Good for Pelosi.
The treatment of these Dreamers is as immoral as it gets.The US has done a lot better at finding new lows, new war crimes, and new ways to disenfranchise citizens than setting an example of freedom and justice. It's time to regain our moral standards and international standing. It's time to put Trumpism aside with all the cheap and tawdry atmospherics and hysteria it engenders. We need to start with treating Dreamers like people who are our neighbors and fellow citizens who have earned that right.
1
Yes she showed her only talent, bloviating for hours about nothing.
10
Obviously Ms. Pelosi was prompted to speak for that long because of the dreamers deadline which is fast (and unnecessarily) approaching.
No, that doesn't mean that she won't speak for higher wages. No, that doesn't mean that she won't speak for universal insurance. No, that doesn't mean that she won't speak for other marginalized or oppressed groups... or whatever you're clamoring for.
It means that she courageously took an ethical stand. I, for one, am cheering. It's about time the democrats stood up to this pathetic administration and his toadies in Congress.
My father always says that only a fool would feel resentment at anothers' good fortune. To all with their knickers in a bunch because of a made-up border, how embarrassing. You're sounding like a bunch of republicans. Geez!
There are enough hours in the day to support one another. I know dreamers. They are my colleagues and classmates and -I am proud to say - my friends. Shame on those of you who look down on them for their place of birth.
2
The majority leader was on TV and praised many pieces of the proposed legislation. Pelosi spoke about a single issue. Compromise and beginning to reach a common ground does not begin with one side getting 100% of what they want.
The Democrats can not win if their two leaders do not represent a united front. Also, I believe Pelosi's approval ratings are very low, even lower than Trump's so she is the wrong spokesperson to rally support for the Dreamers.
The media keeps presenting this as 800,000 Dreamers in danger of being deported. Trump has many bad instincts, but I don't think he is so stupid that he would go against a huge majority of the country and start deporting good citizens who are in college, in the military, or holding productive jobs. They are not "bad hombres", they are not drug smugglers or rapists, and it would be political suicide for the whole Republican party to start deportations.
Let's be realistic, there are a lot of surprisingly good things in the Senate bill and it would be a good beginning for Congress to actually begin to be functional, despite the obstacles from Trump, Kelly, Miller, and the fervent anti-immigrant wing, or on the other side from Democrats trying to outdo each other in being strident.
2
My one question to these idealistic, moralistic Democrats - Can the dreamers vote? Sorry to sound callous. But unless Democrats win the House and the Senate with votes in November, the Dreamers will be dreaming forever only to find the Republicans making a nightmare instead.
Can't they see these lying Republicans make an about-face every time? Promised, intend! Get REAL Democrats!
1
Funny in all the long exhaustive years Pelosi has been in office the only subject and I mean the only subject and group that she stood eight hours for are the children of illegal undocumented people. Has she ever pulled a stunt like this for campaign reform? Or Veteran's rights? Just saying, don't are a bit about the height of her shoes but this was all an act and I am not buying it.
9
Democrats Please bring back good old class warfare. I’m sick of identity politics, we need to go for the bigger voter base, the shrinking “middle” class.
6
watching pelosi is so very refreshing ! yes, the pursuit of happiness. it seems to be completely lost, what with our fearless leader wanting a military parade...
1
I wish Pelosi would go to bat this way to increase Social Security benefits and to get universal health care for all the citizens.
5
Oh wow, empathy is a rare feeling these days...
To all of those saying Dreamers are illegals and should get out. Imagine for a second that you are 16 and you want to go to college and one day your parents come to you and say that you have very limited in choices, because they are in this country illegal and so are you. You had no idea that was the case. Ok, even if you had some hints that you are less free than others. WHAT ARE YOUR CHOICES?! It is not like you can pack your bags and go back to Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, you name it. You may not speak the language fluently, you know nothing about that country, its culture, traditions, people, way of life. You won't be able to get a job, sustain your living and in many cases your life will be in danger. And none of this is the result of any of your actions or decisions.
Yes, you all proclaim that you live in the US and you respect the order. But being born in this country is such a privilege that many take for granted. You could have been born in any other much less fortunate part of the world and live in poverty. You got a lucky lottery ticket and won really big. So how about trying to help those in need? Those who may face certain death? Those who live next door to you? And those that have been contributing to YOUR flourishing society for decades.
1
What a silly stunt. Dems are putting illegals over Americans because they want to change the demographics of our country and get more votes.
10
Pelosi shut down the House for eight hours to blab on and on about what everyone knows is a pet issue for her. That's the mark of a myopic, egotist.
9
The problem in interpreting all this is that "poor, huddled masses" make for cheap labor AND vote Democratic. They have therefore become the noble and shared pursuit of BOTH parties.... at the expense of underprivileged Americans (who tend not to vote and lean Independent.) We need to strike a balance between the needs of our own 'lowest common denominator' and the need to allow others outside the US to participate in our system. Most democratic countries are more committed to the welfare of their own people and, correspondingly, have more "closed-system" economies, i.e. based more on sustainability and less on growth, expansion and the exploitation of natural and human resources. The feel-good bubble around our stature of liberty needs to be somewhat popped, I think. Some of my great-grandparents came through Ellis Island. I have to wonder to what extent their labors benefitted them versus their employers.
8
President Trump won the election, yet Pelosi doesn't get the message that Americans want their elected officials to address the problems of Americans and others living in this country *legally*, not those of illegal aliens.
For example, states including California, have been funding a diminishing proportion of state college and university costs with resulting higher tuition costs and greater student debt out of college.
There are housing crises in California, New York City, and other locations.
Our infrastructure if failing. The subways in NYC, Boston, and DC all need substantial increases in funding for maintenance and upkeep. In Britain and France, the federal government contributes to the subway system. We need substantial increases in funding to fix subway systems.
The Democrats don't seem to understand that Trump won not because of Russians, electoral college, or whatever excuse they have, but rather because their Democratic policy prioritizes the needs of illegal aliens, people living in this country illegally, over the substantial needs in higher education, affordable housing, and subway and other infrastructure repair.
How do Democrats ever expect to win when they don't put the needs of their constituents over the needs of illegal aliens?
15
It is time for Mrs. Pelosi to step aside and let the younger generation move the party forward. If she can't see that shutting down the government over DACA bolsters the GOP in midterm elections, then she doesn't need to lead the Democrats.
9
Here is a great quotre from the comments:
"I believe America is a big tent. The American Dream has no limits. We can do everything we set our minds to do."
I mean, this is a great idea, right? But first off, what is the American dream?
If you take it down to an individual level, the American dream is a home, a yard, adequate food, insurance, a safe community, and 2 kids who go to good schools.
Is this paradigm unlimited? Well, the fact that many American immigrants and citizens already here now don't have any of these things is indicative that the American Dream is indeed not unlimited.
What about if there are unlimited resources? America is huge and with a low population density , after all. Well let's look at a similar situation. India has 1 billion people in a similar sized landmass to the US. People in cities in India inhale so much pollution that their lifespan are shortened!
So no, American resources are not unlimited and the American Dream is not unlimited.
I know Elon Musk just shot a Tesla to the asteroid belt (his rocket was too powerful it seems and will overshoot Mars), but I would argue that our ability to do anything we set our minds to has severely degraded in the last decade. Trump is a symptom of a cancer that has infected our society and prevented us from accomplishing great things for a long time now. Our society is so partisan and divided that I don't believe we can say that we can achieve even a small amount of what we set out to do.
6
I am truly surprised at the number of comments in this thread in which people are upset that Pelosi "took a stand for Dreamers, but does nothing for regular American citizens."
It's striking how many people see this as an either/or. Because Dreamers get attention, those of us who want to see efforts toward a higher minimum wage or cheaper healthcare take these political efforts to prevent what appears to be a humanitarian crisis in the making as a slight to themselves.
Because what is deporting almost a million people to a country to which they may have never been, with a culture they may not understand, with a language they may not speak well enough to be able to be successful, to a place they may have no connections other than an action that will leave many of these people destitute if not in danger?
I'm just surprised.
2
The arguments of so many commenters here embody "whataboutery" - what about all the pressing issues that Pelosi did not speak about? First, I admire someone for being able to stand for so long, with no breaks, and only water to sustain you - it takes determination and dedication. Second, though there is bipartisan support for doing something about DACA recipients, there is no way to force the majority to hold a debate or a vote on it in the House. What saddens me the most about the lack of compassion from US citizens vis a vis these children who arrived here through no choice of their own is that everyone here is an immigrant.
3
Phoney Pelocy. When did she spoke at length for American Workers? Democratic Party wants new voters. They are literally screwing up average American with their open border policy. American citizens should realize this scam by the Democratic Party.
11
Some of these comments are truly disappointing and ignorant. Supporting DACA does not mean not supporting the other issues readers have raised. Use your intelligence, folks for gods sake. Maybe Trump's kind of thinking is spreading. It makes absolutely no sense this whining about support for DACA simply because there are other issues to deal with as well.
3
If a Dreamer joins a gang and guns a rival down, should we not condone that as well? After all, that environment there was supposedly beyond their control as well.
5
At this rate, the Democrats would be well-advised to look for votes from non-US citizens to survive the mid-term elections.
Such abject fools. I am out.
8
Democrats double down on identity politics because that's what the capitalist donors want to hear from them. It is of paramount importance to the capitalists that immigration continue unabated so that labor costs can be driven down and working class solidarity destroyed.
In the old days, one could always count on the republicans to do the bidding of these capitalists, but now it appears that the democrats want to do the same.
Far too much national wealth has been allowed to accrue into the hands of a few people and it is starting to tear our society apart. President Trump is exhibit A.
The democrats used to be the ones against illegal immigration. The democrats. That was back when they supported organized labor and the working man and woman. Now they just seek to do the bidding of the industries that demand cheaper labor.
When are democrats like Pelosi going to speak for 8 hours in favor of a shorter work week? To abolish the gig economy? For better wages? For universal health care? For an end to the war in Afghanistan? For better schools? For student debt relief? For the environment? For prison reform?
Pelosi is a republican masquerading as a democrat. Get rid of this bum.
11
Not once did I get to see the packed chamber listening intensely.
4
President Trump has snared Democrats into a prolonged discussion about immigration, because he knows that plays to his strength, and hurts them with the swing voters they need to win the House in November.
Nancy Pelosi has played right into his hands.
Democrats must get back to basics. They must present themselves as the party of economic progress for ALL working people, not a party with a single, narrow agenda—and a divisive one at that. They must stress economic issues that cut across regional, party and class lines—as many analysts have pleaded. That is their strong suite, and where Republican are weakest.
To this end, they cannot reject out-of-hand Trump’s four-pillars offer. They must cut a deal with the Republicans on immigration, do so quickly, and move on. They have bigger fish to fry.
Many attractive Democratic candidates are running for local office, including seats in Congress. They are focusing on economic issues such as jobs and health care, while trying to steer clear of divisive cultural issues. This is the economic agenda all Democrats must pursue, including the leadership in Washington.
What’s at stake is nothing less than the survival of democracy as we know it.
5
Thank you Nancy Pelosi! Your brave holding the floor for so long to defend the Dreamers will be remembered in history along with Joseph Welch's question to Joe McCarthy when this latter claimed the armed forces and its top officers were riddled with communists; "Have you no sense of decency"...
PS: It might be interesting to remember that Joe McCarthy's lawyer and accomplice Roy Cohn was Donald Trump's lawyer until close to his death in 1986. He is the one that Trump now stated he so regrets not having at his side during the present investigation... So the link to Representative Pelosi eight hours speech on behalf of the Dreamers connects to the Joe McCarthy's creating the collective madness of the 1950s. Indeed the question should be posed "Trump have you no shame?"... (Oh and doesn't McCarty's slurring the US armed forces take on a new life with Trump slurring the FBI?)
