Staff Reports
In a curious twist for someone keen on protesting monarch-like power, Nancy Pelosi shared a video titled “No Kings,” adding a dash of performance art to the political discourse. This message might have seemed sharper had the visuals landed as intended. Instead, viewers witnessed what could only be described as an unintended metaphor: Pelosi struggling to break a flimsy plastic crown. The video had to employ some crafty editing magic to simulate the desired snapping effect. Perhaps the crown—and the metaphor—was sturdier than anticipated.
Then came the royal decree: comments on the post were disabled, effectively silencing the public. This move resembled more a monarch’s decree of “Let them eat cake” than a demonstration of democratic openness. Might one suggest that this is the digital equivalent of hushing the peasants and reminding them that certain conversations are simply not open for debate? For someone decrying the metaphorical crown, it sure looked like Pelosi was still wearing one herself, complete with all the regal trappings.
She’s no stranger to power or wealth, and her background tells a tale fit for a royal lineage. Pelosi hails from a family with deep political roots; her father was a political heavyweight in Baltimore. Despite a salary that wouldn’t place her in the upper echelons of the rich and famous, Pelosi’s net worth has ballooned to an eye-watering $270 million. Some wonder if she’s mastered alchemy or if her fortunes come from a rather different kind of magic, one that’s more Wall Street than Harry Potter.
In her nearly four decades in Congress, Pelosi has become somewhat of a political monarch herself. The U.S. Congress, it seems, substitutes tenure for lineage, allowing certain politicians to hold sway indefinitely. This long reign is quite a feat, considering the average English monarch usually ruled for over 20 years. By that measure, Pelosi has served not one, but essentially two full royal terms.
While Donald Trump held office for a mere four years, Pelosi’s lengthy service begs the question: who’s the real political royal in this story? The answer might be different depending on who you ask. Yet the optics of this video—and the silence that followed—seem like the biggest self-own of them all. It’s a moment that Nancy may prefer to fade quietly into the annals of political mishaps, crown intact and all.
