House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi discussed her experience in governing Tuesday afternoon in the Jack Morton Auditorium.
Just hours before the discussion, congressional leaders reached a tentative budget deal for the next year. Pelosi said the first word that came to mind was “hurray!” because the budget maintains current allocations for disabilities and Medicare spending, and equally divides defense and domestic expenditures.
“Our strength is measured in the education and innovation of our people,” she said.
School of Media and Public Affairs Director Frank Sesno, a former White House and CNN correspondent, moderated the conversation.
Couldn’t skip class for the event? Here’s what you missed:
1. What’s in it for me?
In a discussion about the polls for the 2016 presidential election, Pelosi said Americans will vote for who they believe can “end the inequality in our system.”
“At the end of the day, it’s all personal. We’re asking ourselves, ‘what does this mean for me?'” she said, in regard to choosing whether or not to support a candidate’s politics.
Pelosi gave a nod to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when Senso asked what the elections mean for Pelosi.
“I will be happy to relinquish my title as the highest ranking woman in America,” Pelosi said.
2. Climate change is everyone’s responsibility
Pelosi said every nation should “do what they can” to be proactive about environmental issues.
She said the responsibility has fallen on third-world countries, which are disproportionately impacted by global warming, to prepare for higher tides, temperatures and volatile weather, but Pelosi said she wants to change that.
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be held later this month in Paris, Pelosi said she would advocate for environmental legislation that would not be “just pretty words” but have the “force of law” behind it.
3. Social media increases transparency
Pelosi said social media has given the public greater access to politics, which she said has increased transparency within the political process.
Referring to the fact that the public was informed of the budget’s passing within minutes Monday night, Sesno asked Pelosi how the role of social media has impacted politics.
“People knew what was going on because they were paying attention,” she said.
Sesno also asked if Pelosi supports Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who she said has been a transparent political figure in his bid for Speaker of the House.
“I have the institution’s back,” she said.
Pelosi commended Ryan’s support of the latest budget proposal and his criticism of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative group of congressmen, which she said would give Ryan “running room” with the Democrats in his campaign for Speaker of the House.
