San Francisco Democrat Nancy Pelosi says she has no regrets about her four year reign as the most powerful woman in the United States. Tuesday was her last day as Speaker of the House.
"We have no regrets," Pelosi said. "This administration and this Congress inherited a near-depression. And so the initiatives that we took were positive for the American people."
During her final news conference as speaker she took the time to call Republicans hypocrites for trying to repeal the health care overhaul bill, but she also said she would work tenaciously in her new role.
"When our Republican colleagues have positive solutions, again, they will have a willing partner in solving the problems of the American people," Pelosi said.
On Wednesday, Ohio's John Boehner will be sworn in as the new Speaker of the House and Pelosi will be demoted to minority leader.
Much has been written about Pelosi's loss of power, but she is losing some nice perks as well.
Since Jan. 4, 2007 she has been second in line to become President of the United States, after the Vice President. With that came full access to a military plane for her travels if she choose to use it. Prop Zero's Larry Gerston says the speaker must have ongoing access to intelligence and other sensitive issues and be protected in case anything happens to the president and VP.
She also will lose her security detail, which could be seen on occasion flanking her every move (on foot and on wheels) during visits home to the City.
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Pelosi will also lose some coin from the demotion. The Speaker of the House makes more than the regular members of Congress with an annual salary of $223,500. As minority leader she will now make $193,400.
And she will no longer get the good seat during the president's State of the Union speeches. Instead of sitting directly behind Barack Obama later this month, she will have to join the rest of her colleagues in the gallery.
Finally, and Pelosi may see this as a positive, she will probably be less of a figure in SNL skits. For the past several seasons Pelosi has provided a lot of comic relief for Lorne Michaels and his crew.
