Harry Reid Vs the Neoconservatives

Harry Reid takes to the Senate floor to point out how neoconservatives have been wrong on Iraq.

Money quote:

Reid: Being on the wrong side of Dick Cheney is being on the right side of history.

Amen.

Quote of the Day

"If I didn't care so much about our country, I would hope he will get the Republican nomination for president, because that would be the end of the Republican Party."

Sen. Harry Reid

Quote of the Day

"We just both came to the conclusion that the time had ended to be taken in by these crazy people."

Sen. Harry Reid

Reid and President Barack Obama realized that it was impossible to be reasonable with Congressional Republicans. They came to this conclusion during a July White House meeting. This meeting informed their strategy during the federal government shutdown.

No Love For John Boehner

Pandering to the tea party and not standing up to Ted Cruz has not paid off for House Speaker John Boehner. A new CNN poll shows Boehner's unfavorable rating hitting 55 percent. Members of Congress usually don't poll well under the best circumstances. However, this is painful for Boehner.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi saw their unfavorable ratings go down. Reid had an unfavorable rating of 45 percent in September. This month Reid unfavorable rating went down to 40 percent. Pelosi's unfavorable rating went from 51 percent in September to 47 percent in October.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell weathered the government shutdown better than Boehner. McConnell's unfavorable rating went from 39 percent to 42 percent. McConnell is up for re-election in 2014. He is probably grateful he didn't have as high a public profile in the shutdown as Boehner.

The CNN poll shows the Republican Party with an unfavorable rating of 64 percent. The tea party has an unfavorable rating of 56 percent. Ted Cruz and the tea party is sinking the Republican brand. What is problematic for the Republican establishment is Sen. Ted Cruz promising another government shutdown.

“I would do anything, and I will continue to do anything I can, to stop the train wreck that is Obamacare,” Cruz said when asked by ABC News’ Jon Karl whether he would rule out another shutdown. “The test that matters Jon, is are we doing anything for all the people that are getting hurt from Obamacare?”

More Do Nothing Congress

Sen. Harry Reid calls out House Republicans for being a do nothing Congress. Reid notes that House Republicans failed at their goals of passing repeals to laws they hate.

“House Republicans are failing even by their own metric. They’ve replaced virtually nothing. So by the speaker’s own admission, they’re not getting anything passed and by his own analysis, they’re getting nothing repealed,” Reid said. “So they’re doing nothing.”

Speaker Boehner has scheduled the hard-working House of Representatives to work nine days in September. What a joke.

Mitch McConnell's Hysterical Threat

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says that if Majority Leader Leader Harry Reid goes nuclear on presidential nominations.

“There not a doubt in my mind that if the majority breaks the rules of the Senate to change the rules of the Senate with regard to nominations, the next majority will do it for everything,” McConnell said on the floor.

McConnell already requires that all legislation, amendments and nomination pass the 60 vote threshold. McConnell is threatening to do what he already does for all votes. McConnell hysterically filibustered his own.

Democratic Whip Dick Durbin made this comment on McConnell filibustering his own legislation.

“This may be a moment in Senate history when a senator … filibustered his own proposal,” he said. “I don’t think this has ever happened before.”

McConnell's threat should not be taken seriously. McConnell will punish the Democrats, if Republicans win back the Senate. The nuclear option will not sway McConell from blocking Democratic legislation.

The Benchwarmers

People wonder why Majority Leader Harry Reid did not push for real filibuster reform. The same reason why House Speaker John Boehner's 112th Congress passed the lowest amount of bills since the 1940s. It goes beyond ideology and partisnship. Congress doesn't want to have to have tough votes on the roll call. Political cowardness trumps politics.

Remember the vote for the Iraq Resolution. The legislation was based on fiction.

