Reid Remarks On Republicans’ Unrelenting Obstruction

“Over the past few months, I have spoken with Republicans who are fed up with the obstruction in this body. I have spoken with them in my office, on the Senate floor, in our cloakroom and on the phone.”

“It’s a shame that the Republican Leader has decided that being the ‘proud guardian of gridlock’ – his words, not mine – is more important than working with us to get things done for American families.”

Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor regarding Senate Republicans’ continued obstruction and the “proud guardian of gridlock” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Anyone who watches the Senate on CSPAN knows that the desks in the Senate chamber are split between Democrats and Republicans. But when I walk into the Senate chamber these days, I sometimes expect to see 3 sections of desks, for 3 separate parties: 55 Democrats, 6 or 7 Republicans on a good day, and close to 40 “Obstructionists.” I say that because there are currently 2 camps within the Senate Republican caucus: The legislators – Republicans who, like Senate Democrats, are tired of all the useless obstruction and want to get things done for Americans; and the Obstructionists – the “Guardians of Gridlock,” as the Republican Leader has proudly named himself – who are playing politics and constantly grinding the wheels of the Senate to a stop.

Over the past few months, I have spoken with Republicans who are fed up with the obstruction in this body. I have spoken with them in my office, on the Senate floor, in our cloakroom and on the phone. These Republicans always have this message for me: we came to the Senate to get things done, so let’s work together. And I am happy to work with them, as we did a few months ago with the Childcare and Development Block Grant. That is who I have always been in the chamber – even when I was Whip, my Republican colleagues knew I was someone they could work with to get things done.

It’s a shame that the Republican Leader has decided that being the “proud guardian of gridlock” – his words, not mine – is more important than working with us to get things done for American families. The Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill before the Senate is a perfect example. Senators Shaheen and Portman and their co-sponsors brought their bipartisan legislation to the Senate floor last September. Regrettably, a Republican Senator on a one-man crusade against health benefits for Senate staffers, filibustered the bill. But Senators Shaheen and Portman didn’t give up. Instead, they worked with Democrats and Republicans for 7 months to strengthen the bill, picking up more bipartisan support along the way. This legislation will give our country more energy independence, protect our environment, and save American families money on their energy bills. It also creates 200,000 American jobs.

With the legislation finalized, Senators Shaheen and Portman were ready to bring it back to the Senate floor. In anticipation of the bill’s consideration, Republicans who worked on Shaheen-Portman came to speak with me prior to the Easter recess. They told me that the bill, which now included 10 Republican-supported amendments, was ready for passage. They requested that I fill the legislative tree to ensure that the bill would pass. I repeat, Republican Senators, wanting to pass this bipartisan bill, asked me to bring the bill to a vote as soon as possible – as is. For those Republicans acting in good faith, passage of the energy efficiency legislation was the most important thing. Unfortunately, the obstructionist wing of the Republican caucus has decided once again to block the bill. But this time, it’s not the junior Senator from Louisiana bringing a bipartisan bill to a screeching halt – it’s the “guardian of gridlock” himself, the Republican Leader.

Senators Portman, Ayotte, Collins, Hoeven, Isakson, Murkowski and Wicker have done good work on this legislation. What a shame that they will see their efforts scrapped by the Republican Leader. But this isn’t the first time he’s steamrolled members of his own caucus. For example, the Senate considered a bipartisan transportation appropriations bill. Subcommittee Chairwoman Patty Murray and Ranking Member Susan Collins worked for months on that legislation. Notwithstanding the bipartisan support for the bill or Senator Collin’s hard work, the Republican Leader single-handedly dismantled the bill. And there are many, many other examples. After the legislation was blocked, the senior Senator from Maine was quoted as saying that she’d never seen the Republican Leader work so hard to defeat a member of his own caucus.

If my Republican counterpart wants to keep blocking his own Senators’ bipartisan efforts, go ahead – but it’s not good for the country. Eventually, members of his caucus will break from the gridlock to get their constituents the help they need – just as a handful of Republicans did with the recent extension of unemployment benefits. So I am appealing to the Republicans who want to get things done – help us. Work with us.

