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Nancy Pelosi, a lion of the Democratic Party and one of the most storied deal-makers and leaders in Washington, is finally stepping down after four decades in Congress. When her term ends in 2027, she will finally retire at the age of 86.

It is well past time. But hopefully other lawmakers will learn from Pelosi’s remarkable career – lessons in how to effectively wield power, but also in pitfalls to avoid: namely, that even the appearance of using the office for personal gain loses public trust, and staying on too long loses the party power.

Pelosi’s life is nothing short of incredible. She raised five children and worked in Democratic politics long before it was

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