Last year, I wrote an open letter to my own congressman, Jay Inslee, asking him why he thought that Nancy Pelosi was a suitable choice to be speaker of the House of Representatives, and second in line to be president.   After three weeks, I received a non-reply.  Inslee (or some staffer, most likely) gave me a laundry list of what he thought were his achievements, but did not answer my question.  (It may have been pure coincidence, but I finally received my reply after noting that I had waited three weeks in this post.)

After watching Speaker Pelosi's performance in office, my question is more relevant than ever, so I am mailing this follow-up letter to Inslee:

	Dear Congressman Inslee:

	A year ago, I sent you an email asking why you thought Nancy Pelosi 
	would be a good choice to be speaker of the House of Representatives.  
	Three weeks later, I received a reply which listed what you consider 
	your own accomplishments -- but did not answer my question.

	After watching Pelosi's performance in office, my question seems more 
	important than ever.

	Let's review some of the more important Pelosi actions over the last 
	year.  According to newspaper accounts, she promised the chairmanship 
	of the intelligence committee to Alcee Hastings, who was convicted of 
	a number of crimes by a congress controlled by the Democrats.  Pelosi 
	worked to make unindicted Abscam co-conspirator John Murtha majority 
	leader.  Pelosi accepted John Conyers as chairman of the judiciary 
	committee, just weeks after he had be been reproved by the House 
	ethics committee for abusing his staff and, apparently, breaking a 
	number of laws.

	Even worse than this acceptance of corruption at the highest level have  
	been her foreign policy mistakes.  She traveled to Damascus to kiss 
	the hand of the Syrian dictator, who is even now giving support to 
	those trying to kill American troops and murder innocent Iraqis.  (And 
	doing what he can to stifle democracy in Lebanon, something that ought 
	to bother members of the Democratic party.)  But she gave the 
	back of her hand to Colombian President Uribe, a friend of the 
	United States.

	Worst of all have been her efforts to force an American defeat in 
	Iraq.  And it is impossible for any reasonable person to conclude that 
	that is not her goal.  An American defeat in Iraq may please the 
	extremists of MoveOn, and similar organizations, but it would be a 
	disaster for this country, Iraq, and the world.  I can understand 
	why Al Qaeda wants us to fail in Iraq; I can not understand why so 
	many Democrats, including Pelosi, share that goal.

	Let me rephrase my question from last year:  Why did you vote to 
	make Nancy Pelosi speaker?   
	
	And if you continue to support her, I will have to conclude that you 
	find her tolerance of corruption acceptable, that you agree that we 
	should kiss up to anti-American dictators and disdain elected leaders 
	who want our friendship, and that you share her goal of an American 
	defeat in Iraq.

					Sincerely, 

					James R. Miller

	PS - To be fair to you, I should add that I have posted this letter 
	both at my own site, Jim Miller on Politics, and at Sound Politics, and 
	that I may post part or all of any reply that you make in the same places.

	I should also add that I intend to encourage other voters, and even 
	local journalists, to ask you this same question until we get an answer.
	

Cross posted at Jim Miller on Politics.

(My apologies to most commenters for closing this post. But there are some subjects that attract site pests, and I prefer not to babysit the post for the next day or so.)