This is a good bill, and it deserves to pass. I invite my friend, the Republican Leader, to listen to the members of his caucus who have worked so hard on this legislation. I know back home in Kentucky, the Republican Leader recently said it wasn’t his job to create jobs, but most of us around here disagree with him and want to work to create jobs. And this bill creates 200,000 jobs. So I say to my friend from Kentucky, honor your members’ efforts, and the bipartisan compromise that created this legislation, and allow us to vote on Shaheen-Portman. Bring this unnecessary obstruction to an end today and pass this energy efficiency legislation. It’s what Democrats want. It’s what Republicans want. More importantly, it’s what the American people want and need.

"So I am appealing to the Republicans who want to get things done – help us. Work with us."

Will you walk into my parlor?” said the spider to the fly;

“‘Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.

The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,

And I have many curious things to show when you are there.”

“Oh no, no,” said the little fly; “to ask me is in vain,

For who goes up your winding stair can ne’er come down again.”

“I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high.

Will you rest upon my little bed?” said the spider to the fly.

“There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,

And if you like to rest a while, I’ll snugly tuck you in!”

“Oh no, no,” said the little fly, “for I’ve often heard it said,

They never, never wake again who sleep upon your bed!”

Said the cunning spider to the fly: “Dear friend, what can I do

To prove the warm affection I’ve always felt for you?

I have within my pantry good store of all that’s nice;

I’m sure you’re very welcome — will you please to take a slice?”

“Oh no, no,” said the little fly; “kind sir, that cannot be:

I’ve heard what’s in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!”

“Sweet creature!” said the spider, “you’re witty and you’re wise;

How handsome are your gauzy wings; how brilliant are your eyes!

I have a little looking-glass upon my parlor shelf;

If you’ll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.”

“I thank you gentle sir,” she said, “for what you’re pleased to say,

And, bidding you good-morning now, I’ll call another day.”

The spider turned him round about, and went into his den,

For well he knew the silly fly would soon come back again:

So he wove a subtle web in a little corner sly,

And set his table ready to dine upon the fly;

Then came out to his door again, and merrily did sing:

“Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with pearl and silver wing;

Your robes are green and purple; there’s a crest upon your head;

Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!”

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little fly,

Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;

With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,

Thinking only of her brilliant eyes and green and purple hue,

Thinking only of her crested head. Poor, foolish thing! at last

Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her fast;

He dragged her up his winding stair, into the dismal den --

Within his little parlor — but she ne’er came out again!

And now, dear little children, who may this story read,

To idle, silly, flattering words I pray you ne’er give heed;

Unto an evil counsellor close heart and ear and eye,

And take a lesson from this tale of the spider and the fly.

Stones;
“ Edit
“The Spider And The Fly” was written by Jagger, Mick / Richards, Keith.

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Sittin’, thinkin’, sinkin’, drinkin’,
Wonderin’ what I’d do when I’m through tonight.
Smokin’, mopin’, maybe just hopin’
Some little girl will pass on by.
I don’t wanna be alone but I love my girl at home
I remember what she said

She said, “My, my, my, don’t tell lies
Keep fidelity in your head.
My, my, my, don’t tell lies, when you’re done
You should go to bed.
Don’t say hi, like a spider to a fly
Jump right ahead and you’re dead”

Sit up, fed up, low down, go round,
Down to the bar at the place I’m at.
Sittin’ drinkin’, superficially thinkin’
About the rinsed-out blonde on my left.
Then I said, “Hi”, like the spider to a fly,
Remeberin’ what my little girl said.

She was common, flirty, she looked about thirty
I would have run away, but I was on my own.
She told me later, she was a machine operator
She said she liked the way I held the microphone.
I said, “My, my, like the spider to the fly
Jump right ahead in my web”.

Here you go:

May 08 2014
McConnell: ‘It’s time for the Senate to be the Senate again’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor calling on the Majority Leader to allow the Senate to function again through real debate and an open amendment process:

“The American people send us to Washington to debate serious issues. They expect us to take our jobs seriously and to develop effective solutions to the issues that matter to them.

“That’s our charge.

“And throughout our nation’s history, the Senate has been the place where the weightiest issues have been discussed and debated — and in many cases resolved.

“It’s where we wrestled with whether or not to go to war.