4
Tho' I've belted you an' flayed you,
By the livin' Gawd that made you,
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!
--- Rudyard Kipling, "Gunga Din"
Three cheers and a tip of my Stetson to you, Nancy.
77 years old, 8+ hours, 4 inch heels, no food or bathroom breaks, standing all the while.
I couldn't have done it lying down in bed with a team of nurses and a caterer at my side.
4
What requirements are so onerous that the dreamers or anybody else couldn't legally apply for US citizenship? All Americans should be asking why Pelosi and the democrats are protecting individuals who have broken the law by coming here illegally.
https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization/...
5
When was the last time Nancy Pelosi spend eight seconds speaking in defense of anybody who isn't either in this country illegally, a felon, some sort of LGBTQABCDEFG, or any other anybody, who is anything but a normal, middle-class, law-abiding, United States citizen?
Has Nancy Pelosi ever met a miscreant she didn't want to defend to the detriment of real live American citizens?
Nancy Pelosi and her ilk disgust me and many, many other people who feel that they are ignored, because they're just regular people, who haven't broken the law or otherwise created themselves as part of some imaginary minority.
The DREAM Act failed. These people aren't "Dreamers." They are illegal aliens. Period.
DACA isn't a law, it's a memo instructing law enforcement agencies NOT to enforce the law. Just more Democratic, Left-wing travesty-making of our country's laws and institutions.
If the Left keeps this up, THEY will responsible for Donald Trump's second term!
8
On the one-year anniversary of "Nevertheless, she persisted."
6
neither party appears to be able to find common sense with both hands and a flashlight.
8
We need a new leader, someone with substantially less package than Pelosi, someone NOT from San Francisco, someone more moderate.
14
We are in this position because democratic leaders like Pelosi, Schumer, Perez, et al lost the house, senate, presidency, state governorships, state legislatures and Supreme Court. So now we do not have the votes to save DACA even if we threaten to shut down the government, which if we do that will cause us to lose even more of the little power we have. Democratic leadership got us into this. They should resign by May 1 !! Let some new bright young stars rise to leadership. Current leadership needs to get out! Despite Pelosi's supposed heroics and endurance yesterday it was Democratic leadership, including and maybe especially her, that got us into this in the first place. There are no Democratic heroes yet!! But there are bright young stars. Let them rise to the top and lead us out of this desert! November is very close and these guys and gals could blow it all in one day with their ineptness as leaders.
5
It's clear from the comments here that the misogynist anti-Pelosi propaganda spewed out by right-wing media over many years has worked. Not a surprise. As a Democrat, I'm proud of Nancy Pelosi, and I'm proud she stood up for American values by defending these people.
8
Ms Pelosi is entirely within her rights to stand and talk for as long as she wants in the House.
And people who support those here illegally will reward her with their votes. But she is a member of Congress from California. The only people who can vote for her are the people in her district.
And while they will cheer her, millions of people who don't wholeheartedly support illegal immigration are going to look at the Democrats once again, and say, "I guess we know why they care about."
This grandstanding gesture of hers is going to cost the Democrats more than it will ever reward them.
20
I work in Admissions of a college and have met these Dreamers. My impression was how America they were. Ms. Pelosi I am proud of you.
10
How about universal healthcare, clean renewable energy, controlling the military industrial complex, living wages, equal pay for women in no particular order? Are Democrats afraid of offending donors so they are ignoring their constuents and can only support a worthy but innocuous issue? After all the donors welcome immigrants as downward pressure on wages.
15
Nancy Pelosi has not been very popular of late. Actually for quite some time. Seems that under her stewardship the Democrats have lost a very large number of seats around the country. Now the progressive wing has gone full tilt buggy and she is fighting to get to the head of that movement. The progressive are leaving behind the corporate democrats in droves. She is one. It matters little to them that she is a formidable money raiser. Her performance while impressive changes nothing. Not even for the Dreamers. It is a new day and Democrats need a new start. Tom Rice ain't it either.
9
Things I've never seen Nancy Pelosi speak as passionately or as long about:
-- Military Overspending
-- Campaign Finance Reform
-- Corporate Welfare
-- Runaway Intelligence budgets
-- Single-Payer healthcare.
-- Gerrymandering and Voter Supression
-- Making E-verify mandatory and with a severe penalty for violators, which, by the way, would cripple illegal immigration if only large businesses would admit they have benefited from poor, lower-paid labor working in less-safe conditions solely through the threat of deportation and are now willing to stop doing that.
In other words, Pelosi would rather grandstand over a small group than talk about real issues affecting the entire country.
I'm a Democrat, but virtue-signaling for a minority -- literally -- of people in America does nothing to move the needle on undecided voters and may even shove many decided voters the other way. Yes, the Dreamers don't deserve to be deported. But something smart,real and fair has to be done about Immigration, soon, and all the Democrats seem capable of doing is putting their worst foot forward in terms of optics.
Pelosi, Schumer, Feinstein et all need to go away and quit playing to see who can be more Clinton-esque in terms of benefiting donors while damaging the interests of actual voters.
22
My heart goes out to Dreamers but Dems cannot shut down the government for this issue and win enough support for the
midterms wins which they desperately need to stop further damage by Trump.
If Dems don't sweep the midterms, Dreamers are doomed for good.
13
The comments tell me that a lot of the prob with Cingress is this: too many Americans think that only what they want matters, are perfectly okay with selling out over 700, 000 of their fellow Americans as long as they get it, and aren't all that interested in paying attention for five minutes.
6
Speaker Pelosi's speech was for the ages, and her passion for the Dreamers is noteworthy. The Democrats should demand protection for these folk, and that President Trump dumped this issue on Congress' lap is yet another example of his asinine behavior. President Obama's DACA was in place, and though it does not satisfy everyone, Trump made a mistake in provoking a fight.
Nevertheless, the Democrats must guard against emotional moves that have little chance of practically working. Holding up the budget for the Dreamers, though inspiring, is a kin to Republicans abandoning common sense solutions in the name of opposing abortion, for example. Yes, that drives the "base", but playing to these wedge issues is clearly one of the reasons the country has become so polarized and Congress does not work well. Pelosi would do us all a favor now by ultimately supporting the budget deal. She has made her point. She could come across as one of the few adults in the room by speaking passionately and then accepting that she and her caucus cannot have all they desire. Compromise. Please.
If that becomes impossible, it is time for Ms. Pelosi to cede her leadership role, maybe even retire. To wind our way out of this polarized mess, both liberals and conservatives need to abandon some of the passion and replace it with compromise and common sense.
2
People here are confused by this. It's really quite simple.
For the Dems and Pelosi, Dreamers are only political pawns, nothing more. If an actual budget deal is reached, it leaves something for the Dems to rally around next election.
It's politics, it's not about Dreamers, it's about elections and Dreamers are just one tool in their strategy. Solving the Dreamer issue is bad for Democrats, because then, what's next?
9
I'm very sad to see the cynicism in many of these comments. Nancy Pelosi works hard every day to improve the rights and well being of American citizens. Yesterday she seized an opportunity to make an important point in favor of humanity. How did this hurt anyone?
7
If Pelosi actually did something for 8 hours during her tenure as Democratic leader of the House, then i would also applaud, never mind this PR stunt. Her tenure has been a disaster even when the Dems held a majorirty from 2006-2010. So much could have been done but she failed to lead. Time for a real change in Congress starting with Pelosi's retirement.
15
I would like to see Democrats be half as passionate about health care as a right -- Medicare for all would save lives, reduce costs for everyone in the USA and protect our people, who are currently at the mercy of multinational insurance corporations every time they become sick or injured, or heaven forbid, are trying to save the life of one of their children. So-called "Obamacare" was never a fix -- Sure it stopped insurance corp. from denying claims on "pre-existing conditions" but the fatally flawed network staying in place the "managed illness for profit" network vs what the rest of the 20 top nations have: real health care, administered single-player disbursements paying for everyone's health care and eager to keep people health with early diagnosis built in to catch serious illness as soon as possible in order to promote a healthier population. This whole "identity" politics on social issues is not working for Democrats. We want a party that stands up for the people vs the GOP that has traditionally stood up for business. Right now we have two branches of the same business tree. Big-donor politics has only created legislation that increases the income gap -- which is now the biggest in the world.
14
Interesting that some people feel that you can't care about the dreamers and jobs and the middle class too. Hope Dems realize that they need to do a better job communicating and proposing legislation
3
You need to stand up for Americans. Protect American jobs from open border policies and unlimited H1/L1/B1 visa abuses. Democratic party is stabbing Americans to get future voters.
29
California also issues driver's licenses to illegals which helps them to vote illegally.
2
Good for Pelosi! I don't care how long her speech lasted -- that was taking a STAND. And, coherently. I cannot imagine Trump speaking passionately and logically about any one issue for eight hours.
Some of the GOP were irritated? Too bad; they could have been part of the solution awhile ago, if they weren't intent on supporting a fool for a POTUS.
10
She prattles on for 8 hours and never touches upon an orderly procedure for immigration, like where prospective immigrants visit a US embassy or consulate in their country and apply to immigrate.
Prospective immigrants would need to show us that they are trying to learn English, our language, that they are learning our history, that they will drop their costumes and headgear and, that for all intents and purposes, they will need to convince us that they want to become one of us.
If they cannot do that then perhaps the USA is not for them.
24
Immigrants don't need to show YOU anything Mike of NYC, nor do they need to drop their "costumes" unless of course you're willing to drop yours. You know, the costume you wear that makes you believe in the superiority of the white male.
1
Discrimination based on birth location is as arbitrary and unjust as discrimination based on skin color. It has nothing to do with the person's character or contribution to society.
Nobody deserves special privilege just because they came to this country in their mother's womb instead of her arms. A person who was born elsewhere but grew up in the USA for 10+ years is far more American than a baby who happens to have been born here. We should be welcoming the Dreamers, not punishing them.
4
The United States is a country of laws. The parents of these children broke into our house.
10
This “dreamers” issue gets more and more ridiculous. I wonder who thought up this category in the first place. It took a lot of heavy thought to locate a sufficiently sympathetic category of law breakers. Congratulations to whoever it was.
The very instant there is some kind of amnesty for the “dreamers” we will see heartrending stories right here in this newspaper, complete with photogenic groups of sad-eyed youngsters, demanding amnesty for the law-breaking parents who created this mess ( lest we “rip families apart”) not to mention siblings, cousins, aunts, grandparents... whole villages full of people we will be forced to admit on the very same grounds, so that the “dreamers” will not be lonely here.
Perhaps the time to say No is right now. Let these smart well educated young people go back home to improve their own countries. And take the rest of their families with them.
22
The point is that is not their home. The United States is their home. Sending them to a country with which they are not familiar is silly.
Without a bathroom break and wearing heels. Good for her but, so what? Debate? There is no debate in either "deliberative" body. Could save money by putting two TV's facing each other a foot apart and maxing out the volume. Then hold a vote, the results of which have been determined days earlier. Would rather watch WWE. More honest programming and at least there may have been a coin toss involved.
5
This needs to be fixed as a stand alone bill ... Pelosi is wrong (again) -- why should this be part of another bill?
The Dems are just flat out reading this incorrectly. People want the so called "dreamer" problem taken care of .. but they don't view it as the most important problem facing the county ... and Pelosi just spent 8 hours mucking things up ... wasting time ! Unbelievable ..
17
"Pelosi stands up for Dreamers"
Too bad she couldn't find the strength to stand to applaud the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capitol, during the State of the Union speech.
As a centrist Dem, I will remember that.
