“In America, capitalism is our system…but it has not served our economy as well as it should,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Friday during an event at Chatham House in London. “What we want to do is not depart from it, but to improve it…You cannot have a system where the success of some springs from the exploitation of the workers and springs from the exploitation of the environment and the rest.”
While Pelosi refrained from using the word “socialism,” her references to exploited workers and environmental damage are an obvious appeal to progressive Democrats (who are really just socialists by another name). Indeed, Pelosi was asked just days before her trip to London how the Democratic Party plans to inspire young progressives calling for an economic shift to the Left.
The question was poised during a CNN Town Hall by Trevor Hill, a sophomore at New York University who had been instructed by the network not to ask the question.
“My experience is that the younger generation is moving left on economic issues,” said Hill, citing a Harvard poll in which 51% of respondents aged 18-29 said they no longer support capitalism. “I’ve been so excited to see how Democrats have moved left on social issues…but I wonder if there’s anywhere you feel that the Democrats could move further left to a more populous message?… If you think we could make a more stark contrast to right-wing economics?”
Pelosi, who appeared startled by the question, responded to Hill by standing up and saying: “We’re capitalists and that’s just the way it is. However, we do think that capitalism is not necessarily meeting the needs with the income inequality that we have in our country.”
Nancy Pelosi is currently in the United Kingdom to participate in the G7 Heads of Parliament Conference in Chorley, England. The theme of the event is “Open vs. Secure Parliaments.” As stated on her personal website, Pelosi’s presentation will focus on green energy initiatives.
Author’s Note: Though she may pussyfoot around the issue to save face, Pelosi clearly opposes capitalism and sympathizes with the young leftists who are pushing for a more socialist economy.
Sources:
Pelosi town hall question on capitalism wasn’t planned: report
Speaker Pelosi: Capitalism Has Not Served Our Economy as Well as It Could
Pelosi to Participate in G7 Speakers’ Meeting in the United Kingdom