Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was recently called out for her “elite” views during a debate at the prestigious Oxford Union in the UK. The topic of the debate was whether populism is a threat to democracy, and Pelosi, a ‘devout Catholic’, argued that it is.
She claimed that there are Americans who refuse to accept the answers given by Democrats on issues like guns, gays, and God simply because of their beliefs. This elitist attitude is not only condescending, but it also shows a clear disconnect between Pelosi and the American people.
Thankfully, musician Winston Marshall, known for being a part of the band Mumford and Sons and hosting a podcast for The Spectator, spoke out against Pelosi’s position. He pointed out that the term “populism” has been twisted and used as a slur by elites to show their contempt for ordinary people.
“‘Populism’ has become a word used synonymously with ‘racist.’ We’ve heard ‘ethno-nationalist,’ we have ‘bigot,’ we have ‘hillbilly,’ ‘redneck,’ we have ‘deplorable,’” Marshall said.
“Elites use it to show their contempt for ordinary people,” Marshall said.
Marshall highlighted the double standard in how the term is used, referencing a 2016 speech by former President Barack Obama, where he argued against calling Trump a populist. However, now the term is used interchangeably with “strong man” or “authoritarian” by Obama and other elites.
“If anything, Obama argued that he was the populist. If anything, Obama argued that Bernie was the populist,” he said. “Something curious happens. If you watch Obama’s speeches after that point, more and more recently, he uses the word ‘populist’ interchangeably with ‘strong man,’ ‘authoritarian.’ The word changes meaning. It becomes a negative, a pejorative, a slur.”
Marshall also pointed out that the real threat to democracy comes from the elites in power. He called out Pelosi for claiming there is no equivalence between the Capitol riots on January 6 and the months-long riots in Portland by radical progressives. He reminded Pelosi that all political movements are susceptible to violence and that populism is not a threat to democracy but rather to democracy itself.
Marshall also took aim at the mainstream media and social media companies, both of which have been actively censoring and suppressing conservative voices. He pointed out that if Democrats had focused on delivering for the American people instead of attacking Trump for four years, he wouldn’t even have a chance in the 2024 election.
Pelosi, on the other hand, continuously promoted the false narrative that the 2016 election was “hijacked,” even though she acknowledged that it was legitimate. She also failed to address the rampant voter suppression by her own party and their resistance to passing voter ID laws.
Pelosi’s elitist and dismissive attitude towards populism is not only disrespectful, but it also shows just how detached she is from the concerns and beliefs of the American people. Pelosi should listen to the voices of the people and work towards delivering for them, rather than pushing her own personal agenda.