13
DACA is a political dead end for Democrats. Yes, they have the moral high ground. Yes, opinion polls show that most Americans want to legalize the dreamers. But here's the ugly political truth: immigrants don't vote. Immigrants can't vote in federal elections until they become citizens, a process that may take decades or never happen at all. The party that helps the dreamers will undoubtedly get their lifelong gratitude. But those dreamers may never be able to reward the party with votes. Meanwhile, American citizens are left asking why the Dems are willing to do this kind of stunt for dreamers, but not for a higher minimum wage, or universal healthcare, or infrastructure investment, etc. Spending political capital on DACA may give Dems the moral high ground, but it won't get them elected.
15
Nancy Pelosi's stunt riding on the back of the "Dreamers" was a dream come true for Republicans. They are thrilled with her performance.
9
Ms. Pelosi needs to accept that many Americans would deport their grandmother to Yemen for an extra $50 a week in their paychecks. Trump needs to be loved, and that makes deporting the dreamer kids impossible once people hear their stories. The key is not long speeches; it's getting the stories of the dreamers in front of the law and order crowd who only know about one guy from San Francisco and Willie Horton.
1
This is why I can no longer vote for Democrats. They no longer care for the average blue collar American worker. They care more about illegal (yes - illegal) aliens than actual citizens. It is upside down. I also have trouble listening to a person who is worth $75 million and tells me about crumbs. Her outfit was probably worth $2K. Thanks for nothing.
25
Go Nancy, Go! We need to take back the house and put a check on this out of check administration!
2
This was just to provide cover for Schumer's capitulation in the Senate. Schumer has the power to block legislation with the filibuster. Pelosi does not. Pelosi wants possible to think Democrats are doing something for DACA, when she really isn't.
Meanwhile, where is the right for speech for college students in debt before they have a job? Where is her filibuster for universal healthcare. How about Porto Rico, full of citizens who we have abandoned in the face of two hurricanes? Where is the speech about it crumbling infrastructure and the jobs that could be created fixing it?
Why does Pelosi spend eight hours talking about immigrants, when they just lost to Trump on immigration?
I want the Dreamers to stay, but I have bigger priorities, like the 160 million American workers who after their bait and switch tempest cut just got a permanent tax increases (Because the change in the way inflation is calculated will cause bracket creep forever.).
Where was Pelosi eight for speech when they were giving away $5.5 trillion to corporations? (Exxon alone is looking at a $6 billion tax cut, which will cost Americans $20 each, just got that)?
Meanwhile, after giving Trump "Amnesty" ammunition to use against the Democrats for another year, they didn't even get anything for the Dreamers.
A party can't lose this badly unless they do it on purpose.
Democrats just handed Trump bragging rights to the first budget in fourteen years.
Unbelievable.
12
Translation: I'm willing to sell out at least 700, 000 of my fellow Americans, and I didn't really pay attention to what Pelosi et al were actually doing.
1
Laying aside the sympathy many people have for Dreamers I can't help but feeling that Democrats are pushing for relaxed immigration rules because many immigrants, especially those from Mexico, vote Democratic. More immigration = more votes. Not that Republicans wouldn't so the same thing under different circumstances.
10
Very often we have heard the phrase put your money where your mouth is. Many, many important issues notwithstanding, Madam Representative Nancy Pelosi yesterday showed her passion for the cause she deeply believes in. I understand most of the fellow representatives had left the house, including many of her own party, but she proved a point - in 4 inch heels - that you have to fight for what you believe is right, no matter the odds. My sincere respects to her and her cause.
3
I, like many, would like to see the path to citizenship for dreamers. And I would like to see our immigration policies fixed so that people who immigrate to this country have employment, health benefits, and all of the same protections in the workplace as citizens.
As a Californian, I am all too aware of the housing and health care conditions for illegal immigrants working our farmlands. This needs to stop. Migrant workers who picked the food off the ground that ends up in my kitchen need a living wage, healthcare for their families, and education for their kids.
That said, I was frustrated with Pelosi's demeanor during the SOTU address, and her 8-hour filibuster, which in the end, will not help the dreamers in the current budget negotiations. Couldn't she have used her energy and voice in way and at a time that would be effective? I question her judgement. Not her passion, just her judgement.
2
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 was roundly supported by Chuck Schumer, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. So what's changed their sentiment since then? Whether you're talking a clear view fence supplemented with survellance technology or a 30 foot high wall, the goal is the same; to protect our border. The issues we have concerning DACA are a direct result of not securing our border with Mexico and are inseparable. Ms. Pelosi and President Trump are wrong in their call to shut the government down over this issue. DACA and the wall will have their moment, just not this one.
2
No one should fault Ms. Pelosi for exercising her freedom of speech but one could criticize her for not favoring the rights of legal American citizens and for not supporting the rule of existing immigration laws.
9
I agree with Nancy Pelosi on most issues, including this one. I also believe that for many she has been invaluable in raising funds and supporting Dem candidates and issues.
However, pols have a shelf life, and her being in the forefront of many clashes has made her unpopular with much of the public. If a voter supports you on 9 of 10 issues, they will remember and reset the 1 issue they disagreed with. This is why so few pols take a stand on issues, instead being out front on nothing more then support of the military, puppies and motherhood.
It is past time for Pelosi to stand aside and let a new face and voice become the house Democratic leader. In so many house races the GOP candidate runs against Pelosi instead of their opponent, counting on the general publics dislike of her. Hard to believe, and not fair, but her popularity numbers are even lower then Trumps.
Please, the Dems have a chance to re-take the house, so please step aside and assist from behind the scenes--for the good of the party.
2
It remains to be seen whether Pelosi's speech will help her Party, or help the Dreamers. Likely it will hurt the former, and have little impact on the latter.
8
What Pelosi did was admirable, for her principles. However, it was for one issue and if the government is shut down, it can yield negative consequences for everyone else who has viable issues.
However, Pelosi noted that she would not demand and whip her party to back this one issue, which will enable them to vote independently.
The CR and the overall two year plans should prevail. Ryan should allow DACA proposals to be come to the floor and be voted upon, pass or fail.
And Trump who would be getting two years of budgeting, should at the very least extend the DACA deadline, if he could pretend and show for anyone other than himself.
2
How unfortunate she made history in something that affects practically no percent of the total American citizen population. And even less the registered voters population. Grandstanding isn't really effective
12
How would being regarded by the world as heartless and cruel affect the American citizen population? Or would that perception have no effect whatsoever on you and others who do not seem to care about the immigrants who were brought into the USA as children--through no fault of their own. Grandstanding isn't effective? Is apathy or a callous uncaring spirit effective? What effect do you want to achieve?
2
Bravo to the Congresswoman!
But you have to wonder why she did not stand for eight hours to defend our healthcare rights that affects so many more Americans!
Why is this issue so much more important than legislation that impacts 99.9% of all Americans?
My family is concerned about education, healthcare, public safety and the environment - her standing for this one issue does nothing for these truly important issues. While I want to protect Dreamers, I also want Congress to focus on key issues and not just symbolic, wedge issues.
13
Somehow the moral high ground to be had from speaking on behalf of refugees is more easily garnered than speaking on behalf of the immorality of excess medical and insurance company profits. I can’t explain how a Democrat’s mind works. But at least is supposedly does, as opposed to the other side’s.
4
Well, effective for her audience or not, I have to hope that Ms. Pelosi's vocal marathon impressed the Hispanic community (and other immigrant groups) that at least one political party is inclusive and will stand up for them.
I hope the Dreamers make good in this country, eventually become citizens, and will encourage their friends and family to vote Democratic.
7
However much we may disagree with Pelosi on tactics, I have to give her credit for making such a stand. Americans, particularly conservatives, love to complain how much "attention" undocumented issues can sometimes get on Capitol Hill. But the truth is most of us in the immigrant community never wanted or sought this "attention." It was thrust upon us by this retrogressive administration that seeks to turn us into the enemy, despite all the contributions we have made to our adopted land. All we want the same rights and opportunities as our neighbors, whose place in this country, no matter what their perceived worth, has never been questioned. Veterans, citizens living in rural areas, they have representatives by the cartload who fight for them everyday (or pretend to at any rate) to see that their needs are met. We don't have so many voices in our corner. Our "rights" are not so assured. So whenever someone like Pelosi is willing to go to such lengths to stick up for us, that is something truly remarkable in our eyes. She owes us nothing. Many of us aren't even citizens yet, but she doesn't judge people based on what papers they have or don't have. She sees the person, the potential they have. She gives such people a sense that they are someone worth fighting for. To people from places like El Salvador, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, wherever, that really means something. And so I want to thank Sen. Pelosi. Thank you for fighting for us, when others wouldn't.
7
Why should an elected representative support your " rights" when you aren't an American citizen and when illegals break our laws? They take an Oath of office to "defend our laws!!!
12
Unless Democrats want to win an election in Mexico I don't understand why they decided to fight Trump on Immigration Reform. Most Americans are with Trump on this however much they hate him. Democrats please turn your attention to improving economy (especially for the bottom half). The Fed is helpfully crashing the economy. Please seize the moment. And while you are at it, kindly make sure we put an end to foreign interventions/regime changes even if we have to negotiate with Russia. Wars are the biggest drain on the economy.
24
You're welcome to leave the country, you know.
Whether you support Ms. Pelosi's position or not, you must give her credit for trying to have a political debate in a time when there is none. Mr. Ryan's response makes one think that such highly paid people as Representatives (who make $176,000 per year) can't walk and chew gum at the same time. What they can only do one thing at a time, hence the "Now is not the time" kind of argument? The question now must be whether or not the Republicans will actually follow through and do what they're paid to do - debate, not create bills which "the president supports." Congress is a separate and autonomous branch of government, not an appendage of the White House.
6
A bill should, in my opinion, be on ONE topic so it can be debated on its own merits and not in conjunction with other, unrelated issues. I want to see an immigration bill which protects American citizens and allows legal immigration unimpaired by racial or religious prejudice. I want to see a budget passes which prioritizes what the country feels are the important issues. They are most emphatically not the same bill, however.
Tying them together does no service to the American public. It ties the hands of any representative who may support one but not the other, and keeps the public in the dark as to their representative's true intentions on ether issue. Was his vote, whether yea or nay, based on his belief that both issues were good or bad, or did one outweigh the other? We would never know without separate and distinct votes on separate and distinct bills.
9
And the best part is that we are spending our economy into a deficit-ridden mess. Doesn't matter which side you back, guns or butter, spending as a percentage of GDP is rising and our economy is on the edge of tanking. How will we fix that, when the inevitable downturn occurs... spend even more (like we did in 2008 to prevent a collapse like 1929)? Lower interest rates into the negative range like Japan of the 1990s? Perhaps our noble and deeply intellectual President will jawbone the economy back to life.
3
If Nancy Pelosi wants to help the Dreamers and so many other causes dear to her and other Democrats, she will step down as the House Minority Leader.
Whether fair or not, Pelosi being the face of the party in the House is a hurdle to the Democrats gaining control of the House in November.
And immigration is a battlefield that the Republicans want to fight on. Politically, immigration is the high ground for the Republicans. It may be a big issue with the Democratic base. It is not with the rest of the country. passionate
10
The comments on this article are disturbing. Many of them boil down to "we have better things to worry about". Approximately 800,000 people who were forced to come to this country, by individuals who had legal power over them, are about to have their lives destroyed. Even if they are not actually deported, the fact that they could be will have a huge negative impact and likely alter their lives completely. This is a storm that we know is coming. It will cause immense pain and suffering to 800,000+ people. For reference, 738,000 people registered for assistance from FEMA after hurricane Harvey. If we could have stopped hurricane Harvey by talking about it and passing a law, would that have been a waste of time? Would we really have had better things to do in the month leading up to it?
