Does anyone have the transcript of DeMint's reponse to Reid's "prebuttal" from yesterday? I heard it was destined to be a classic ala Zell Miller.
Check with AliVeritas, I think he was going after it yesterday on another thread. Any running total of the vote?
Mr. DeMINT. Mr. President, today the Democratic leader, Harry Reid, gave what was billed as a ``prebuttal'' to the President's upcoming State of the Union Address.I am, frankly, astounded that he would criticize a speech so harshly that has not even been given yet.
I will let the President speak for himself when he addresses the Nation tomorrow night, but this misleading partisan rhetoric put forth on this floor by the Senator from Nevada cannot go unanswered, rhetoric which, unfortunately, further proves Democrats will say anything but do nothing.
Today, we heard many of the same tired cliches from the minority leader. He talks about a credibility gap. Well, the largest credibility gap in American politics is between what Democrats say and what they do. Democrats promised months ago to bring forth their own legislative agenda, but the Nation is still waiting. Day after day, the Democrats launch attack after attack on Republicans and our agenda, but how are we to take them seriously when they cannot articulate a clear plan of their own? They will say anything to get a media sound bite, but when it comes to solving today's challenges, Democrats do nothing.
It has been 4 years since 9/11, and after all their rock-throwing, Democrats still have no plan for victory in the war on terror. In fact, they have undermined the war effort with partisan attacks on the President.
They have complained about the economy since President Bush took office, but almost everything they do makes it harder for American businesses to compete.
Democrats spent the last year criticizing Republican efforts to strengthen Social Security but still offer nothing to fix this system in crisis. They even refuse to guarantee benefits for today's seniors and blocked a bill that would have stopped Congress from spending Social Security dollars on other Government programs.
They have decried looming deficits but offer no map to a balanced budget, instead calling for higher taxes and more spending programs.
How are we to take seriously a party that has no legislative agenda, that has no solutions or ideas to solve America's greatest challenges?
In stark contrast to the Democrats' invisible agenda, Republicans have clearly articulated and delivered a bold agenda to secure America's future. And while we have had some victories in recent years, the truth is that Democrats have fought bitterly to block progress for America every step of the way. Then these same Democrats come to this floor and blame inaction on Republicans.
To give just one example, Republicans have been working for decades to secure America's energy independence. However, Democrats, at the behest of extreme environmental activists, oppose real solutions to high energy prices such as increasing production of domestic oil and natural gas supplies and removing barriers to oil refinery investment such as onerous permitting requirements and a proliferation of boutique fuel blends.
Just last month, Democrats blocked energy exploration and production on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge which would provide millions of barrels of oil a day, or about 4.5 percent of the current U.S. consumption, with no significant environmental impact.
It is not just in Alaska where Democrats oppose efforts to access our Nation's energy resources. It has been estimated that enough natural gas lies under the Outer Continental Shelf and in the interior Western States to supply 27 years' worth of natural gas consumption, the primary fuel used to heat Americans' homes. Yet Democrats support policies that have closed these areas to exploration and production.
The administration has attempted to cut regulatory redtape, reduce regulatory costs, and streamline regulatory processes to allow more sensible use of the Nation's energy resources, while maintaining environmental standards--efforts that have been largely rebuffed by Democrats in Congress.
The obstacle to America's energy independence is clear: it is the blockade formed by the Democratic Party. In seeking to appease far-left interest groups, Democrats have blocked Republican efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and have needlessly allowed energy prices to climb higher and higher for America's families.
Senator Reid likes to say Democrats can do better. I think he is right, Democrats should do better. They have been conducting a war of rhetoric for years without offering anything positive to the public debate. Americans are rightly frustrated with a Democratic Party that will say anything but do nothing.
Now let me address what has become the favorite sound bite of the Democratic Party. Senator Reid said it today and many times over the last week, what he likes to call the ``culture of corruption.'' Apparently, Democrats believe this media strategy will carry them to a sweeping electoral victory in November. I have news for my Democratic colleagues: The problem of outside influence on Congress is not a partisan issue. This is a bipartisan problem and requires a bipartisan solution.
For those hoping to usher in a new Democratic majority in Congress on a media sound bite, history teaches us that elections are won on ideas, not rhetoric. Americans are far too smart and today's challenges are far too serious for Democrats to expect they can coast to a victory in November with no solutions and no ideas.
Republicans learned this lesson long ago from one of our greatest teachers, Ronald Reagan. President Reagan always talked about ideas that still resonate with Americans today: limited government, personal freedom and responsibility, and peace through strength.
Republicans did not win on rhetoric in 1994. We won because Americans agreed with our solutions: lower taxes, fiscal responsibility, traditional values, and strong national defense.
President Bush has connected with the American people because he has run his campaigns on ideas. He promised to lower taxes, and he has. He promised to aggressively fight the war on terror to protect American families, and he has. He promised to nominate judges who will follow the law instead of creating it, and he has.
Yet, as Senator Reid demonstrated today, Democrats still do not understand that Americans want solutions, not more partisan rhetoric. I know there are some Democrats who do have some good ideas and desire to work together to improve the lives of Americans. I have talked to many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who do seem to understand the reality, but their leadership refuses to allow them to break from the party line.
I urge the Democratic Party to think long and hard about the war of rhetoric they are waging. It is poisoning the atmosphere in the Senate, and it is turning off Americans from the public debate. The consequences of these actions will be fewer and fewer Democrats returning next year. This has been proved out during the last elections, as I and my fellow freshman Republican Senators can testify.
If Democrats sincerely want the opportunity to govern again, they need to abandon this ``say anything, do nothing'' stance and put forward some ideas and solutions. Regardless, the Republican Party will not wait around. We will continue to secure America's future with a bold, positive agenda.