Posted on 11/03/2010 1:19:46 PM PDT by jazusamo
The top three Senate Democrats said the onus was on the newly-strengthened GOP conference to cooperate on legislation next year.
Republicans picked up six Senate seats Tuesday night, not enough to take control of the chamber but the new numbers will make it harder for Democrats to get the necessary 60 votes to proceed on controversial legislation.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Democratic Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (N.Y.), in a conference call with reporters Wednesday, pledged to work with the Republicans but also emphasized the GOPs responsibility to not block legislation.
Reid, especially, renewed a threat he made before, that Republicans must stop obstructing and start cooperating. The majority leader, who survived a close re-election battle, said he spoke early Wednesday afternoon with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Republicans must take their responsibility to solve the problems of ordinary Americans, Reid said. Simply saying No, as weve had this past Congress wont bring jobs back. It wont strengthen the economy, and it wont help families who are struggling to make ends meet. No is not the answer. It has to be Yes. Not our Yes, but a combined Yes, something we work out a consensus Yes.
Playing to a draw in the United States Senate for political score is not acceptable to the American people, added Durbin. We need to work together. The Senate will be the crucible for some of the most important issues of our day.
Specifically, Schumer said the 112th Congress will focus on the middle class like a laser, and that he expects, as per tradition, Republicans will insist on tax cuts and Democrats will defend spending on infrastructure. However, Schumer also acknowledged Democrats dont have the monopoly on knowledge.
Asked about the lame-duck session scheduled to start on Nov. 15, Reid said a number of issues could be taken up and that he has begun talks with McConnell on the agenda.
Pointedly, however, Reid signaled that Democrats would likely vote against a wholesale extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts signed by President George W. Bush, which expire at the end of the year. Democrats would agree to extending the cuts for middle-class families, Reid said, but allowing them for wealthy Americans is not going to happen because it would cost $4 trillion.
President Obama has pressed for the cuts to be extended for families making $250,000 or less while Republicans want an across-the-board extension.
Pressed on how Congress could function in a divided state in 2011, with a Republican-controlled House and Democratic-controlled Senate, Reid repeated that the answer lies with GOP leaders.
When this government was set up in the 18th Century, they knew that there would be problems This has all happened before, he said. The message I repeat today is that the ball is in their court.
53 (seats), over my long time in the Senate, is a pretty good majority Were comfortable where we are, and we have made the message very clear that we want to work with Republicans. If theyre unwilling to work with us, theres not a thing we can do about that, but the American people can see that like a very slow curve ball.
The Senate will have some new members in the lame duck. The winners of contests in Delaware, West Virginia and Illinois will be sworn-in immediately. Democrats held two of the seats with Chris Coons (D) winning in Delaware and Joe Manchin (D) winning in West Virginia, but Republicans took Illinois. Rep. Mark Kirk (R) won that seat.
FUHR.MUHR.
Right back at ya dirty slimeball harry. If there is something that the people agree with, then the Republicans can work together. If the public does not agree, then the Republicans must stop the legislation any way possible.
Gridlock is better than going off the cliff.
Pre-emptive propaganda.
This is a strong indicator of the line of propaganda and smears the rats will follow for the next two years: “The Republicans are blocking important legislation to help the American people.”
Just as schmucky schumer did in W’s last term, Republicans need to place a halt to any new judge hearings in the next two years of the dumbass administration.
“I was thinking today.....I may have to change my handle.”
I wouldn’t. It is a great reminder of what happens when the repubs forget their principles.
F**K YOU Harry
Hey, Harry. Don’t talk to much! Your neck twaddle flaps in the breeze and it really, really makes you look like a skinny chicken.
I don’t think it would have mattered who ran against Reid, he is so corrupt and connected he would have found a way to win no matter what. I was there at the showdown in Searchlight and one of the local conservative politico’s made it clear, no matter how bad it looks for Reid, he is going to be very hard to beat because he is one mean and nasty junkyard dog. I shrugged it off at the time amidst the Tea Party crowd bashing Reid and having high hopes of his dismissal, but it looks like he was absolutely right.
I don’t use that implied gesture, but I did try the pose to see if it’s more comfortable than using the index and middle fingers, as most people would. It certainly wasn’t for me. I can only surmise that it’s a deliberate “pose” meant as a silent but graphic insult.
It's the Senate Democrats who will have to work with House Republicans from now on.
-PJ
Reid you cheated to win in NV. Get lost.
Reid is a complete jackass, so it’s great for the GOP that he remains the Dem’s figurehead in the Senate for the next 2 years.
That's exactly right. Waste no time letting them know that we will hold them accountable for not listening to the people and that now is not a good time to antagonize their constituents. I think there are something like 23 Dem seats up in 2012, and we are ready to go after all of them.
Uhh, do Reid and Schumer know that the Republicans were voted in precisely to block legislation? ...especially socialist and Marxist policies.
“With yesterdays elections the American people proved they want congress to change course. I sincerely hope Reid doesn’t get that.
22 democrat senate seats will be up for grabs in 2012. Compare that to the only 10 for the Republicans. Please Reid, piss off the American people more.”
Hear, hear! And send Obama out to save them...
The breathtaking arrogance of the left. But then, why not?? They are USED to spineless sell-outs like McCain, Grahamnesty, Snowe, Collins and others in the senate.
:^P
The hell to pay because nobody will go to vegas anymore other than union conventions and government retreats, that Harry's ticket will be punched just before sunrise somewhere out in the Vegas dessert foothills.
Today's stolen election comes at a price, which will be paid rather shortly.
Question to all. Ethics Committee; who will be running that?
for halting legislation. The fascists still don't understand what hit them and realize that the same wave is going to back over them on the way to 2012 and run over them again in 2012. People are fed up with more and more and more legislation when no one even knows what's already on the books or even what's in the bills they're voting on. If the Republicans just demand that every bill be read aloud with questions allowed after each provision of the bill is read there won't be any legislation passed until 2012 anyway.
These fascist idiots think that churning out more unreasonable, unconstitutional, special interest, crap is the same thing as doing their job of representing their constituents. It's NOT. Republicans should insist that ten things be repealed for every new one thing proposed. And before even talking about legislation, demand that the EPA be abolished. The House should defund it and refuse to include it in a budget. Let the Senate and their daddy B arry S oetoro scream, yell, shut down the government, wet themselves, and anything else they want to do. Tough turkey.
OK, I feel better now.
Regards
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