Whereas the United States is determined to prosecute the war on terrorism and Iraq’s ongoing support for international terrorist groups combined with its development of weapons of mass destruction in direct violation of its obligations under the 1991 cease-fire and other United Nations Security Council resolutions make clear that it is in the national security interests of the United States and in furtherance of the war on terrorism that all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions be enforced, including through the use of force if necessary;

Whereas Congress has taken steps to pursue vigorously the war on terrorism through the provision of authorities and funding requested by the President to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized,

committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such persons or organizations; Whereas the President and Congress are determined to continue to take all appropriate actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such persons or organizations;

Whereas the President has authority under the Constitution to take action in order to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States, as Congress recognized in the joint resolution on Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107–40); a

Whereas it is in the national security interests of the United States to restore international peace and security to the Persian Gulf region: Now, therefore, be it

The kicker is Congress never declared war. The Constitution clearly states only Congress has the power "to declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water." Congress gave Bush the power to decide if he wanted to invade Iraq.

(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to— (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant

Senators like John Kerry tried to escape responsibility for their votes.

"We should not have gone to war knowing the information that we know today," Kerry said Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America." "Knowing there was no imminent threat to America, knowing there were no weapons of mass destruction, knowing there was no connection of Saddam Hussein to al Qaeda, I would not have gone to war. That's plain and simple."

That is what Senate hearings are for. Don't give President Bush a blank check and expect him not to use it.

Harry Reid is doing everything in his power to avoid gun control legislation. Reid will likely use the excuse that his caucus doesn't support the legistation. This will save Democrats and Republicans from having to vote. Their is bipartisan support in ducking gun control.

“Something will happen. The question is what,” says one senior Hill aide. “What matters to Reid is trying to protect his caucus. I don’t think he is going to want to put Democrats in conservative-leaning states taking votes on something that won’t have a clear pathway to success.”

Sen. Marco Rubio said Congress is too busy to take on gun control. This is coming from the same man that never introduced his immigration bill because he went on a book tour.

Congress can't get anything done because they have no desire to. We don't have elected leaders. WE have benchwarmers collecting a government paycheck.

Harry Reid Calls For End on Susan Rice Attacks

Sen. John McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham are going off into conspiracy land with their attacks on Susan Rice. Sen. Harry Reid has had enough. Reid sent out this press release.

The personal attacks against Ambassador Rice by certain Republican senators have been outrageous and utterly unmoored from facts and reality. I am shocked that senators would continue these attacks even when the evidence—including disclosures from the intelligence community about the information she presented —have made it clear that the allegations against Ambassador Rice are baseless, and that she has done absolutely nothing wrong.

Ambassador Rice’s service as United States Ambassador to the United Nations has been impeccable. She has answered all questions raised in relation to the Benghazi attacks completely and repeatedly. The Senate committees of jurisdiction are in the midst of examining the events leading up to the Benghazi attacks, and I agree with those— including the ranking Republican members of both the Intelligence and Homeland Security committees—who have said we should let the committees do their work. There should be no place for such blatant partisanship in oversight of our nation’s intelligence community.

The election is over. It is time to drop these partisan political games, and focus our attention on the real challenges facing us as a nation.

I'm a progressive that would have no problem if President Obama showed Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner or Attorney General Eric Holder the door. Rice was not in charge of security of the Benghazi consulate. The CIA approved the talking points Rice used that McCain and Graham ha e taken issue with. The consulate of under Sec. of State Hillary Clinton's duties. NcCain a.d Graham do not want to pick a fight with Obama's most popular cabinet member. The fact that they targeted a black woman says much about their true motives.

Write A Caption: Harry Reid & Mitch McConnell

This isn't the first time Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell wore matching outfits.

Write A Caption: McConnell & Reid

Smiles were shared by all after Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid learned they were twin brothers.

Team Obama Opposed Elizabeth Warren Nomination

I like to see how Obamabots frame this. Huffington Post reporter
Shahien Nasiripour cites sources that the Obama administration never had any intention of nominating Elizabeth Warren for the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. In 2010, Sen. Bernie Sanders asked President Barack Obama if would nominate Warren.

Last summer, during a White House meeting with first-term Senate Democrats, Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, asked Obama whether he'd nominate Warren for the role.

Obama held up a half-full glass of water and told him: "That's the problem with you progressives. You see this as half-empty."

Obama's tone towards Sanders makes it obvious that the president does not view himself as a progressive. Wall Street got a bailout. Americans are being foreclosed upon through illegal means. The President campaigned on change and gets pissed when people call him out for protecting the dysfunctional financial system.

