Protesters Building Large "Buddha" Outside Pelosi's House

From Roll Call's Heard on the Hill:

One might think it would be great to have Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as a neighbor (imagine the block parties!). But the Speaker apparently is not making herself popular in her high-dollar 'hood, telling reporters on Tuesday that protesters have taken up residence outside her house and are driving the natives wild.

"I've had four or five months of people sitting outside my home, going into my garden in San Francisco and angering my neighbors," Pelosi said at a gathering sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

Pelosi added that the squatters have engaged in decidedly non-neighborly behavior like hanging their clothes from the trees; moving in sofas, chairs and other "permanent living facilities"; and, oddly, building a large Buddha on the sidewalk in front of her home. "You can just imagine my neighbors' reactions to all of this," she said. "And if they were poor, and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they'd be arrested for loitering, but because they have 'impeach Bush' across their chest, it's the First Amendment."

Comments

[WilliamWallace]

That's the price of the job, Madam Speaker...­and the price of the Democrats' sell-out.

[cynara]

Agreed.

[easyrider1969]

Tough Sh*T Pelosi.

[transendentilist]

You haven't seen ANYTHING yet madam speaker. Keep playing footsies with the warmongerers, after running on the promise of change. WHAT THE HELL HAS CHANGED??????????

[beerguy]

"I had, for five months, people sitting outside my home, going into my garden in San Francisco, angering neighbors, hanging their clothes from trees, building all kinds of things -- Buddhas? I don't know what they were -- couches, sofas, chairs, permanent living facilities on my front sidewalk."

"If they were poor and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they would be arrested for loitering, but because they have 'Impeach Bush' across their chest, it's the First Amendment.­"

"We have to make responsible decisions in the Congress that are not driven by the dissatisfaction of anybody who wants the war to end tomorrow"

Nancy Pelosi

Any comments?

[BarryLeonardini]

Hey Nancy, why don't you just do what you said you were going to do if you and your party were put in control of Congress? One more time, STOP THE WAR!

Barry Leonardini

[naschkatze]

Love it! What a great idea! Needs to be done in a few other locales!

[unclesmedley]

The professional protesters in SF are annoying, but so too are the Pacific Heights snobs who live in Nancy's neighborhood.

A few years ago, a duly authorized, one-day-only ski and snowboard demonstration took place on a summery afternoon. It was a surreal scene. Real snow was trucked in and spread across ramps and mogul fields on a road overlooking the glorious view that makes the district so desirable (and expensive.­)

The enterprise entailed road closures, police barriers and other temporary inconveniences. The event was festive, convivial and without untoward incident--like a street fair, complete with an aid station, a PA system, food and merchandise.

The reaction of local residents would suggest that a commercial hog farm had been installed in their midst. The police were cowed into acting as de facto parking valets and private security guards guarding the precious lawns of the infuriated local mucky-mucks, who acted as though they were being invaded by Mongol hoards, and who called the Mayor's office to account as though he was a gardener who over-watered their prized azaleas.

So, while I think the ranters in Nancy's front yard are needlessly and impractically impolite. I'm gratified to see the elitist brahmins get a taste of what it's like to live in a real world beyond their influence to control.

Screw them and, by the way, shame on Nancy.

[beerguy]

While I don't know all the details of this (except for yours), if the protesters infringed upon the residents private property than they had every right to complain and have the police handle the situation.

[unclesmedley]

hey beerguy...

You're right. The point is that, in other districts of the City, the police don't even respond to burglary complaints. The priority assigned to assuage the NIMBY mentality of a select few property owners is emblematic of what's wrong with America.

[transendentilist]

What gets me is her comment about a poor person sleeping on her sidewalk. "They'd be arrested for loitering.­"

Well, we can all see how her compassion for the poor just flew out the window.
She has been a supreme disappointment as Speaker of the House. For that matter, she isn't fit for congress either. Too timid and elitist for me.

[win2kpro]

I love it. The American public is starting to wake up, and sound off. I hope they stay on her ass day and night.

There's a group in KY doing the same thing to Mitch McConnell. They bust his ass at home, at the office, where he's speaking, etc.

Some pretty funny stuff here;

http://www.hillbillyreport.com/


JOHN EDWARDS IN '08

[whatsreallygoingonhere]

I feel sorry for her neighbors but not for her. Not one bit.

