Feminism comes full circle
Canada Free Press
By Judi McLeod
Friday, January 5, 2007
Feminism came full circle when Nancy Pelosi took over the speaker's gavel. Full circle because Pelosi, in spite of a definite Mrs. Cleaver image is trying to be feminism's new face.
It's a little late in life, but the San Francisco nanny has shucked off her dust cloths, her buffed parquet floors and has turned in the frilly white aprons for the tailored pantsuit.
During her debut, one could almost hear the clarion call "Housewives unite! reverberate throughout Washington. In the media hype, Ms. Perfect has taken us out of the kitchen and into the cutthroat world of politics.
"Since 1999, Pelosi has raised more money for other candidates' campaigns than any other Democrat, according to an analysis of data provided to the San Francisco Chronicle by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit organization that tracks campaign finance data."
Now isn't that just like a woman? One that sees the gender of a speaker as all-important.
"Between 1999 and 2004, Pelosi's committees gave nearly $2.8 million to help her colleagues win their races. Only former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, the Texas Republican, raised more money for his party members in Congress--$2.9 million," the Chronicle reminds us.
And we all know what happened to him.
"With the connections she gained through her investment banker husband, Paul Pelosi, her unfailing devotion to the Democratic Party and a lifelong propensity for building relationships with loyal supporters, Pelosi has been in an ideal position to recruit wealthy believers in the Democratic cause. "If you travel in upper socio-economic circles, it's always good to tap those people," said Agar Jaicks, a San Francisco Democratic activist, who was one of Pelosi's earliest political advisers. "She became very good at it, and the better she got, the more in demand she was."
Dialing for dollars did not go out with the 80s when Money Mama could finally out do Daddy Warbucks for crass politicians on the perpetual prowl for cash.
From the reams of paper used to describe her ascension to full power, Pelosi from all accounts started off as the perfect housewife, the perfect wife, the perfect mother, only putting aside her home life to lick envelopes after all family members were in bed for the night.
So good was she at the job, she easily could have starred in The Stepford Wives, the Real Thing not the movie.
Now that she's declared to make the House the most honest-ever, lost in the fog of time are some of the contributions to her own campaign.
Pelosi received a total of $3,000 from two Indian tribes affiliated with Jack Abramoff, who has pleaded guilty to fraud, public corruption and tax evasion for his actions related to his clients. But as the Examiner was quick to point out, "compared with the tens of thousands of dollars received by some others in congress, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics."
Tainted money would be as welcome in public office as glasses washed in the kitchen sink rather than the dishwasher would be in the all-granite kitchen of this modern day Mrs., er Ms. Cleaver.
The words that describe Pelosi the person as opposed to Pelosi the politician are the same ones that would apply to June Cleaver, "gracious," "charming" and "empathetic".
"When you're sitting at a table with her, she's very charismatic, much like Bill Clinton. She's empathetic, passionate and intelligent," says Bill Zimmer, the founder of Men's Wearhouse. Zimmer and his wife, Lori, have donated $10,000 to Pelosi's committees since 2001, and about $100,000 more to other Democratic causes.
But long before she became the public figure the New York Times gushed over as the "first woman speaker of the House", Pelosi was back home ironing the linens-after spritzing them of course with lavender.
Nancy, who grew up as what Liberals would call a privileged child, understands the despair of grinding poverty. How many of her school chums could boast that "Daddy's the Mayor of Baltimore?"
Raised at a time when a girl's wedding day trousseau was more important than her graduation, Pelosi married a multimillionaire.
Early married life harkens back in the days when a mother was expected to turn up at the dinner table in a dainty frock after spending the day chauffeuring her kids off to basketball practice, and when each morning started off with the fragrance of freshly baked muffins wafting out over the wisteria.
Her signature pearls, replicas of which have been doing a brisk business since the Democrats took over the House, are as real as her teeth. With assets ranging somewhere in the $16 million range, Pelosi was the 13th wealthiest House Member, according to 2005 rankings calculated by Roll Call magazine.
Everything in the Pelosi household would pass the white glove test.
The sort of all-time Girl Guide den mother, the mainstream media version is that Pelosi broke out of her yoke, taking Housewife all the way to the White House.
But while she can preside over paper napkins embossed with the gold words, "Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, January 2007 and ensure that the lilies won't wilt back at her alma mater, it's not so easy to protect the image of woman of the people that she and her party are trying to project.
"Speaker Pelosi Turns 'The People's House' into Pelosi's House'" was the charge sent out over the Christian Newswire.
"After being met by police officers, pro-life leaders were denied access to an 'Open House' being sponsored by Speaker Pelosi at the Cannon House Office Building on Thursday.
Leaders were told they would not be allowed in without an invitation and Speaker Pelosi's office would not extend an invitation to them.
"By only allowing certain like minded guests into this event, Speaker Pelosi has turned 'The People's House' into 'Pelosi's House'," said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian defense Coalition. "Only those who agree with Nancy will be allowed entry. The new speaker could have sent a powerful message of openness and tolerance on her first full day in office. Instead, she has chosen a path of exclusion and narrow-mindedness. Speaker Pelosi-our nation deserves better."
According to the spin of her hometown newspapers, Nancy Pelosi put in her time, humbly working in the background far away from the limelight. She rose to the top, they say, only after decades of selfless envelope licking.
But even honest feminists would have to admit that Nancy Pelosi licked much more than envelopes in her long ride to the top.
