“Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number” could have been a theme song for Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s long tenure in Congress. But the 85-year-old California lawmaker announced Thursday she would not seek reelection, making way for a new generation of leadership to represent San Francisco when she retires.
Pelosi was the first woman to serve as House speaker, from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. During her nearly 40-year tenure, the speaker emerita saw everything from the horror that was the AIDS crisis in the 1980s to Sept. 11.
Pelosi has been regarded by many as one of the most impactful legislators. By many accounts, she ran a tight ship and took no prisoners. She helped pass the Affordable Care Act and worked alongside the Biden-Harris administration on historic stimulus relief through the American Rescue Plan.
Daughter of a Maryland congressman, Pelosi grew up with politics as a family business. The entitlement and expectation of one born with a silver spoon, Pelosi moved through the House ranks, securing important posts early on.
Her ability to break barriers and rise to leadership cannot be divorced from the opportunities and privileges afforded to her as the daughter of a congressman. Nancy Pelosi didn’t just make good choices and smart moves; she was handed them.
She leveraged her committee experience to step into the House’s number two leadership position, beating Rep. Steny Hoyer to become House Minority Whip. It took her only a year to rise to minority leader, taking the top spot for Democrats in the House.
But as powerful and reportedly impactful as she has been, Pelosi has been seen as an obstacle to meaningful change. This was evident in the 2019 race for House speaker when some Democrats argued for a new, younger leader to take charge. She and other members of the House were also widely criticized for their performative gesture of wearing Kente cloth stoles and kneeling during a moment of silence for George Floyd in June 2020.
It wasn’t her first awkward moment of performance. In 2014, Pelosi joined with a group of Republican and Democratic leaders to sing “We Shall Overcome.” The empty gesture during a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act came a year after Shelby County v. Holder gutted voting rights.
The fixation on bipartisanship and symbolic moments could’ve given way to more steadfast leadership on critical issues impacting Americans. Finding common ground shouldn’t require placating opponents of working families and other impacted communities.
While many Americans can only dream of having the financial means to retire when they come of age, Pelosi represents the last vestiges of aging elites clinging to power in D.C. Many have criticized Pelosi for not stepping down sooner, particularly after the unfortunate passing of the late Sen. Diane Feinstein while in office.
Surprisingly, Pelosi also joined the chorus urging President Joe Biden to step aside in 2024. Reports after the 2024 election indicate she was also among those who criticized him for his late departure and for not having time for an “open primary.”
Despite all of her good, political dynasties and wielding power as an entitlement run contrary to the alleged values of a representative democracy. Four decades in Congress, as one of the top five people in the country, isn’t the same as 40 years at a regular job.
Times have changed, and so have the ways politics move and shape our culture. As her time winds down, one of the last remaining members of the Silent Generation has benefited from seeing a diverse wave of Gen X, millennial, and even Gen Z elected to enter the chamber. It’s past time to shift the balance of power in Congress toward representation and leadership that can sustain the energy and commitment to change beyond the current moment.
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