Rahm Emanuel made it clear that he did not want Warren confirmed.

Last July, the night before a Senate vote on the administration-backed bill to reform financial regulation, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) told reporters that he was still unsure how he’d vote and was concerned about who might be named to run the soon-to-be-created consumer unit.

Hearing the news, Emanuel took the temperature of the administration on Warren's nomination and reported back to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that it was cool, according to Senate sources with knowledge of the call.

“We don’t like her either,” the then-White House chief of staff told the Nevada Democrat.

Ben Nelson's lack of support was unsurprising. Chris Dodd. Part of Dodd's problem was Warren publicly pushed back against Dodd to not soften the financial reform bill. Dodd was obsessed with getting bipartisan support for a financial reform bill that no Republican had any intention of voting for. What is it about Beltway Democrats that are obsessed with bipartisanship?

Treasury Sec. Tim Geithner is pro-corporatist. It wasn't surprising that he didn't support Warren's nomination. Warren also took Geithner to task for not knowing where money for credit default swaps went. AIG sold swaps and then couldn't cover the bets when the market crashed.

Reid to Force Vote on Ryan Bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will allow a vote on the Paul Ryan budget.

“There will be an opportunity in the Senate to vote on the Ryan budget to see if Republican senators like the Ryan budget as much as the House did,” Reid said today. “Without going into the Ryan budget we will see how much the Republicans like it here in the Senate.”

Reid knows that Republicans do not have enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill. Reid is forcing the vote to put Senate Republicans in the position of either pissing off the tea party or alienating voters in both parties that support Medicare. Voters tend to run from conservative government once they see the policies.

Obama Ready to Cave On Bush Tax Cuts

According to Politico, Nancy Pelosi told Obama House Democrats will not back tax cuts for those earning over $250,000. Obama know Reid backs extending all the Bush tax cuts. Obama told Reid, in front of Pelosi, to work on his own tax cut package. Short answer: Obama caved on high end tax cuts that poll badly with the American people.

Tim Geithner and Lawrence Summers were at the meeting with Obama, Pelosi and Reid. Want to take a wild guess on if they support extending the Bush tax cuts for those making above $250,000?

A CBS News poll found 56 percent support letting the tax cuts for $250,000 and above earners expire. A NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll gave respondents four choices. Letting tax cuts for top earners was the most popular choice.

Eliminate all the tax cuts permanently: 10

Eliminate the tax cuts for those earning more than $250,000 per year, but keep them for those earning less than that: 39

Keep in place all the tax cuts for everyone for another year to three years: 23

Keep in place the tax cuts for everyone permanently: 23

This maintains my premise that Obama is not a policy wonk. The deficit commission was merely a bad dog and pony show. Obama used the defict commission so he could make claims of being bipartisan and and wanting to reduce the deficit. Obama's deficit commission reads like a horrible policy paper from the Cato Institute. (I should know since I have forced myself to read too many nutty papers.) Obama can't truly be interested in reducing the deficit if he allows the tax cuts for top earners to continue.

Update: Greg Sargent reports that Steny Hoyer backs holding a vote extending tax cuts for the middle class during the lame duck session. Ways and Means Committee chairman David Camp plans to block a middle class-only tax cut vote. It would be political suicide for Republicans to vote for tax cuts for the rich and then say they are doing this to jump start the economy. House Democrats understand this is good politics. Obama either doesn't understand the politics or silently backs tax cuts for top earners.

Update: this chart created by the Washington Post illustrates the stark differences between the Republican and House Democratic tax proposals. The bigger the dot the bigger the tax cut.

Senate DEMs v. EPA

Change you can believe in: Sen. Harry Reid and Jay Rockefeller are working on getting the votes needed to delay the Environmental Protection Agency's climate regulations for two years.

A vote on Rockefeller's plan would be merely symbolic as the Democrat controlled House has no plans to take up this measure, which also faces an insurmountable veto threat by the White House.

Rockefeller's reasoning for the lame duck session vote is so Republicans in the next Congress don't go for further than two years. This makes no sense whatsoever. All this vote accomplishes is getting Senate Democrats on-record voting against curbing greenhouse emissions. Reid will still be majority leader in the next Congress. If Reid was a real leader he would keep his caucus in line. What Reid and Rockefeller are signaling to House Republicans is the Senate Democrats can be rolled over on environmental regulations.

