail. The worst mistake Pelosi has ever made as Democratic leader was to give in to the very people who are pushing to oust her, not because they are necessarily wrong on policy, but because it was tactically stupid.
So, what's left? There is nobody up to Pelosi's job, anyone who replaces her will be instantly demonized to at least the same degree, and Pelosi's worst mistake was giving the House rabble exactly what they wanted, doomed to fail though it was.
Right now, there's still a... call it close to coin toss probability that the GOP holds the House, in which case it doesn't much matter what the Democrats do. They, and the country, are just doomed. But, if the Democrats do get the House, ousting Pelosi for... who...? To accomplish... what...?
I don't see it. That doesn't mean it won't happen, but what a dumb idea!