Seeing the Round Corners

March 4, 2019

HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI ASCENDS
For months, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has harped on the impeachment of President Donald Trump as though it is a given to take place. The passage of time and the continuing Mueller investigation seems to have provided some relief to the American public to Pelosi’s and fellow Californian Representative Adam Schiff’s ongoing diatribe that impeachment is the only answer, although in actuality, what is in Mueller’s report is just speculation until it is released.
Pelosi’s recent European trip and her espousing at those various meetings are of a tone as though Pelosi has already assumed the Presidency of the United States, although close reading of the coverage of conversations that took place reveal very little substantive information.
If the NATO alliance members brought up or addressed President Trump’s admonition about NATO members paying their fair share of NATO expenses when he spoke at the NATO conference early in his Presidency, they were not reported by the press. Not reporting such is typical of the bias that is shown so blatantly toward President Trump.
Here are some of the headlines from the trip, which readers will recall President Trump forced Pelosi to postpone until after the government shutdown ended.
Nancy Pelosi to Europe: Trump is not the boss. Pelosi made numerous comments to NATO members:

The U. S President is not all-powerful.
Pelosi and a delegation of U. S, lawmakers were in Brussels to reassure European partners at a time when transatlantic relations have been deeply fractured by Trump’s criticism of allies and his unpredictability in policy making.
Pelosi said at a news conference that she and her delegation were in Europe “reaffirming our commitment in the transatlantic alliance, our commitment to NATO and respect for the European Union.”
NOTE TO READERS: As President Trump pointed out to Leslie Stahl during her 60 Minutes interview, he is President – a fact that Pelosi seems to have lost sight of.

Pelosi Remarks at Press Availability Following NATO Parliamentary Assembly Meeting:

Pelosi told one European colleague the reason the House of Representatives had only recently adopted a resolution in support of NATO was “. . . because we just got the majority and then we can control, we can manage what goes on to the floor.” “But once the Republican colleagues had the opportunity to vote on this, H.R. 676 NATO Support Act – what was it? 357 to 22 no’s. I think that that sends a very clear message.”
When questioned about her mission, Pelosi was told that in some ways, it seemed a little like damage limitation, and European allies no longer quite understand the message that has been coming out of the United States.
Pelosi’s reply was “I think our message has been a very clear, one when ten percent of the Congress comes to your – for the Munich Security Conference as well as continuing on here with even more additional Members present.”
Pelosi made an additional comment saying, “We’re also a different – we are not a parliamentary government even though we have parliamentarians. We have Article I, the legislative branch, the first branch of the government, co-equal to the other branches and we have asserted ourselves in that way.”
Pelosi further commented on the meeting that went on of an hour and a half – “We’re here learning from each other and that’s what this is about. It’s about one word: respect. It’s about not only how we discuss our differences, but now we do so in a manner that recognizes the importance of all parties to the discussion.”
Pelosi asked Gerry Connolly who is chairman of our (U. S.) delegation to NATO to address the issue about the purpose of the tour, he stated, “I think it’s a reminder tour – that the United States government isn’t just one branch. And that, as the Speaker said, Article 1, the first article in the Constitution of the United States, deals with the power of the legislative branch, not the executive branch. And those powers include war and peace. And even direction of the Armed Forces, so the supply of foreign policy – . . .,” to which Pelosi added “And the power of the purse.”
Pelosi answered the question, “If colleagues in Europe had been given any advice,” she answered “we came here to listen,” to which the President of the EU said, “I’m here to listen.”
Hmm . . . The President seemed to be sending a message of wonderment that Pelosi’s message and purpose of the tour was still unclear, despite earlier references to the other two branches of government in the United States – the Executive and Judicial branches.

Pelosi Remarks at Press Call on Introduction of Privileged Resolution to Terminate President Trump’s Emergency Declaration:

At Congressman Joaquin Castro’s joint Press Call with Pelosi following the introduction of his privileged resolution to terminate President Trump’s emergency declaration proclamation, Pelosi used the press op to further attack the President.
“The President is lawless and does violence to our Constitution, and therefore, our democracy. His declaration strikes at the heart of our founder’s concept of America which demands separation of powers.”
“The President’s declaration clearly violates Congress’s exclusive power of the purse. This power is again, reserved by the text, I repeat, by the text of the Constitution.”
“The President’s emergency declaration fundamentally alters the balance of power, violating our Founder’s vision for America – part of that vision being that we do not have a monarch. We have a separation of powers in our country. They rebelled against a monarchy. They did not intend to establish one in our country.”

Left out of Pelosi’s pompous grand standing is lack of respect for the legally and lawfully elected sitting President of the United States, and in just what capacity Pelosi was conducting her tour since former Speakers of the House typically were not authorized to conduct such tours and disparage a President. News releases did not indicate at whose instigation the European meetings were arranged. Considering the President of the EU’s comments, he must not have been consulted.
No mention was made of President Trump’s meeting with NATO members during which he demanded they pay their fare share in supporting costs for the alliance rather than the U. S. paying for the brunt of the expenses, and the results of his admonition – alliance members have started to pay up. Readers may recall, President Trump did stop the trip Pelosi had planned during the government shutdown, so just possibly Pelosi’s disrespect shown in her remarks was grand retaliation by Pelosi.
And of course, no estimate is yet available as to the cost to taxpayers for this show with the large number of Congressmen in tow on the trip which Pelosi brags so fervently about.

The reader's comments or questions are always welcome. E-mail me at doris@dorisbeaver.com.