How dare she say impeachment is off the table? Frankly, I think she should be impeached for not upholding the constitution.
The Dems won the majority because we expected them to do the right thing. Lots of them are more concerned about the next election than doing what we elected them for this time around.

You can have what it is you want, or you can have your reasons for not having it. Nancy is a nay-sayer. She's doing what she wants, she's not representing the people that elected her and there's no excuse for her 'Impeachment is off the table' stance other than she doesn't want it.

Too bad she's probably not home enough to be annoyed by the protestors as much as her neighbors are.

[youngharry]

Pelosi it is your choice. Honor your oath of office or suffer the outrage of people that have been betrayed by your single act of "taking impeachment off the table". You are lucky that they only disturb your home, your garden and your neighbors. YOU have destroyed the hopes and lives of millions of Americans.

Perhaps they should be bombarding you with fake blood so that you can see what it looks like as your actions have caused thousands of people's blood to be spilled by your inaction. You need to wake-up to the fact that you not only have blood on your hands, but are covered in it.

And, perhaps you should visit the homes of the dead and injured American Troops and see what you have done to their homes, their gardens and their neighbors.

[pelosiforpresident]

So, Nancy, start with the impeachment already and maybe they'll leave you alone.
And what do you have against Buddhists, anyway?

[blankmw]

Exactly!!!!! Maybe if you did SOMETHING to control the horrendous W machine that's railroading through everything it wants and doing whatever it wants to the Iraqi and American people, they'd leave you alone. Maybe you should actually consider doing something "honorable" to match the word you're used to seeing before your name. Maybe if you'd stop this war your poor garden wouldn't be messed with. Think about the missing limbs, brain injuries, and deaths of our soldiers before you whine about your neighbors not liking you.

[transendentilist]

The Buddhist thing went way over her head. Can you say Myanmar? One of the pillars of buddhism is to end suffering. I guess nance just didn't get it.......A­GAIN!

[HartInSF]

It's not like I'm seeing Cindy Sheehan bumperstickers everywhere in SF. Where is she? What has she done lately?
How many of you are Pelosi's constituents? Your republican­-thugs-lit­e opinion doesn't count for much here.
SF loves them some Pelosi. Noisy, messy curb sleepers, not so much.

[naschkatze]

M-O-N-E-Y.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

"And if they were poor, and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they'd be arrested for loitering, but because they have 'impeach Bush' across their chest, it's the First Amendment.­"


F Bush -- Impeach PELOSI!

[aahpat]

Nancy is just another right-wing Democrat. One of the 'liberals' in the liberal wing of the GOP that the Democratic Party has become in the past three decades.

Pelosi reminds me why I stopped being a Democrat and am now a proud Washington Independent. SEE: George Washington: "Let me now take a more comprehensive view, & warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party, generally.­" http://mysite.verizon.net/aahpat/pol/gw.htm

[beerguy]

A right wing democrat!! That's hilarious!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

"I don't belong to an organized party -- I'm a Democrat."
-- Will Rogers (from memory)

[ibsteve2u]

Pelosi actually said "And if they were poor, and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they'd be arrested for loitering, but because they have 'impeach Bush' across their chest, it's the First Amendment.­"?

How can you take that any other way than she condones and even approves of charging people who are poor and forced to sleep on sidewalks with a crime and arresting them, coupled with irritation that the 1st Amendment prohibits that tactic from being applied to these people?

And Pelosi is not only a Democrat, but the person tasked with providing leadership to the House of Representatives?

America is so screwed.

[definitelyNOTmisterRIGHT]

i don't think that she is saying that she condones it. i think she is just saying what would probably happen, that's all.

[DaRight]

....

DEMS voted for Iraq war when it was politically easy...

Turned on war when it was politically easy (GITMO, NSA, FISA, Iraqi prisons)

Promised HUFFTURDS they would leave Iraq when politically easy

When politicall tough (being responisble pulling troops and for massive destruction and loss of life in IRAQ)...No Troop withdrawls­...

HUFFTURDS still send $$$$$ & support...

Poor HUFFTURDS.


...

DEMS PELOSI & REID tell HUFFTURDS they do not have the votes....