“It’s where we passed landmark bipartisan legislation like the Civil Rights Act, the G.I. Bill, and the Welfare Reform Act.

“But over the past several years, and very vividly in the past several months, that proud history has started to erode.

“Instead of a forum for debate and resolution of the most pressing domestic and international issues facing our nation, it’s become fodder for late-night TV. When the American people turn on C-SPAN these days, they don’t often see a Majority Party driving serious debate on the issues of the day. They hear bizarre monologues about greased pigs and a couple of Kansans the Majority Leader seems to see around every corner. They see a daily display of absurd political theater that has almost no relevance at all to their daily lives.

“It’s disgraceful.

“But it’s no surprise either, since the Democrat Majority clearly ran out of ideas a long time ago.

“Their refusal to engage in serious debate is just another symptom of that.

“Senate Democrats are afraid to expose their party’s empty playbook — so they play games instead.

“They fill the time with aimless diatribes against private citizens and legislative theatrics that are more about satisfying their liberal patrons than addressing the real concerns and anxieties of the American Middle Class.

“It’s all about revving up the Far Left for them so they’ll show up in November and save the President ’s Senate majority. That’s their hope at least.

“But the larger point is this: as Washington Democrats seek to preserve their hold on power, they’ve become increasingly untethered from the daily concerns of average Americans.

“That’s why you’re seeing the Senate lose its sense of purpose. And that’s why you’re not seeing any real debates.

“Instead of listening to the needs of the Middle Class, they dance to the tune of the Left.

“That’s why you see Senate Democrats pushing legislation that could cost up to a million jobs – at a time when the Middle Class is practically begging us to help create jobs.

“That’s why you see Senate Democrats basically boasting that their legislative agenda was drafted by campaign staffers with no shame at all.

“And that’s why you see Senate Democrats killing job creation bills the House sends us, without even so much as a vote.

“No wonder the American people are so disgusted with Washington.

“Wouldn’t you be?

“The Majority’s antics this week were particularly shameful.

“They shook their fists and declared that global warming was the most important issue of our age – that to stand in the way of their preferred solutions would be, at best, immoral.

“They shouted it from the rooftops – and, presumably, sent emails to Left-wing supporters to let them know just how serious they were and how Republicans were somehow holding things up.

“What they didn’t tell their supporters was that the Democrats’ own Majority Leader, who also spoke forcefully on the issue yesterday, has been blocking the Senate from voting on global warming legislation for years.

“Why?

“Because he doesn’t want his fellow Senate Democrats to have to take a tough vote – and because he knows it could never pass a chamber Democrats control anyway. Like I said, almost everything’s become a show in the Senate now.

“The needs of the Middle Class are simply lost in the shuffle. And the institution itself is trivialized. It’s diminished.

“The Senate used to be a place where we discussed the pressing issues of the day.

“We’d be able to do so again, if the Senate floor weren’t being used as a campaign studio.

“On Iran, Republicans have tried for months to debate and vote on additional sanctions to put an end to its nuclear program. We know that a huge bipartisan majority would vote for increased sanctions if the Majority Leader would only allow the bill to come to the floor. But he won’t.

“Just like he stopped us from voting to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline yesterday, resulting in headlines like this one from the AP: ‘Democratic leader blocks Senate vote on Keystone.’

“In fact, at a time when we should’ve been debating energy, the Majority Leader refused to allow a single Republican amendment on energy this week.

“As I’ve noted in recent days, the Republican-led House has offered Democrats 125 roll call votes on their amendments since last July. Here in the Senate, the Majority Leader has allowed us just 9.

“But let me put a finer point on that. Democrats in the House have received more than twice as many roll call votes on energy-related amendments alone as we have received on all amendments since July.

“That’s not the way this body was meant to function.

“And it’s disrespectful to the millions of American citizens represented on the Republican side of the aisle.

“They deserve a chance to be heard.

“The way the Senate operates these days is a travesty.

“No real debate, no amendments, and no respect for the millions of Americans represented by the minority party.

“It’s become an arm of the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee.

“We owe the American people so much better than that.

“It’s time to focus on the Middle Class again – to let go of the obsession with the Far Left and the next election. It’s time for the Senate to be the Senate again.”

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