10
I couldn't be prouder of Nancy Pelosi, she did what every member of Congress should be doing, standing up and showing a devotion to leading America toward a correct decision. We cannot afford the dollar cost of deporting DACA participants, we need them here the students, the teachers, the workers, the doctors, the ten thousand veterans....all deserve to stay here and have a path toward citizenship. This is what a leader does, stands up for what is right.
5
The problem is we have not seen Ms. Pelosi go to this much trouble for issues that affect Americans in the past.
1
This was a waste of time and accomplished precious little. In the end, it was an old woman throwing a tantrum in front of a captive audience.
18
I wish Pelosi had felt the need to speak 8 hours fighting in the interests of workers who lost their jobs to offshoring, or families suffering from the opioid crisis, or low wage workers, or Wall Street's robber barons getting away with everything and anything, or disabled and homeless veterans, or Puerto Rican hurricane victims or Americans, especially American children, in need of medical insurance and care.
The Democrats are blind when it comes to their own constituents and voters.
And they wonder why they are standing powerless on the outside looking in at the Republicans with the power inside running the country into the ground...
28
Peolosi reminds me of one of my aunts. She was also an older Italian American who required hours to make her point.
15
Although the Democrats have blundered badly in making a new DACA their signature issue and then holding the federal government's budget hostage to it, hopefully Representative Pelosi's effort yesterday placed a signature on the effort, and they can move on to create an agenda for all Americans. Blind hatred of the President and appeals designed for narrow slices of the electorate might work for their base, but to get the members elected to take control of Congress, especially the Senate, they will need more than that. It's still early in the year; now is the time to get to work on it.
4
For our next eight hours can we stand for those that have worked their entire lives and will not be able to retire?
Those that will lose everything if they get sick?
Can we stand for strengthening our infrastructure?
Can we stand for eliminating money corruption in our government?
Re-establishing a fair tax plan.
So many more important things that will bring folks out to vote.
26
An admirable accomplishment, with a desirable goal, but she's still a corporate Democrat who take her orders from her donors.
10
Over turning Citizens United to remove dark money from our political system is critical to the future and viability of our democracy but purity tests such as you suggest likely bring us another term of Trump and his ilk. Would you rather we elect a moderate like Doug Jones in Alabama or run a purist and take a loss in ultra conservative states? Pelosi has to play the cards she's given to win against the tons of dark money on the right. Refrain from these circular firing squad tactics and we can gain a majority on the Supreme Court which is the only way we'll put our Citizenry first and the donor class second.
1
Thank you, Nancy Pelosi.
Please, America, put Congress back in the hands of normal, compassionate people in November.
4
What is it about Nancy Pelosi that unleashes all these attacks on her? She could have been Mother Theresa defending her faithful and Republicans would attack her as surely as the autocrat-in-chief attacked Obama for not being a citizen. Don't point your noses at Pelosi, Republicans; consider carefully who you've managed to elect as your Caesar/Kaiser/Generalissimo, and examine yourselves more closely.
6
Not a republican nor a democrat, not even a socialist or communist, I'm just someone who feels that lawlessness should not be rewarded or condoned.
By giving 800,000 undocumented children some even at the age of 25+ a free pass because their parents broke the law is not a good thing. You are just signaling to all other lawbreakers that our laws don't really mean anything and are just a little annoyance. Kind of like red lights in Italy, they are there just as a suggestion not to be utilized.
9
Yes Obama did deport many illegal aliens who had broken the law until the Dreamers staged protests, calling Obama: The Deporter- in-Chief. Obama caved in to them and stopped the deportations.
Ever wonder what kind of political activism these "Dreamers" will engage once they get citizenship.
17
Is there any other nation in the "civilized" world that would allow undocumented immigrants to serve in the military and afterwards deport them? This in addition to keeping a serial liar and admitted sex abuser in the highest office in the land. What a cruel and sick society we have become....a global laughingstock.
I am not laughing. I am crying.
9
E pluribus unum
It’s what makes America great.
Leader Pelosi shows passion in what she believes.
It’s her right.
She is one from many.
She is impassioned for the Dreamers.
They are each one from many.
Let their voices be heard for the Common Good.
E pluribus unum
Out of Many, One
6
Sure looks like a political stunt
2
I am incensed that Congress is moving on without having addressed the immigration problem. We have 11-12 million undocumented immigrants working in this country, most of whom entered as economic refugees. Most are hard working people who sought better lives for themselves and their families.
Unfortunately, over the 30 years during which we have allowed this unfettered immigration occur we have seen absolute wage stagnation at the lower ends of our wage scales. The reasons for this are quite obvious, 12 million economic refugees willing to work for almost nothing and without protection of US labor laws have driven wages down and completely chocked the gateways into well paying trades jobs. These economic refugees brought basic skills and a willingness to work that continue to make it very difficult for young people to break into the 'trades.'
It is time for the US to focus on its needs AND its international obligations. While we let millions of our Latin neighbors scamper across our borders we have refused entry to the millions of people who have lost their homes, families & livelihoods in the Middle East. We need to attend to the people who need and deserve it most. And yes, if highly skilled people would like to join this great nation, by all means lets welcome them.
It is time for Congress to fix our immigration problem! This is just another lame effort by our representatives!
8
Sadly we have our very own "Home grown economic" citizens and it would be charitable of Pelosi and others to speak out as loudly as they do for them. America has her own citizens that are struggling to make it and put food on the table. The sound of silence from Pelosi is shocking but not surprising.
17
I'm pretty sure that not one single politician in Washington actually cares about their constituents. They care about getting re-elected and publicity, they live to see themselves on CNN and read their quotes in the NYT. This is certainly true of the majority and minority leadership today.
Two things have to happen for this country to get better, term limits for all politicians and the elimination of all pork added to any bill. Hold your elected officials responsible for what they do and vote them out when they fall short. Make a bill be about one issue and not about some politicians pet project that they will sell their vote to obtain funding for.
9
Pelosi says she really cares about the Dreamers, so why didn't she push through actual legislation to protect them when Obama was President and she was Speaker of the House? It is amazing how one of our most powerful legislators encourages people to break the laws she makes.
16
Thank you Nancy! Good job! And to those commenters here who complain there are greater problems she should be addressing, opioids addiction, or veterans health care, first off, let's ask the party in power what THEY are doing for those problems?
2
Noble cause, sure.
Unfortunately, most Dreamers either can't or won't vote.
So, in the end, democrats get absolutely nothing out of this move, other than alienating a broad swath of American citizens who can and will vote.
Well done...
9
Talk about inspiring. I must admire Speaker Pelosi for walking her talk, something so few politicians do. She is living her values and convictions which are mine also. Thank you Nancy. You have been unfairly vilified and attacked as a woman, and perhaps because you were a woman. Congratulations for seizing the moment on a most important American issue.
5
I fail to understand the "hold" these Mexicans and other central Americans with illegal status have on the US politicians. Why can't the US politicians think CLEARLY? What is it about these folks that the US lawmakers do not understand?
To me it is absolutely crystal clear. They hold no legal status within the USA. They need to be expeditiously returned to their countries of birth along with their parents.
The USA is doing these folks a favor by not arresting them, putting them in some detention facility and then deporting them. What is insult to injury is that these folks without any legal standing are commanding so much currency from the US politicians and the entire country is wasting incredible amounts of energy on this topic.
If these folks were in Australia, the solution would be very clear and fast. They would be in a prison, and then on their way back to their home country. Prison because we do not want to look for them again as people have a way of hiding, disappearing, and not showing up for legal/deportation proceedings.
23
Wonderful that she stood for 8 hours in defense of illegal citizens. Too bad she couldn't devote an hour to loss of jobs to off shoring, health care premium increases for seniors, or any of the pressing issues that the average American faces.
19
Once again, the Democrats show a strong commitment. But only to issues that matter only to a small proportion of Americans.
While I side readily with the cause of the dreamers, this doesn't affect 95% of the Americans. Sorry to say this, but where was her amazing wherewithal for the rest of America on issues that pertain to taxes, jobs, the obscenely large largess doled out to the DoD year over year, Wall Street, the fraud that is the medical insurance industry, the fraud that is Pharma, the fraud that is American higher education and countless other concerns that affect us regularly?
Pelosi needs to leave. And take Chuck "I love Wall Street" Schumer with her, and her failed Clinton-era garbage policy with her.
8
As a lifelong liberal Democrat and rhe son of immigrants, I admire the principled stand and stamina (I'm also 77) demonstrated by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. However, as with the budget, I urge Ms. Pelosi to follow the lead of the Senate and not block the bill later today that will avoid another government shutdown. The politics as well as the optics will be awful if she and her fellow Democrats carry through and defeat the bipartisan Senate bill. It literally could cost them retaking the House in the coming midterm elections casting nasty Nancy as the villain rather than dastardly Donald.
1
The urgency of the hour is for the Dreamers, who are every bit as American as anyone here, so stop complaining that Pelosi should be doing more for "Americans."
2
Apparently that’s not what our law says. Enough with the emotional drama, a laws-based society has no place for a heart, just like a computer. Please allow Nature to take its course.
5
These "dreamers" can return to their birth countries and make their dreams a reality of returning to the USA the legal way, just like many MILLIONS before them have done. My cousin, a US trained MD, was not given his green-card (permanent resident card) after 9+ years of taking care of sick US citizens in various hopitals. They kept on extending his work visa. Finally, he left the USA. I find it odd that had he been an illegal for decades in the USA he might have secured his residency there. Clearly shows the type of persons USA is courting: criminals.
Madam Pelosi is not some hero to stand in US Congress and root for illegal activities. Such behavior should be grounds of removal from office. She ought to show respect for the US laws and demand that everyone obeys them as they apply to everyone present within the USA.
15
good intentions but that was nothing but grandstanding.
2
Hey Nancy, how about putting this much issues that most Americans really care about and that actually might lead to a Democratic victory in November? It's an important issue, but it's a losing issue for Democrats. Do you even pay attention to what the majority of the country, including MANY liberals, care about? Hint: it isn't DACA, and it certainly isn't making immigration easier. Keep it up, keep losing elections. Jeez.
8
I feel the tone of this story is very condescending in a please-would-she-just-sit-down-and-be-quiet sort of way. Would never see the adjective “infuriating” applied to a male Congressman. That was the reporter’s word.
1
Does Jeb Hensarling not understand Texans are known for their hospitality and grace?
I suspect if Mr. Hensarling can count, he'll find that Nancy Pelosi is responsible for more legislation than anyone he can remember.
1
Nancy Pelosi speaking on any topic for more than 8 hours must be deemed to be unconstitutional,cruel and unusual punishment to any listeners. I would prefer waterboarding at Gitmo to being subjected to her oratory . Help the 'Dreamers' absolutely, but stunts like this does not accomplish this goal.
9
How many hours did she hold the floor in advocacy of legal American citizens working in factories? Let me guess: Zero hours.
16
Eight hours of talking barely gets the same attention as a 140 character tweet from our so called President.
3
Looking forward to when Pelosi takes the floor for at least 5 minutes in support of U.S. citizens who serve in the U.S. military.... Not.
12
Pelosi talked for 8 hours, but did she say anything?
7
Just think what the carbon emissions rate was.
4
What a nightmare to find out that among us, in the comment section and the country, there are so many racists who enjoy the shameful spectacle of ICE deporting neighbors who have lived alongside us for decades, contributing to our communities and economies. I don't usually try to speak for Jesus, but surely he would have stayed to watch Nancy yesterday, because she was doing his work.
6
When was the last time Pelosi or any politician stood for eight hours to fight for better healthcare for our Vets? Or our very own homeless and working poor for that matter. Stand all you want Nancy we know where your allegiance is and t whom.