[transendentilist]

Naw, it sounded to me like she regarded a homeless man as nothing but an annoyance and nusance. She seems more worried about what her friggin neighbors think, than the people who put her into office.
I hope the timid P is voted out of office. She certainly needs to be.

[blankmw]

I think you hit the nail precisely on her head!

[blankmw]

I think you hit the nail precisely on her head! She's kind of a disgrace for the role of speaker.

[CriminallySane]

From what I read, a lot of you have some pretty screwed-up priorities.

If the protesters have a complaint with Speaker Pelosi, what do they gain by making her neighbors' lives miserable? Does anyone really think that their behavior is going to either effect any change in Pelosi's policies or persuade others in the area to change their views?

Having a complaint relative to someone's policies and actions in office is one thing, harassing them at home and disrupting their neighbors' peace and quiet is quite another.

The "protesters" are acting like spoiled children.

[beaver]

If I understand your arguement, Paul Revere should have sat on his hands...a night time ride through Boston would disturb the neigborhood.
Please sit down and STFU!

[CriminallySane]

Your comparison is specious.

[ibsteve2u]

I'd go further:

Your argument that "harrassing them at home" is a terrible thing overlooks the fact that Pelosi's et al's place of work IS the problem: Washington, D.C.

If our Congresspeople did all of their legislative work from home - or at least from their individual state capitals - and knew they could face the ire of their constituents the very next morning after they had voted on legislation, they might be forced to remember that their constituency is the citizens of their state and not the lobbyists of "K" Street.

As it stands, if you don't make your presence known to a Congressperson at their home how else can you make them aware of your existence if you don't have enough money to touch their wallet or purse?

Send a letter? Get a form letter. Call them? Talk to the machine. Ask for an appointment? Just who do you think you are?

And please don't try the argument that you should make your opinion known in the voting booth and leave it at that; the number of politicians who have and do change their tune after they take office represents a truly thundering herd of turncoats and opportunists.

[CriminallySane]

So, just so I understand, if Pelosi is not there most of the time, what is the value of picketing outside her home? Bothering her family and neighbors serves what purpose exactly? This changes how many minds?'

It's about effecting actual change, not displaying tantrums.

[transendentilist]

Maybe you should look up the word MISERY! Boo funking hoo. Her wealthy, elitist neighbors have to actually see Americans complaining, they can't turn these people off as if they were some bad news on the radio. I think this is a great new tactic. I think every war supporter in congress should have their own little fan club, parked right outside their homes. 24/7. Give them no peace, because they refuse to give us and the Iraqis peace.
Why should any of us wallow in riches, when the poor people of Iraq can't even go the market for a head of lettuce, without having to worry about their OWN HEADS, being blown off or shot.

[CriminallySane]

Yeah, well, if I were a neighbor of hers, I'd be making very sure her lawn and garden were properly watered. And I hear it gets kind of chilly at night in SF sometimes.­..

You're not going to change peoples' minds with childish misbehavior. Not mine, not Pelosi's, not anyone's.

[ArtandSoul]

Taking impeachment off the table immediately was one of the singularly dumbest things I've ever seen a politician do (short of invading a country that was no threat to us and didn't attack us, and with no exit plan, of course).

So much for Representative Democracy.

[paixa3]

When did the USA ever have a democracy?

[cuzkate]

Who in hell does this can of hair spray think she is?? Protesters of all stripe are entitled to protest whatever. If there is a problem we have Police to deal with preserving her damn garden. Lucky her to have one-our garden died out due to serious water shortage. I too hailed her coming but no more. My life long Party has no idea who I am or what I think. We are slowly but methodically becoming irrelivent. The Clintons this time around are not on the same page as I or my family and WHY? I am working on a local campaign right now and love being part of the process. All are changing stories. Nobody wants to end this GD war. More of the same? Bad and sad.

[wanked]

Gee Nancy,
Can you just imagine the reason why America hates you sooooo much? Can you imagine a Speaker being elected by a hugh majority of Americans for the purpose of ending an illegal and immoral occupation in Iraq, and that so called representative of the voters telling these citizens to go F#ck themselves immediately after.Can you just imagine a democrat in a position of power, say, YOU, who immediately takes impeachment off the table for a criminal and his cabal who have shit on every corner of our constitution? And can you imagine Cindy Sheehan destroying you at the polls next fall. I sure can Madame slimeball.