Rockefeller's actions make sense when viewed through the prism of campaign contributions. Peabody Energy, American Electric Power, General Electric, CONSOL Energy and Allegheny Energy are listed on OpenSecrets.org as Rockefeller's all-time contributors. Reid doesn't have near the energy industry influence on him. Reid knows his caucus members receive contributions from major energy players and he doesn't want that influence being swayed to Republicans. This vote is all about money.

Democrats want to know why the base stayed home in 2010. Stupid votes like this are the reason.

Why DADT Is Obama's Failure

In July 2009, Alcee Hasting got 76 Democrats and Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to back a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the House. Hasting sent this letter to President Barack Obama asking for an end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The United States of America prides itself on having the finest military in the world because of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices of our brave servicemen and women. And yet, under 10 U.S.C. § 654 (Policy Concerning Homosexuality in the Armed Forces), better known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the talents and contributions of our openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) service members continue to be ignored simply because of who they are. Every day, we lose approximately two service members to this misguided, unjust, and flat-out discriminatory policy. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not only an injustice to them, but a disservice to the U.S. military and our country as a whole.

The White House responded by forcing Hasting to dop his repeal amendment from the Defense Department bill. Hastings went on-record saying the White House was not going to back the repeal.

``Due to pressure from some of my congressional colleagues and from the White House, I have withdrawn my amendment,’’ he said. ``I would, however, like to note that it is most unfortunate that we are not addressing `don’t ask, don’t tell’ at this time.’’

After the amendment was dropped, Hastings wrote a letter to President Obama asking for a repeal of DADT. Hastings was brushed off. Obama was too concerned about appeasing social conservatives who would never vote for him.

To Harry Reid's credit, he took up a vote for a repeal of DADT. Reid failed to break the 60 vote Senate filibuster. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor voted against the bill. Reid voted against the bill so the bill could be taken up again.

Does anyone recall Obama leaning on Senators to vote for appeal of DADT? Obama leaned on the Senate to protect law that does not allow Medicare to negotiate for cheaper pharmaceutical drug prices.

Many Democrats, especially committee chairmen and liberal lawmakers, were chaffed at the backroom deal Baucus and the White House struck with the drug industry, a perennial boogeyman for the political left.

“We don't represent their stockholders, we represent our stockholders, which are the taxpayers,” said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

There is more support for ending DADT than the Obama-backed health care bill. It is not surprising the party that produced Mark Foley and Larry Craig would pander to the base by voting against repeal of DADT. What is Obama's excuse? Neoliberalism needs to die. The sooner the better.

Repeal For 'Don't Ask Don't Tell Vote Coming'

The Washington Blade reports Senate Majority leader will force a vote on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" next week. The language to repeal to repeal DADT will be in the defense bill. If Republicans oppose repealing DADT then they have to vote against the entire defense budget. Sadly, that is exactly what Mitch McConnell intends to do.

The aide said Senate leadership is anticipating the Senate won’t have unanimous consent to bring the legislation to the floor, so 60 votes will be necessary to end a filibuster and move forward with debate on the bill.

Whenever you hear Republicans say that they are not "the Party of No" or that the GOP is a big tent think of this moment. Republicans hire gay staffers. Elected Republicans such as Mark Foley and Larry Craig have been caught in gay sex scandals. The former chairman of the RNC, Ken Mehlman, has come out of the closet. The Republican Party is terrified of the Christian Right. I find it hard to believe that the party that won't fight Pat Robertson can fight al-Qaeda.

Why Democrats Should Give Up On Triangulation

Democrats who pander to the Right and be overly clever by using triangulation always get get their comeuppance. Harry Reid spent years pandering to the NRA. The NRA has decided not to endorse Reid.

The vote on Elena Kagan's confirmation to the Court, along with the previous year's confirmation vote on Sonia Sotomayor, are critical for the future of the Second Amendment. After careful consideration, the NRA-PVF announced today that it will not be endorsing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for re-election in the 2010 U.S. Senate race in Nevada.