15
Sorry to burst your bubble but the Dems have been far more supportive of our vets than the Republicans. The only interest the Republicans have in the military is to funnel huge sums to defense contractors for weapons we don't need.
Well, no arguing with the facts: The Democrats can sure talk.
But, Can a normal mind have anything worthwhile to communicate verbally that would require 8 hours? Did she beat the late Fidel Castro's record for extreme meaningless loquacity?
5
Yep, using three line tweets is a much better way to govern.
1
Bravo, Minority Leader Pelosi.
You struck a blow for freedom, justice, and decency.
Bravo. Bravo. Bravo.
3
Pelosi does penance by standing for 8 hours to atone for her failing the Dreamers.
2
I love the liberal elite left and the NYT so angry at the evill heartless trump and republican congress. They are Demanding solutions to problems they themselve left unfinished. Daca was an after thought for democratic votes. As we see now it provided no real protections for “ their dreamers” Where were all these angry people when Obama Pelosi and Reid had the majority???
12
I see that it has yet again come to the attention of the Right and some Berniacs that not only is Nancy Pelosi an icky girl, she also sometimes disagrees with them.
1
Silly grandstanding...and not for hard working Americans, but for 'dreamers'.
Time to stand for citizens...
23
Looking forward to Pelosi supporting a big, beautiful Wall so she can protect her precious illegal aliens.
13
Boy, that yenta can squawk. And I thought she was senile.
Good job Nancy!
2
Sounds like Pelosi brought a toothbrush and wet wipe to a gun fight.
3
I am a lifelong Democrat and I do not support this. First a shut-down of our American government - including cutting off the paychecks of American citizens - and then this waste of our taxpayer dollars via misuse of the Democratic process. All in defense of illegals who have been feeding off the American taxpayers for most of their lives. Why not take a calculation of all the American tax money now and toward the future given toward debate, deportation, raids, lost wages, defense of illegals, etc etc etc and give it to the "dreamers" to create programs in their own country where they can band together and take all they have learned on our dime back to their country to educate their own people. Let them be the seed for their future generations so those don't come here to repeat the past.
49
Was there a vote to shut down the gov't? please stick to facts.
3
I presume your ancestors were born here? Many of us have forebears who came here without money or papers or English or white skin. If you can afford to live in San Francisco, you owe a great debt to immigrants.
Dreamers are not costing taxpayers money. They are contributing to society, same as you, but they are not so misinformed.
4
Maybe because at this point they are functionally American and may be people you know and interact with regularly. They are our neighbors and friends so let's act like that.
2
in pointing out that nancy pelosi did her act in heels her supporters may have hoped for a connection to the magic of ginger rogers but, alas, nancy has never had the nimblness and elegance of ginger and, now, reminds rather of the desperate and delusional norma desmond, the fading film star in "sunset boulevard."
the use of her grandson, (if true and volitional, drinks on me for life) was disgraceful...patty d'alesandro should be ashamed of casting her own heritage aside. lots of us who share it do indeed have the darker skin and brown eyes she tells us her grandson envied but we also have red-headed jewish sicilan cousins.
time to go patty...no ageism intended, rather call it termism.
16
So tired of Democrats (and I have been one for many years) continuing and doubling down on their identity politics. It seems that the rights of minorities and special groups are all we hear about these days from them.
While the Dreamers has become a major policy issue for the Democrats, using this issue as a bargaining chip which resulted in the closing down of the Government recently, and which one Democrat from California has said he is prepared to do again, is not benefiting them for a large swathe of the American public.
We have problems which affect all Americans; health insurance availability and infrastructure for just two - the Democrats should be focusing on those not pushing for reforms for minorities to gain legal status.
130
They are going to lose again and give crazy boy another four years. Ms Pelosi hasn't learned and sadly at this point in time in her career she never will. Keep it up Dems.
8
The difference between Democrats and Republicans is that Democrats have the good moral sense to care about all people, as opposed to the nationalist #MeFirst movement Republicans. (I want credit for that name, by the way, when it goes viral,)
As a nation we promised Dreamers that, if they came out into the open and worked hard and abided by our laws, we would provide them a path to citizenship. That's all. We recognized that they came here involuntarily as children and have, for the most part, known life nowhere else. They complied.
Now we yank that away from them.
That's immoral. It reminds me of that guy in New York who got people to provide labor and materials for his work sites, then didn't pay them. Can't quite remember his name... oh, yeah.
8
Trump and many Republicans have said they want a deal to protect dreamers, as do most Americans. But whenever a reasonable deal is presented they want more money for Trump's futile wall project and launch attacks on immigration. The Republicans/Trump are not bargaining in good faith, and instead see an opportunity to use this as a wedge issue.
4
She spoke for 8 hours wow. How could she stand on her feet for 8 hours. Props to her, and she is 77. I hope I have such energy when I am 77.
17
People shouldn’t criticize Nancy Pelosi for holding the floor for eight hours and seven minutes. Her monologue was harmless and had no effect on the debate. All the Republicans and about two-thirds of the Democrats left the chamber to attend to other legislative business, having already heard what Pelosi has to say on the immigration issue many times. While Pelosi was posturing for the news media, other were working behind closed doors to produce an immigration reform package, so her moment on the stage didn’t slow down legislation.
28
Well, perhaps she should have been "working behind closed doors" and actually attending to getting a budget completed instead of grandstanding for eight plus hours. It may have been harmless in one sense, but her job is to get legislation passed not just blather on and on for hours.
3
“Perhaps I should bring my rosary, blessed by the pope,” she said”.
Speaking of the pope, perhaps Ms Pelosi could influence him to revisit his churches positions on birth control, women’s rights and overpopulation which are among the fundamental reasons for immigration and refugees. Return the rosary publicly with her renowned eloquence and demand the blessing include the most basic right of women’s agency.
15
Speaker Pelosi has been dreadful for our party, but this was a beautiful, passionate statement on behalf of the Dreamers.
That said, the Republicans will lap this up and, again, use Pelosi to preserve GOP seats in the House.
19
Not dreadful, toxic!!
9
Only if you and your friends don’t show up at the polls on Election Day.
2
Yes A beautiful passionate speech that has no effect on the debate. I would say thats what the dream act did. Was all show and no go for democratic votes. With the democratic majority under obama they could have done what they so angrily demand trump do. They chose not to so they could use dreamers the same way they used and still use blacks. Keep them down and agitated so they can make speeches about how righteous they are and how evil republicans are.
1
Ms. Pelosi's grandstanding is illustrative of the reason Democrats are the minority party. Addressing immigration and the "Dreamers" certainly is important. But the entire nation cannot be held hostage to the issue. The United States does not need another shutdown caused by the Democrats. The United States needs a sound budget, and a sound set of ENFORCED laws to address immigration. That includes defining sane immigration laws/ polices, expelling illegal immigrants, and punishing businesses & individuals that employ "undocumented" immigrants.
39
Sad to say, this was only a political stunt to garner attention to herself. Rep. Pelosi used this issue to try to re-build her reputation with her base after her tone-deaf defense of Rep. Conyers.
This did nothing to put the Dreamers on a path toward permanent residency and possibly citizenship.
18
Nancy Pelosi is doing the right thing, ethically and morally. Do I think it will change anybody's mind in the House? No...in the long run to prevent a shut-down, a bill will be passed without a DACA decision incorporated. Will Trump sign it? Probably, yes, since someone should know in the Fun House that a veto would be over-ridden.
We have to have a stand-alone decision NOW for the Dreamers. To wait for it to be included in a "Immigration Reform" bill is delusional. With this group in Congress, it ain't going to happen anytime soon. My hope is that Speaker Ryan will be shamed into bringing a debate before the House membership...if it is possible to shame his questionable character. And my guess is that with all the Dems on board including our GOP members in states like CA, it will pass. Now let's just hope that Mr. Trump and Mr. Kelly, partners in bigotry, don't mess things up.
40
When did pelosi obama and reid get shamed into passing the dream act???
4
Unfortunately for us, the only thing Speaker Ryan thinks is shameful is being poor. And, of course, the consequence of this is if you have money, then nothing you do is shameful. Without a really big stick to beat the Republicans with, I don't see how this Congress will do anything to help the Dreamers. I hope I'm wrong.
1
All who have no legal documents are illegal unless they are born in the USA even to illegally living in the USA.It took me 8 years to just get my green card although I was among very educated and contributing to the country's new innovations.
23
Nobody cares - or ought not to - how educated you are, or to which innovations you're contributing. We care that you share and subscribe to our democratic ideals and to the principles of the Constitution.
4
I love Rep. Nancy Pelosi. She is classy, smart, and has guts and she can do it all in 4 inch heels !
I am sure Republicans would wish to have a leader with 1/3 of the competency and political inteligence as Ms Pelosi does. I believe that is why they like to attack her so much. Republican attacks should be really a badge of honor.
It is sad to read so many comments following the same Trump idiosincrasia which says that immigrants are not worth fighting for or somehow they take away from Americans' well being.
I believe America is a big tent. The American Dream has no limits. We can do everything we set our minds to do. We really are better than what we are being sold right now. I for one applaud Ms Pelosi's effort to speak for the weaker, whoever they are. Her efforts make us better, stronger as a nation. You go girl !
82
Well, at least she knows those 4 inch heels will get her more attention! Though 6 inch would definitely get her even moreover!!!
1
Hail, hail at least Pelosi has the right stuff to stick up for the Dreamers while the other reps only want to put money into more killing by giving the military more money, billions. There is something wrong with this government that we have.
6
Nancy Pelosi should be removed from all positions of leadership in the Democratic party, for endangering the chances of the Democrats, Independents and environmentalists of winning back the house or the senate.
Our planet depends on smarter, more strategic leadership.
Then, in her new found spare time, she might have time to read David Leonhardt, or Brett Stevens, and many others, including yours truly. Stevens writes in large brush strokes, that focusing on DACA and dreamers, while ignoring the needs of anxioius, middle class white Americans, is surely not the way to win in the next election. Leonhardt breaks it down, with facts, poling data, and figures. It is hard to believe that anyone who read his two colums on this, could continue to loudly fight for DACA, when it turns off the very people we need to bring back to the democratic fold: the millions of voters who voted for Obama before, but then Trump in the last election. I'm am not against the DACA reforms, but heaven help us, if the Democrats are so dumb as to make it the big issue that it isn't for so many struggling middle class Americans, who vote in extremely high numbers. 69% of the voting public are white people, many of who are stressed out, according to Leonhard's reporting and data.
x
David Lindsay Jr. is the author of "The Tay Son Rebellion, Historical Fiction of Eighteenth-century Vietnam," and blogs at The TaySonRebellion.com and InconvenientNews.wordpress.com
16
Hats off to Speaker Nancy Pelosi for enduring eight hours on her feet w/ 4 inch heels and continuing speaking on the floor of the House for 8 hours at age 77. I doubt most House Members who are much younger could match or even come close to Pelosi's stamina borne of deep compassion and empathy for our Dreamers.
All Pelosi is asking is for Speaker Paul Ryan to allow discussion and a vote on a Dreamers bill just as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already promised.
111
Wasting eight hours of the House's time. She abused her position to stand there, heels or not, and waste time they could have used to debate changes or whatever. Instead she stood up and said look at me while I read hardship stories we already know.
24
It's not a waste of time to draw attention to a pressing and urgent problem that cries out for a solution. You and I are talking about the Dreamers b/c of Pelosi's eight hour floor speech. The NYT reported on it. Also, Paul Ryan is feeling the pressure to allow discussion and a vote on whatever the Senate passes since his Senate counterpart, McConnell, has already promised allowing a floor discussion and a vote. If a Dreamer bill gets to the House and Ryan does not allow a vote, he'll fall further behind in the polls for reelection in Wisconsin.
