House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been on the hot seat ever since the 2020 elections left her caucus with little to celebrate — but the California Democrat’s latest action could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for her party’s future.
In what many Republicans have described as a fatal mistake for the newly renominated speaker of the House, Pelosi has signaled openness to move forward with legislation on issues like possessing marijuana and owning big cats, even as negotiations on a deal to provide relief for Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic continue to stall.
According to Fox News, members of the GOP laid into Pelosi this week for putting “cannabis and cats” above hard-working Americans and their families.
Indeed, it hasn’t even been a full month since the election, and already, Democrats seem to have forgotten about who matters most.
“Just cannabis and cats”
Among those to criticize Pelosi was Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise (R), who got more than 20,000 shares on a tweet demanding Democrats get their priorities straight, as Fox noted.
Let me get this straight:
Nancy Pelosi is blocking a bill to deliver unused Paycheck Protection Program funds to workers and small businesses.
But she managed to find time for a vote on pot legislation this week.
RT to tell Dems to quit blocking aid for Americans in need NOW!
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) November 30, 2020
According to Fox, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) also chimed in. “Nothing for small businesses. Nothing for re-opening schools,” he lamented. “Just cannabis and cats.”
This week, your House Democrat majority is tackling the tough issues by holding a vote on legalizing pot and banning tiger ownership.
Nothing for small businesses.
Nothing for re-opening schools.
Nothing on battling the pandemic.Just cannabis and cats.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) November 30, 2020
Pelosi’s priorities
It seems the thousands of Americans who have found themselves unemployed or have lost their businesses can rest easy knowing Democrats are tackling only the most pressing issues. After all, why would Dems worry about millions of potential evictions when they could focus on the legality of owning tigers?
Following the GOP’s well-justified outrage from Republicans, Pelosi issued a statement insisting that coronavirus relief is on the way.
“[Treasury] Secretary [Steve] Mnuchin said he would be reviewing the proposal Leader [Chuck] Schumer and I made to Leader [Mitch] McConnell and Leader McCarthy last night and the bipartisan Senate proposal unveiled today,” she said Tuesday. “Additional COVID relief is long overdue and must be passed in this lame duck session.”
Pelosi is right to say that coronavirus relief is “long overdue and must be passed.” So why isn’t she doing anything about it? The question remains.