Reid placed an earmark for a Clark County Shooting Park. Reid was at the grand opening with NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre earlier this year. View video.

The NRA was given an exemption from the Senate bill the Disclosure and Transparency in Elections Act. Political ads sponsored 527 groups would have to disclose paying for the spot. It is hard to imagine a Democatic Congress giving the NRA an exemption without Reid as Majority Leader.

Kendrick Meek Death Watch: Obama Insiders Helping Crist

If Democrats are really behind Kendrick Meek's Senate campaign why then is the Wall Street Journal reporting Charlie Crist has twice talked to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Crist is not in the Senate or a Democrat. What possible reason could there be other than Reid is courting Crist to caucus with the Democrats.

Other fun facts: Alfredo Balsera advised Barack Obama on Latino outreach and national finance during the 2008 presidential campaign. The consulting firm Squier Knapp Dunn Communications is working on Crist's campaign. A list of SKDC's clients reads like a whose who Democratic politics. Former Obama White House White House Communications Director Anita Dunn is one of the partners. Dunn's husband Robert Bauer serves in the White House Council.

Crist has people that helped Obama get elected working with him. Obama supports Meek so much he has not come down to campaign for him. Reid would not be talking to Crist without White House approval. The Obama people are letting their talent work on the Crist campaign to maintain a Seante majority. If Obama and Reid really thought Meek could win Crist would be isolated from the Democratic establishment. On the bright side: Meek has Kenneth Quinnell on his campaign staff to counter Squier Knapp Dunn Communications and Balsera.

Reid Tying Cap & Trade to Offshore Drilling Reforms

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid lumping the cap and trade legislation to a bill reforming offshore drilling regulation. Naturally, fellow Democrats think it is a horrible idea.

One leading Democrat who’s wary of Reid’s strategy is the leader of the party’s 2010 Senate campaign committee, Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

“I think we should do them separately,” he said. “The oil regulation bill is moving fast and has a lot of support.”

Menendez is wrong. Linking cap and trade to the popular offshore drilling reform bill is good policy and politics. The cap and trade bill was dead. Reid now has a chance to kick start the bill. The cap and trade legislation isn't perfect but it is a good start. If you don't think we shouldn't worry about greenhouse emissions; Miami-Dade County will one day be underwater if we stay at our current rate of emissions.

The politics makes perfect sense. Republican that are against cap and trade would vote against the bill at their own political peril. Democrats will tell voters that the Republicans that voted against the bill want to keep the status quo that produced the Deep Horizon spill. It is a win for Democrats no matter how Republicans vote.

Offshore drilling was always linked to cap and trade. Earlier this year, Bill Nelson pulled support for an earlier cap and trade bill because it would allow offshore drilling. After the start of the BP spill, Lindsay Graham was political tone deaf enough to declare he wouldn't support the bill because there wasn't enough offshore drilling. Apparently, the pro-oil White House wasn't gung ho enough for Graham.

The Opt Out

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will include the public option in the final health care bill. Reid announced Democrats are united.

“I’ve conclude with the support of the White House and Sens. Dodd and Baucus, that the best way to move forward is to include a public option with the op-out provision for states,” Reid said at a press conference.

Sen. Max Baucus has fought to keep the public option out of the health care bill. Reid publicly announcing Baucus's support means conservative Democrats are fearful of backlash from the progressive base. Baucus will probably work behind to scenes to kill the public option. Reid is in a tough election and Nevada voters have expressed support for the public option. Baucus has lost the Majority Leader. Reid is willing to lose Sen. Olympia Snowe. The latter said she vote vote against any health care bill containing the public option.

Reid will add legislation that will allow states to opt out of the public option. We can expect to see red states opt out and have the most uninsured patients. Conservatives will wonder why health care cost won't go down. Republicans will say health care needs to be 100 percent privatized and propose no regulations for oversight. Conservatives will say, "Let the free market decide." I say Republicans and conservatives need to take an economics class. The status quo is unsustainable. The U.S. Government Accountability Office describes the cost of health care as "unsustainable." The GAO reports warns health care will become a drain on our economy, produce greater taxes and affect the United States ability to compete in a global economy. Republicans and conservatives would rather shout bumper sticker slogans than read government health care reports.