1
No, Pelosi wanted a dreamer 'bill' inserted into the national budget bill. That is the same as inserting earmarks, which I thought Congress had outlawed?
1
The Ds just secured CHIP funding for another six years by participating in a government shutdown at great political risk, yet the whining prevails.
Honestly, this country is so conditioned to have all good things magically appear simultaneously in a nano-second, and when they don't, it's the end of the world.
So enough with the sideline coaching already. Anyone who thinks things are moving too slowly should run for office themselves and show everyone how it's done.
9
A bit over-the-top? Yes. Very impassioned? Yes. Put aside politics and consider that she is talking about human being who, for no reason of their own are, for all intents and purposes, Americans.
Too much of this "I was here first" and holier-than-thou proselytizing. This issue can be solved in a second, productive lives preserved, and much-needed diversity accomplished with a one-time amnesty and fast-track to citizenship.
Take a hint from South Africa - had they not rationally decided upon reconciliation, there would still be civil war there.
Pillars shmillars - Trump is playing politics with lives. If Dreamers could vote, this would have been solved last January. Now, consider Puerto Rico!
7
Had they not decided on diversity at all cost to whites they might still be able to feed themselves and would not be running out of water.
Same as the immigration and dreamer debate. what is so diverse about becoming hispanic minority majority. The highest percentage of immigration illegal and legal by far is mexican and other hispanic. Look at the numbers in our urban cities. Black hispanic and small percentage of asian and other. Whats so diverse???
5
This woman certain stands up for what she believes in!
In contrast, Paul Ryan cowers at the feet of his master, DJT.
12
Coming up with the acronym "Dreamers" was a stroke of PR genius. It makes one feel all warm and fuzzy just saying it. But virtually no one advocating legalization knows who these people are. Sure, everyone knows someone in the military or a school teacher. But have you looked at the requirements to be a DACA recipient? Minimal. Almost anyone who is of the right age who can fog a mirror and isn't a convicted felon, can qualify.
DACA means "deferred action". It doesn't legalize a person. They are still an illegal "immigrant". This program was meant to be temporary. Does it make any sense to make the temporary program permanent? NO.
DACA, as constituted, should end. No more can kicking. It won't work anyway because, as long as we continue to have the lunacy of Birthright Citizenship, DACA folks will continue to have US citizen kids and there will be no end of pressure to keep the parents here and make them citizens.
The path forward is to re-screen DACA folks, put those with merit grudgingly on a citizenship track, deport the rest and let ICE work through the parents, the guilty folks who created this mess.
28
Folks, clam down. The Democrats have not forgotten the Dreamers - its just that the Democrats need the Dreamers to run on in November.
3
If the Dreamers are what the Democrats are going to run on in November, then we can expect both houses of Congress to remain in Republican hands and possibly secure DJT another 4 years in the White House. A prospect I shudder at the thought of.
2
Dreamer can't vote thankfully. They are not American citizens and do not have the right to vote.
Obama actually deported far more illegal aliens than Trump or Bush. He focused on those who've broken the law, a good strategy in my book. Republican business owners who want cheap labor are the drivers who support illegal immigration. Making e-verify mandatory would eliminate many of these jobs. Why isn't the immigrant hating GOP pushing for that?
11
The republicans do not hate immigrants they hate illegal immigrants and would like some diversity in our immigration system. Approximately 40 percent of immigrants to america are mexican / hispanic whats so diverse about that they certainly are not 40 percent of the worlds population.
5
This is an issue far down the list, Pelosi is using it to distract us from the fact that the wealthy and corporations (both of which she caters to above all else) are destroying and robbing the country blind. Corporate Democrat's need to go.
16
Wasn't she the leader of the House when the Democrats controlled Congress and the White House? Why didn't she do something then?
25
The best protection for Dreamers is a Democratic majority in the House. As long as the Democrats come across as the party of immigrants rather than the party of ALL working Americans, they will fail to realize that goal. Pelosi will remain Minority Leader. Her obstinate refusal to accept this is perverse.
More than DACA is at stake. The future of democracy in this country hangs in the balance. Retaking the House in November is our last chance to save it. As important as DACA is, it’s not not more important than this. DACA can be fixed later.
Why do Pelosi and the Democrats cling adamantly to their identity politics? In this time off existential threat, why can’t they see beyond the needs and imperatives of their own constituencies to the greater good off the country? What is the matter with you, Nancy Pelosi? What is the matter with you, Democrats?
35-40% of Americans want some restrictions on immigration. Don’t you hear their anguished voices? For them it is an existential issue. If they can’t achieve it by democratic means, they will do so by authoritarian means—as in Europe. Is that what you want, Nancy Pelosi? Is the what you want, Democrats? Do you think you know better?
26
Kudos to Ms. Pelosi for her courage and stamina in standing up for the Dreamers!
This is a perfect example of why women must step up and take one-half the power in OUR United States of America and around the world.
Predatory, destructive, socially unconscious men who will do anything for profit must be thrown out of OUR governments at all levels and replaced with Socially Conscious Women who want to serve ALL Americans.
The world has been tilting toward catastrophe since the International Mafia Robber Barons put Richard Nixon in OUR white house. Then Reagan. Now The Con Don. It is time to stop their planned further destruction of the world for personal power and profit right now.
7
It seems obvious that only force will get this president's attention. I applaud Nancy Pelosi for standing up on this issue. Because of incidents in my youth where my mother's mother had 16 births-13 lived to adulthood-and, died young at 54 years, of heart problems, (she had a large heart) I am anti-Catholic, but, this is a demonstration of where Catholics do good in the world.
3
“Eight hours and seven minutes later, she quit talking”
I am not minimizing the plight of the Dreamers. Those that oppose legalizing DACA recipients should ask themselves how they would feel if they were in that same situation. These children were brought here illegally and the blame for this mess falls solely on the parents. The U.S. government is also the blame for not taking action after becoming aware of this trend. The U.S. allowed it to mushroom knowing full well that someday it would be a problem. So, the parents broke the law, the U.S. fails to act and the trend continues to this day.
Immigration issues in this country should have been rectified years ago by yours truly….our government. With the myriad of the problems in this country, there has been one government shutdown which was totally unwarranted and now the President threatens another shutdown.
We have political debates, arguments, pro and anti immigration rallies, anger and resentment and a dysfunctional government. Even though I commend Ms.Pelosi for taking a stand on this one issue, there are so many other problems and issues facing this country that need attention.
6
Impressive! How many 40 year old women can hold it for 8 hours without having to go to the bathroom? And, then there's Nancy standing there in her 4 inch heels not yielding the floor!
5
I'm all for the dreamers, but this is how the Dems lose elections. How will it play when the Republicans remind voters how Pelosi held up the work of Congress for 8 hours. Dems are great at symbolic acts, but can they get their act together to actually win elections?
15
They'll probably be relieved as when they act upon anything it is usually a disaster in the making.
2
I believe that the budget and DACA legislation should be two separate dialogues. With the expiration dealdline looming for the Dreamers in a few weeks, however, I'm glad Mrs. Pelosi has lended her voice. The House of Reperasentatives consists of legislators voicing the concerns of their constituents. In her community, as with many around the country, the fate of the Dreamers is a real issue. While they are not citizens, the Dreamers have contributed to the fabric of American society and consider the USA their home. A few years ago, I remember helping a student of mine, who now has Dreamer statues, with his college application. This was an eye opening experience and allowed me to understand that his path in life, without this program, would be very difficult. I certainly hope Congress can find a feasible way forward for them, whether through permanent legal residency or a pathway to citizenship.
3
Thank you, Representative Pelosi. This is an important issue to all Americans, and if the Speaker would throw away the "Hastert Rule" and move this issue, and many others, to the floor of the House, we would see real democracy again.
78
Speaker Paul Ryan, if you have any integrity left, you WILL make a commitment to bring the DACA discussion to the floor of the House for an honest discussion between the Republicans and Democrats with an ensuing vote! It will require sensible compromise between the two parties to reach honorable legislation.
4
I totally agree that Pelosi did and said the right thing. It is very difficult to achieve justice when a society is failing. That is how I see the US now.
4
It is disingenuous for Speaker Ryan to say he'll only do what Trump supports because Trump will support anything Congress does and Ryan knows it. How about some leadership on this critical issue Mr. Ryan?
4
Ms Pelosi is sincere in her desire to help Dreamers, who need all the support they can get. But to be frank, by giving this speech Ms Pelosi sounds as if she's only playing to her base, which is California voters, most of whom are already sympathetic to Dreamers.
President Trump has proposed legislation that would resolve the Dreamer problem--but Ms Pelosi does not support that proposal.
Ms Pelosi also wants to shut down the government over the Dreamers--if she is successful (highly unlikely) that will antagonize millions of people, including many (most?) who support Dreamers.
So why give an 8-hour speech? Why not get back to work at the business of politics, which is the art of the practical?
66
Ryan will not allow a bill to come to the floor for a vote. Historically this has not been the rule, but today there is nothing practical since you can't have an up and down when the game will not even start.
1
“It also demonstrated, yet again, why Ms. Pelosi, 77, of California, remains one of the most enduring — and to many, infuriating — figures in Washington.”
Nancy is now doubt a force of nature, but moved the DACA and immigration fiasco not a millimeter closer to a solution.
The notion that promised open debate in the Senate and the Ryan non-solution means any thing but more head butting is outlandish.
1
Hold strong, Ms. Pelosi, not all of us are behaving like groundhogs, but are listening to what you have to say with excellent hearing. Some of us feel that the loss of DACA is our loss.
Perhaps times were different in 1979 when The International Year of The Child was celebrated in the heart of New York, and across the borders. Seven First Ladies from Latin America were in attendance on this occasion; Marie Curie's daughter, Eve, cared. So did His Holiness Pope John Paul II.
It was a serious mission for the welfare and safety of Our Children; an international affair, laced with joy and challenges.
America is regressing. However, it reacts when children are threatened. While you are the leading voice, some of us may be preparing to shelter one or more of these Dreamers.
This was not in the cards, it was highly unexpected from the biggest Democracy in the World, but this Business of Living tends to throw many of us asunder at the best of times, and let us not waste time with this tarnished Presidency and its crippling Policy of Governance.
There is no cutting of deals when it comes to the plight of Children, and having long left behind this imperialistic regime taking place in the Country of birth, I am reporting that those, regardless of Party Affiliation, responsible for our current State of Affairs, have slighted All of Us.
5
Sounds like Ryan is a mini Trump and a mini McConnell. For sure Ryan is a mini human being.
Thank you Nancy Pelosi for standing up and up and up for DACA. I doubt that the Republican led Congress will ever do the right thing, but you proved what patriotism is all about. And you proved it while wearing four inch heels.
I would like Paul Ryan to stand in four inch heels for over 8 hours and defend his positions on health care, tax reforms and any other number of pernicious dealings that are in his play book.
20l8 cannot come soon enough.
6
This may have been great theater for the Democrats, but Pelosi knows that the Republicans want so-called comprehensive immigration reform. So, what did Pelosi say to address that? Crickets. The reality is that the Democrats don't want any immigration reform because measures like an effective E-Verify system would adversely affect the illegals already here. They want to continue to be the party of open borders, everyone is welcome here, because they view the demographics as favorable to them at the ballot box. They conveniently forget that most voters are against illegal immigration and want to make sure it is adequately controlled. As long as Pelosi and Schumer control the message, look for Democrats to fail in 2018 and 2020 to retake control.
83
"Pelosi knows that the Republicans want so-called comprehensive immigration reform"
No they don't. When a bipartisan bill passed the Senate, Dictator Boehner refused to let the House vote on it in 2014 because he knew it would pass and Obama would sign it. It's the Republicans who want to keep demonizing immigrants in their election campaigns rather than do constructive work to solve a problem that Democrats have been working to address for decades.
