Posted on 07/30/2011 2:23:05 PM PDT by mdittmar
Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the only viable debt ceiling compromise to avert a default. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:
Republicans leaders in the House of Representatives wasted this week pursuing a right-wing proposal they knew from the start could not pass the Senate.
From the very beginning the Speaker’s Band-Aid approach was fatally flawed – it would have put us back in this incredible position, fighting the clock to prevent financial collapse, in just a few weeks.
It was a concession to Tea Party extremists, yet it barely passed the House yesterday with only Republican votes. And it failed on a bipartisan basis last night in the Senate.
But knowing all along that this radical legislation – which was neither balanced nor bipartisan – would not and could not pass in our chamber, Democrats have been working on a true compromise in the Senate.
We have solicited ideas from our Republican friends and colleagues. Let it never be said that Democrats in the Senate were afraid to compromise. We welcome it.
As recently as yesterday morning I asked my friend, the Senate Minority Leader, to help make this Senate compromise more palatable to Republicans. Yet we have heard nothing from the Republican leader.
My friend, Sen. McConnell, did not answer the call to negotiate yesterday or any other day this week. He did not come to the table on behalf of his caucus with ideas to improve a proposal already cut from Republican cloth.
But Democrats are still willing to sit down and negotiate. My door is still open.
I appreciate that several of my Republican colleagues have reached out to me over the last few hours, hoping to reach a compromise. Senate Democrats welcome their input and look forward to working with them on a path forward.
But my friend, the Republican leader of the Senate, must come forward as well.
The two parties must work together to forge an agreement that preserves this nation’s economy. We will need the help of reasonable Republicans – including Sen. McConnell – to get this done.
But unbelievably, another filibuster stands in our path.
The Republican filibuster has become routine. From the smallest measure to the greatest matter of national importance, they stall and delay and use every procedural trick in the book to keep this body from doing its job.
But a filibuster at this late hour, and when so much is at risk, is irresponsible. It puts our economy at risk.
A majority vote was good enough for the Speaker’s proposal in the House of Representatives yesterday, but Republicans believe it isn’t good enough for the Senate today.
Rather than filibuster, I ask that my Republican colleagues work with Democrats to make our proposal better.
We have offered a reasonable, rational way for Republicans to help us avert default. Let me tell you about it.
This amendment was written by Democrats with both parties’ principles in mind. It would:
We have made several changes to make this proposition amenable to our Republican colleagues. We have:
This proposal also protects Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits. But as you can see, this amendment was designed to appeal to our Republican colleagues as well as to Democrats.
As I said, we are willing to listen to ideas from the other side to make this proposal better. But time is short.
Already the economy has gone from bad to worse. Stocks continued a weeklong slide yesterday.
I know my Republican colleagues love this country. I believe they want to do what is best for our economy.
That is why together we must avert a default that would jeopardize veterans’ benefits, seniors’ Social Security payments and checks for troops on the front lines. It would also effectively raise taxes on every American family and business, increasing the cost of everything from groceries to the mortgage.
And so I urge them to join me to move forward the only true compromise plan left – in fact, the only option left at all – to save this country from default.
and “for the good of the children”. People from Nevada should be ashamed of themselves for Harry Reid.
Screwim.
We are not afraid.
Only one option, Harry???
SHUT THE BEAST DOWN!!!!
I knew assholes could fart, but I didn’t know they could talk! Dingy Harry! A crook, a criminal, a racist, a commie. What a POS!
Why can’t the Democrats work with the Republicans?
Dems dont pay taxes.
Republicans do.
14T/ 155 million that pay tax is 92,000 dollars owed by each of us.
Your kids each owe 92K. Even if they have yet to complete Kindergarten!
This does not take into account the proposed 10% raise in debt and our annual tax obligations.
THERE IS NO MORE MONEY.
Life as Nancy knows and wants it must end.
Balanced Budget- Flat Tax.
Threats of “do what we on the Left wants or else the country’s economic health gets it”!
If the treasonous b’stards start a free-fall in the economy, events will rapidly get out of control.
the obamanation of desolation.
When is someone going to call him on the “default” lie?
This jackass thinks he is almost as big a dictator as 0bama thinks he himself is.
screw it, just shut the full of fat and pork federal gub mint down.
60 percent of it is worthless anyway.
Man, just think of it. O, Harry and Nancy stand poised to destroy the capitalist economy, plunge 3/4 of the population into dependency on government, wipe out all retirement savings and investments, raise taxes on those not dependent, and all this will be blamed on the “terrorist” Republicans. If you’re a progressive, it doesn’t get any better than this.
How about Democrats, you HAVE TO OBEY WE THE PEOPLE. Your freewheeling spend as if there is no tomorrow days are OVER.
Your being stingy with the numbers.
I vote for default!!!!!!
Thanks, I needed a laugh. Great description of the creepy Reid.
Hey, Old Harry, Ya mean like you did when George Bush wanted to put well qualified minorities on appeals courts? Do the names Antonio Gonzalez or Janet Rogers Brown mean anything to you?
What a miserable, pious old bitch Reid is, prattling on and on about compromise and unity while calling `right-wing` this and `refused to compromise` that. What an old queen, whining and wagging his hloier-than-thou Mormon finger at us eeeevil rightwingers. Despicable rancid old goat. Sorry I can`t be any more substantive, I just can`t stand this faded old gasbag when he gets up there looking so put-upon by `my friend`. We really need to get these old, old fools out of DC. I couldn`t give a rat`s ass about the famed congeniality in the senate, all friendly with each other while they spend our money. Reid would be just another doddering old fool if he weren`t politically connected and could gain power using OUR resources.What a pile of babbling bones—go away already!
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