It is the Republicans who passed the 1920s restrictive immigration bill, from which all immigration problems have flowed.
2
Most Republican business owners have been hiring illegal immigrants and exploiting them for decades.
This was not a speech. This was a political stunt woman begging for attention by reading hundreds of Tweets and emails. I don't think a single word was her own. And she helped broker the entire deal.
19
I consider myself reasonably moderate. I could probably take DACA and increased border security spending. I also do not mind cracking down on illegal immigration, within reason. I get it!!!
However, I have a deep admiration for Nancy after yesterday. Just remember republicans wanted to cut, cut, and cut when the economy was sinking. Why be so reasonable now? The only reason they are offering this giant package is to avoid the behind-kicking that would surely come if they cut anything in the budget. Democrats never had more leverage than now. I think that they should stay the course. It has not hurt republicans.
59
Border security does need to be strengthened, and it is clear that the United States is not enforcing visas—people who are here “temporarily” should be removed after a reasonable, but short, period of time. We need to learn how to secure our borders.
But a wall along our southern border, transparent or not, must be refused under all circumstances. This is not a reasonable use of money, nor will it secure the border. This should be a non-starter issue. “Dreamers” can live with the status-quo until we have a new president and/or Democratically controlled Congress (which should come this time next year). I've told my senators and representative that I will not accept any “Yes” vote that contains a provision for a wall.
35
How ignorant, that wall is if you look at the details a barrier, one with several types of things backed up by people. A wall only where such is effective, fencing, electronic barriers, and in some places natural barriers. Get actually educated rather than just thinking say the NYT actually tells the truth.
One of the points Pelosi brought up was that 900 Dreamers had joined the military. There are 690,000 documented Dreamers so 900 represents .0013 per cent. Wow.
Please tell me what the Dreamers have done to earn a path to citizenship? Why should they have a priority over legal immigrants?
All the talk of we are a nation of immigrants fails to distinguish legal immigrants from illegal immigrants.
There is a misguided priority to stop funding the government till the Dreamers are protected. The President has offered to protect 1,800,000 Dreamers as one part of his 4 pillars of immigration reform. The Democrats not going along with all 4 pillars just shows they are making a political statement and not up to protecting 1,800,000 Dreamers.
102
The question remains: Would you throw those Dreamer American troops out of the country?
No Dreamer chose to come here. Yet, they are here.
4
"Please tell me what the Dreamers have done to earn a path to citizenship?"
That's exactly what Pelosi did for 8 hours, for dreamer after dreamer. She also read a plea from the American Medical Association for the thousands of doctors the Dreamers are becoming and which we need, especially in underserved rural areas.
Listen to some of it
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4713575/rep-pelosi-delivers-longest-house...
9
surely a nitpick, but that's .13 percent.
4
Nancy Pelosi works so hard for all Americans and that includes dreamers. Anyone denigrating her is not paying attention and I hope I have as much energy as she has when I reach her age!
10
Are you really paying attention?
The idea of throwing the children of illegals out of the country, many of whom can't even speak the language of the country of their parents, let alone any cultural affinity with their birth countries is just so incomprehensibly wrong it just defies logic. These are people who work, who own businesses, who are fighting in our armed forces, who are in college and who have the same dreams as any native born American.
Ryan, that devout (so he proclaims) Catholic, is the greatest charlatan of the House. He is a schemer of the first order, in truth.
13
Where did this idea arise that "Dreamers" don't speak the language of their home country? While, historically, some immigrants did not teach their children their home language in a desire for their children to assimilate, this has not been the norm for at least the past three decades.
I have yet to meet a second-generation immigrant under 40 who does not speak the language of his or her parents' home country.
1
There are over 80,000 vets waiting to see a doctor. Pelosi's extreme virtue signalling, which ignores the suffering of American citizens, will hand Trump his second term.
By the way, I support the Dreamers.
176
Not logical! Why does this have to be an 'either or'? It doesn't! The reckless budget just added billions of dollars to the bloated military budget. That money could be much better used to support American citizens AND Dreamers!
4
You don't think the military budget supports Americans? Who do you expect to defend the nation when something bad happens?
5
For eight long hours she sang the song of illegals did she utter a word about anyone else? Keep playing more identity politics and you will hand the repubs another 4 years of supremacy.
2
This doddering woman needs to step down and retire from office. Her grandstanding obsession with the DACA recipients and a demand that a budget be made a vehicle for immigration law changes is just the latest example of how out of touch she has become. One of the wealthiest members of Congress, she sneers at "crumbs" for those peons in the hinterland (for when you can stay in a $10,000/night hotel suite on vacation, that is small change I suppose) yet sheds crocodile tears for small subset of persons in the country who are not even citizens.
One reason our budgetary process is such a mess is because it has been used for so many side issues and deals. Ms. Pelosi personifies the sclerotic leadership that has brought Congress down to the general level of disdain in which most Americans hold the institution, which is truly sad and corrosive, for it is Congress, especially the House of Representatives, the "People's House" that should be leading forth on what the country needs, not the Executive Branch.
She needs to go.
41
The key word is, "illegal."
Once the wall is up, all DACA illegals can register, and life can go on.
Without a wall, we will be having the same discussion ten years from now. Without a wall, more and more illegals will arrive expecting to be citizens, and have "jumped the line" ahead of those coming in legally.
Let's agree that they cannot vote for twenty years after registration, and let's see if there is as much enthusiasm for their citizenship!!
I don't understand why this is so difficult to understand.
I bet Pelosi will be glad to sit in the comfortable seat of her Gulfstream V, on her way back home!
30
Reading the two dozen comments so far, it's the same old divisions which capitalism exploits to pit the 99% against each other, and help the 1%. You worry about the illegal aliens that reduce your paycheck by maybe a penny or two, while the donor class and its servants in Congress/state legislatures affect your income and wealth and overall well-being the most.
I wish more Americans would read history with respect to immigration during the 1790s, the 1890s, 1920s, and 1960s. There was a time when Germans, Irish, Italians, Slavs, and Asians were considered as burdensome as Trump supporters feel about illegal Latinos.
We need a global shift to think cosmically, like Carl Sagan. We cannot escape our bigotry, xenophobia, and tribalism. The same issues are flaring up in Europe, Australia, Japan, and Colombia. Our world, its people, its money, its information, and its environmental issues are all interconnected. And yet, even NYT readers remain border-centric.
Vote people into office who address electoral reform, income/wealth inequality, globalization, automation, and pollution. The keys to that are improving public education, infrastructure, single payer healthcare, and making outer space our national focus. I wish the Democrats understood this rather than let the GOP control the narrative over immigration.
Illegal aliens and guns are the two areas where Democrats have their hearts in the right place, but wow does it hurt them politically.
8
Impressive regardless, but a little more impressive when you realize Pelosi is about to turn 78 next month. Keep up the good fight, Nancy!
9
I'm proud of Nancy Pelosi, a 77 year old woman, wearing 4 inch high heels, who stood for 8 hours straight on behalf of almost a million young people.
6
As a native born American citizen and worker, I'm fully aware that Nancy Pelosi would never talk for 8 hours to defend my interests.
45
This whole illegal immigration thing is really starting to become nauseating. Simply put, there is no way that most of this country's citizens will stand for any more amnesty of any kind without secure borders and an end to chain migration. We are supposedly a country who prizes diversity. Where is the diversity in having most immigrants come from Mexico and the Caribbean?
61
Dreamers have been here--in this country---since they were children. They deserve our support; they are in school, working, served in the military, etc. It is outrageously stupid and heartless to not accept them and give them a path to citizenship!
4
Incorrect. Polls show that a majority of Americans support a path to citizenship for DACA recipients.
4
Those that serve(d) in the military should be given automatic citizenship, in fact if these so called undocumented "children" want to earn that same right let them serve a mandatory 54 year hitch in the Armed Forces of their choice. Otherwise no amnesty. They don't like it too bad. They've no right whatsoever to demand anything from anybody. They should instead blame their parents for putting them in this situation in the first place and ask them why did you break American laws?
1
Pelosi could not stand to honor the president or the people he saluted at the State of the Union, but she can stand for 8 hours to pontificate and show her support for illegal aliens at the expense of a federal budget deal. You decide what her real agenda is.
31
"Honor the President?" Why? What has Trump done that deserves 'honor'? Is this a dictatorship? Once again, Dreamers have been here for much of their life. Why don't you all get that?!!
5
The sitting president is not honorable, nor does he deserve to be honored. His infantile name calling diminishes his office, the United States, as well as each and every citizen.
5
Pure theater. The minority leader (just like the House speaker) was fully engaged in the Senate negotiations that separated the immigration and budget issues. That was a legitimate decision, but for her to pretend otherwise is complete hypocrisy. I so can't wait for the next generation of leadership in this party. You want a chance to vote on this issue? Get a majority. That's how the Souse works.
24
If you want to help the Dreamers, stay away from the Bible, Nancy. Just preach from your law book. You're supposedly trying to help these people, not worming your way into heaven.
3
Surprise!! Paul Ryan (doesn’t want) An Actual Debate in the House!?? oh the horror of Democracy!
4
8 hours of C02 exhalation and she still can't tell the difference between legal and illegal immigration.
40
Apparently no one on the senate floor can either. Or the left.
1
It is not just dreamers. There isn’t a undocumented alien that the democrats want to deport. Sanctuary cities protect all illegals not just dreamers. Then these illegals compete wilth our poor for jobs lowering wages. Who’s side are the democrats on?
35
Put a bill on the floor Nancy to revise the immigration laws in the ways you advocate. Your talk is really cheap.
14
More endless pandering for votes and evidence that the lefties abandoned the American working class long ago.
29
Nancy Pelosi is one tough lady.
9
It least she is consistent, always full of hot air.
30
Why won't Ryan allow our elected representatives in the House to debate and vote the fate of the Dreamers?
Who made Ryan Dictator?
Just put a bill on the floor and allow debate and amendments.
If all the Republicans vote against it, the bill will lose because (due to gerrymandering and vote suppression) there are more Republicans than Democrats in the House.
The Republicans can vote no. Maybe a few of them, if allowed to do the work we elected them to do, can come up with a solution that could pass the Congress?
Why isn't there more outrage that Ryan won't let our elected Representatives debate and vote as our Founders intended them to?
199
Lynn, Not allowing a bill to get to the floor is a method used on a regular bipartisan basis. It has nothing to do with dictatorship and everything to do with the process which both parties manipulate on a daily basis. It is called reality.
9
It has been debated and voted on. The USA won and the Mexicans did not. Wake up, this whole DACA thing was Barack Obama's circumventing Congress when Congress didn't pass a bill he wished for. Jeez!
1
Koch Brothers.
2
On one hand, it's great that Nancy is advocating for the Dreamers...on the other...it would be nice to see her show so much passion and commitment to American workers and their families.
212
What gives you the idea that she isn't?
5
That is what she is doing - Dreamers ARE American- they have grown up here, gone to school here and work hard for this country. What more could you ask for from an American?
8
Dreamers are American workers and they have families. Reality.
3
I wish Dems would stand up for issues like this for concerns that impact a much larger group of Americans, such as a higher minimum wage, not rolling back provisions of the Affordable Healthcare Act, not gutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, etc. Why aren't those protections just as important as those aimed at DACA recipients?
252
Also, you are falling for the rhetoric of why do A when they could do B. The Democratic party wants to do all the things you mentioned and they can work on all of them simultaneously.
7
They ARE standing up but are being ignored or voted down.
How can we expect to have a civil society if our elected majority will not attempt to solve our grave problems and our "president" is all about division?
Sounds very much like dictatorships that we decry in many third world countries.
Come on, Congress, do the job you are being paid for with our tax dollars!
4
Well the Dreamers are in danger of being forcibly removed from the only country many of them know and sent to what is a foreign country to them. So there's some urgency to their plight.
The Dems are, in fact, fighting for all the other things you mention but they are a minority in both houses of Congress. A Congressional minority has very limited leverage.
Now if the voters want those things they need to make the Democrats the majority party. They need to vote Democratic this November. There's gerrymandering to overcome, the undemocratic structure of the Senate, so we need everyone's vote. Can we count on yours?
6
Why isn't there outrage on the part of both parties that this Congress continues to make "backroom" deals? Is there a rule of law that can prevent this lack of transparency and freedom to speak for or against legislation before it is enacted into law ? Say, the Constitution?
51
You should listen to the song "The Room Where It Happens" from the musical Hamilton. It's always happened that way.
1
Democrats should show such determination on other issues as well, such as protecting and strengthening the ACA, investigating Russian interference in our elections, opposing giveaways to the .001%, funding infrastructure improvements, etc.
199
It's a lot of work to do the things you suggested while grandstanding and talking just requires grandstanding and talk, talk, talk.
3
All of that — and protecting dreamers.
They do.
1
These young people -- who had no control over their migration to the "Land of Opportunity" but made the best of it like few others-- needed their stories told. Thank you, Nancy. You embody the principles of the Democratic Party.
311
Thank you, Slavin!
1
"Thank you, Nancy. You embody the principles of the Democratic Party."
Indeed she does embody the "principles" of today's Democratic Party. First, she helped negotiate a budget agreement with other Democratic leaders and the Republicans, and then delivered a fraudulent 8 hour speech claiming she was against it all along. What a joke. Why are you falling for her scam?
3
Yep...she embodies prioritizing illegal aliens over Americans to try to create another dependent vote reservoir. Sounds like the Democratic Party to me.
Sharry is quoted as wanting a negotiated agreement. I suspect what he means is he wants everything on his list and capitulation. Hardly a legitimate negotiation. By the way, since Pelos has been in Washington for most of her adult life it seems she would have been able to negotiate the issue before it became a political talking point. I shall have to do more research but I will let you know if I can find a serious effort on Pelosis part to address the issue when her party was in control. Perhaps she should study up on the constitution and discover that presidential fiat is not equal to legislative action which was well within her sphere of influence. What did that guy say that time? Something like "elections have results" or something like that? Historically, progressives have publicly stated a need to end illegal immigration, maybe they were just a little confused time and time and time and time again. I seem to recall Obama even promoting the idea of enforcing the nations laws and borders before he made the politically motivated flip flop.
13
Conley pettimore, Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic house sent many bills to the Senate when she was house speaker. The Republican minority filibustered knearly everything. Republican leaders got together the night of Barack Obama's inauguration and vowed to obstruct him at every turn. They did just that, including, in the Senate, derailing every effort of the house to pass decent laws for the American people.
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Why do the admittedly valid concerns of people who are not American citizens outweigh those who are?
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How does asking for a floor vote on DACA outweigh American citizen concerns?
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The Congress used to be a deliberative body, as they were intended to be.
They are now a dysfunctional group of polarized, "my party before our country", tax paid employees!
Our "leader" is a divider rather than a uniting force.
What a mess!
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"Why do the admittedly valid concerns of people who are not American citizens outweigh those who are not?" Because they live in fear. Because it is inhumane to punish them who are innocent of wrongdoing. Because leaders like Nancy Pelosi are trying to right this injustice, an injustice that does not burden American citizens, and Americans like Pelosi are good and just people.
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1.) Those here illegally are breaking the law.
2.) One of our major principles is the rule of law and its equal application. Generations of people have struggled and died to secure that right.
3.) Everybody has a sad story. Everybody wants a good life.
4.) A number of citizens has decided that they can pick and choose the electorate- by doing so they are diluting the power of existing citizens in order to give power to their criminal friends.
5.) Some countries are not nice places. They tend to be over-populated and polluted- that is always a function of too many people. Those responsible are those that have too many children- self-created problems.
6.) The US is a good country because of generations of work done by our citizens and because our population density is low and we have a high ratio of resources per person.
The Democratic party no longer represents working citizens Because the party is a failure in every substantive area they need to import voters.
I refuse to be held hostage by citizens who feel guilty because they do not live in abject. I refuse to sell out my own future, family and community to provide benefit to criminals. I refuse to support citizenship for those here illegally.
I believe in government of the people, by the people and for the people- CITIZENS. Not government of the companies that want cheap labor, by the rich people who want to make more money and for the people who break our laws for a fast buck.
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So based on your last paragraph, I am going to assume that you are not a supporter of Donald Trump. After all, as a business man he hired illegal workers, cheated people out of money and broke laws for a fast buck. He is still breaking laws.
Dreamers were given permission to stay here. They are not currently breaking the law. And when they came here they were minors who did not control their own destiny. Most people who support Dreamers don't do it because they feel guilty, they do it because it is the right and moral thing to do.
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It appears you're conflating "dreamers" with the undocumented folks providing i "cheap labor" that our economy (agricultural and construction industries, etc.) has come to depend on, for better or for worse. The situations and statistics couldn't be more different. When you speak of "generations of work" (#6), you seem to be omitting the fact that it's often the undocumented who have kept our agriculture afloat, built our roads and bridges, etc. The Democratic party does represent working citizens, of all colors, backgrounds, and socio-economic levels. The Republicans just gave a whopping tax cut to the super wealthy, with almost nothing for the working class. While I respect your right to have your opinion, it helps if you can support opinion with facts.
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"... The US is a good country because of generations of work done by our citizens..."
So immigrants did none of the work to make this a "good country"?
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Go Girl Go!!!
Perhaps the rest of the Democratic party will learn some resolve about doing what is right.
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Bless her. She'll be third in line for the presidency, again, in November.
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The current House Democratic leader is very impressive: 77-years-old, in 4" heels speaking from the heart for eight hours and four minutes about mercy in a merciless House. Hats off, m'lady. I could not physically do it; and I would lack the courage and humanity to even try. Her values are more important than her ratings, her polling numbers. I'm not a Christian, but she gives Christianity a good name here. Bravo!
"If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you yours ." (Matthew 6:14).
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If only Ms. Pelosi would have spent her time working with others to achieve a goal versus her commandeering of the House to garner personal attention. As usual, she achieved nothing.
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Please read the comment from Floridian Jim Muncey
The current House Democratic leader is very impressive: 77-years-old, in 4" heels speaking from the heart for eight hours and four minutes about mercy in a merciless House. Hats off, m'lady. I could not physically do it; and I would lack the courage and humanity to even try. Her values are more important than her ratings, her polling numbers. I'm not a Christian, but she gives Christianity a good name here. Bravo!
"If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you yours ." (Matthew 6:14).
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Take note Republicans, this is what real leadership looks like.
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Yep, she is leading them right over a cliff..."Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead!"
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Thank you, Ms. Pelosi. And for the smirkers, would you rather hear Ted Cruz reading " Green Eggs and Ham "? NO.
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Yes.
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This is the best Democrats can do, and they are supposed to save decency and the country. How pathetic.
Count on fraud in the 2018 elections but, don't worry, you won't have an election at all in 2020. You're on the Trump Tyranny Train now.
#calexit
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I am not impressed. If Nancy Pelosi wants to help the Democratic Party, she can stop being photographed with illegal immigrants in an extremely important election year.
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I hope she goes down in flames, as she deserves.
She is the single worst thing to happen to the Democratic Party -- worse than Hillary and Schumer combined.
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I assume you've never violated any laws - or more aptly - and neither have your parents.
I was shocked by this racist rant. Deeply disappointing.
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That's exactly why Democrats have lost the support of many in the middle class - it is becoming impossible to go anywhere without hearing foreign languages from the massive numbers of unassimilated immigrants/asylum-seekers that are turning America into a nation lacking common purpose/agreement and progress on most every issue.
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Same thing was said about my Irish immigrant ancestors. Some things never change, and your post is a clear example of the never-ending xenophobia that has always been in this country.
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Except that there has never been a time or place in the history of our nation where you could not find a large diverse group of people speaking a multitude of languages. The United States of America was built on a foundation freedom, a place where people were welcome to create a melting pot. Our country is what is it because of diversity, because there is no national language and, because we are accepting of people in need of refuge. The middle class is MADE up of these people who have descendant from immigrants (and likely didn't speak English) or people who themselves have come to the US to make a better life.
Your idea or vision of a homogeneous country where everyone speaks English is a wholly UN-AMERICAN ideal and goes against everything for which this country stands.
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My grandparents -- not first-generation immigrants but people who had kept their native tongue and learned English as well -- were instructed by their children's teachers not to let them learn a word of German for fear of corporal punishment. None of them grew up learning the language of their cultural heritage, and this was one of my grandparents' biggest regrets.
Is this somehow better than cultivating people who are bilingual, even trilingual? Why is it somehow a bonus to repress the background and heritage of immigrants? Assimilation does not necessarily entail the rejection or loss of traditions, languages, and stories of another culture.
As for what holds us together, seems to me that would be the Constitution and the promise of equality and dignity for all -- things that our president and current administration have thrown down the toilet.
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Yes, I think immigration, Dreamers, et. al. are very important. So, important, that it must be debated and laws created, as part of a stand alone bill. This is how Congress is suppose to work. A bill is proposed in the House, voted on, it goes to the Senate, it is voted on, changes are made, in a bi-partisan effort, and then it is voted on again. Then the bill goes to the President to sign into law. If the president vetoes the bill, the Senate needs to have a 2/3 majority to override the veto. Basic Civics 101.
Since, 2011, basic civics has not been part of Congress. The Democrats passed the ACA, with not one Republican. The Republicans passed the recent Tax Reform bill with not one Democrat. Both done by simple majorities, under budget rules. Neither bi-partisan.
Pelosi is wrong here. Immigration reform, protect the "Dreamers, visa limits, etc., cannot be part of a budget bill. Yes, it makes it harder to get through Congress, and the White House, but that is their job. That is why we pay these people six digit salaries a year; to do the nation's business. And, even with that, they work less than six month a year, so they can campaign, raise money, and maybe visit their home districts and see who the serve; many don't. This is what they are way out of touch, and so is Pelosi.
I want the "Dreamers" to have a shot. I do not want to see another screwed up poorly written budget provision, that no one read, to end up in the courts. They deserve better.
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Sorry to quibble, but a veto can only be overridden by a 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress...Basic Civics 101.1
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Pelosi was not asking for DACA relief to be part of the spending bill. “Our basic request is to honor the House of Representatives, give us a chance to have a vote on the floor”. In other words, ignore the ridiculous Hastert Rule and allow it to come up for debate and a vote if it has majority support (not a "majority of the majority"). That said, Pelosi's tactics are likely to misinterpreted by many in the same way you have. For that reason, I feel it is time for fresh leadership for the House Democrats.
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Just FYI, ACA was not passed by simple majority in the senate but passed with 60 votes (no republicans). A second much smaller related bill (Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act) did pass in that manner. For the recent tax overhaul the budgetary rule allowing a simple majority vote was used.
The ACA had an open debate, more or less, process and the draft statute was available for review by both parties; it passed with 60 votes though no republicans voted for it. The recent tax overhaul was drafted behind closed doors, where even some republicans did not see the draft statute until nearly the time for a vote, it barely passed with a at least one republican voting against it.
I agree that budgets should budgets and dreamer statutes should be dreamer statutes. But, on the other hand, this is how democracy works some times; it's not always neat and tidy, and never has been.
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