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Subscribe to RSSFor more than 40 minutes on the Senate floor this morning, Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) went back and forth in a very personal way over who was more responsible for dysfunction in the Senate.
McConnell asked Reid to hold this exchange on the floor after Reid told MSNBC's Ed Schultz last week he would consider changing the Senate rules in the next Congress -- with approval ratings at historic lows -- in order to pass more legislation with a simple majority versus the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
The two leaders at times interrupted each other.
McConnell charged that Reid has centralized the Senate business in his office, made other senators and committees irrelevant and prevented Republicans from participating in the legislative process. He called on the majority leader to proceed with the Defense Authorization bill, a Senate budget, appropriations bills and cybersecurity legislation.
"We have a big difference of opinion here about the way this place is being run,” McConnell said, “and it’s not a rules problem; it’s an attitude problem. It's a looking-for-somebody-else-to-blame game," McConnell said.
He continued, "The majority leader is basically trying to convince the American people that it’s somebody else's fault, that the Senate is not doing the basic work of government. Regardless of the blame game, the results are apparent.”
Reid blamed Republicans for repeatedly stalling legislation by filibustering bills. He said the Senate can't do its work when House Republicans are not being serious about legislating. He charged that Republicans had become a party of extreme ideology, unwilling to compromise.
"For the Republican leader with a straight face to come here and say why aren't we doing the defense authorization bill, why aren't we doing the appropriation bills, everyone knows why we're not doing them,” Reid said. “They haven't let us get to virtually anything. And to be dismissive of me, because I say the Republican leadership in the House has been dismissive of the law we have guiding this country, I think says it all."
Reid repeatedly cited an op-ed from April from by longtime neutral congressional watchers Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution – a left-leaning think tank -- and Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute – a right-leaning think tank -- which argued the Republican Party has become an "insurgent outlier in American politics"
McConnell said he had to restrain his laughter, lambasting the authors as "ultra, ultra liberals"
McConnell pointed the finger back at Reid.
“He has the opportunity to set the agenda,” McConnell said, “and just because all 100 senators don't immediately fall into line, and it may be a little bit difficult, is no excuse for not doing the important and basic work that the American people sent us here to do. It's time to bring up serious legislation."
Reid contended the body hasn’t been able to get to big measures.
“We have simply not been able to get to the appropriation bills,” Reid said, before McConnell interrupted him.
“Have you tried calling any of them up?” the minority leader interjected.
“Mr. President,” Reid said to the presiding officer, “I don’t think it calls for my being interrupted here. I've listened very patiently to all his name calling, and I don’t intend to do that.”
Leave a Comment:
You keep giving em hell Harry!
Introduce American's to the 101st Senator - Mr. Phil A. Buster!
Listening to the old turtle from KY whimper like a second grade school girl was PRICELESS!
Keep fighting for the middle & poor people! Reid is the man!!
Yea, a liberal attitude that doesn't care about the rules ....
Rules like even doing a budget.
In True Sen.McConnel form, he lets his Inner TeaPublican self comeout. If you have No argument, Interupt the messenger!
I havta say this to my fellow Kentuckians, Yall are as Dumb as it Comes for giving this POS Person, Senator McConnel to be a Spokesman for Kentucky!
26 Years in the Senate & No one can find ANY 1 piece of Legislation (signed into Law) with Senator POS McConnels Name on it.
Absolutey Pathetic of My fellow Kentuckians!
You Betcha!
Occupy SoggyBottom!
Classic!
AMAZING that attitudes trickles all through the GOP! No kidding they can't get anything done, they keep voting on the ACA!
Whatm the real problem now is..neither party is doing their respective jobs they were elected to do. Both parties now have their own agenda's...neither of which is doing anything for the general public..but lots for the wealthy and big business. Today, this country suffers from politicans having too much power...and getting way over paid. We surely need term limits....we do not need politicans making a life of washington at the tax payers expense. Term limits could help in at least one way....it should cut back big time on lobbying and lobbying funds handed to politicans as none of them would be in any office long enough to force changes to laws that would benefit them only.
How can Republicans be taken seriously when they pull this stunt time after time? They ( the Republicans) filibustered and blocked the passage of the DISCLOSE Act which would allow everyone to see who is behind much of the negative adverts which we are subjected to day after day. Democrats unanimously supported the bill, while Republicans voted unanimously against it.
There have only been 13 fillibusters this year!
What number is higher, the number of fillibusters of Republican Senators or the number of bill passed by House Republicans and tabled by Harry Reid and Senate Democrats?
All I know is, Olympia Snowe declined to run for the Senate again, although polls showed she would have been re-elected with ease. Snowe quit because Congress is dysfunctional and she said she was sick and tired of it. That's one moderate Republican in the Senate out, and one Independent from Maine in. Angus King 2012.
Actually Bill-#'s the number of cloture votes (since there are in actuality no filibusters these days) is 59 for the 112th Congress according to the US Senates own records. (http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_motions/clotureCounts.htm)
Now, how about you post your source for that 13 number that you so courageously cited?
Republicans refuse to compromise, the house passes idiotic bills designed to fail, and thank God for Reid and the senate dems. Republicans haven't passed any real jobs bills, they are all crap bills with poison pills attached to make sure they fail. The teapub congress is the WORST in my lifetime.
You do realize that all the ACA repeals are only in the House of Representatives, right? Sen. Reid would never allow a repeal of the ACA to come to the Senate floor...
LOL...reminds me of the British parliament when Dennis Healy said being attacked by Geoffrey Howe was "like being savaged by a dead sheep".
Harry ("give 'em hell") Reid...ROTFLMAO
SayitaintSo-628660
It's amazing how anyone and everyone can find a piece of information when they choose to do so. You not only gave the correct info, you cited your source.
He won't.
Harry Reis is a mormon. He wears magic underwear. He believes in the planet Kalob. He has many wives. hehehehehe
"...reminds me of the British parliament..."
Once at a social gathering, Gladstone said to Disraeli: "I predict, Sir, that you will die either by hanging or of the pox".
Disraeli replied, "That all depends, sir, upon whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."
So says Reid's Disraeli to McConnell's Gladstone.
What in the hell are you people talking about. Do you even know?
bayllie
SayitaintSo-628660
It's amazing how anyone and everyone can find a piece of information when they choose to do so. You not only gave the correct info, you cited your source.
He won't.
#1.14
If the House votes 33 times to repeal the ACA, 30 times to defund Planned Parenthood, 10 times to allow your boss to determine if you can use contraceptives and 27 times to prevent taxpayer money being used for abortions, do they think that 100 jobs bills have been sent to the Senate and it's Obama's fault they haven't been passed?
Rick-312779
we do but you apparently cannot comprehend a 3-post-long conversation. Too much reading for you?
LMAO!
Amy B. Portland, ME -- Yep. Thanks to Tea Party extremism, a lot of good folks have left or are leaving congress for that same reason, like Evan Bayh, etc.
Tzalaran -- You forgot to mention the millions of $$$ all those symbolic ACA repeal votes have cost the tax payers -- Idiot Teapublicans.
Listening to McConnell, at al, and all the lame excuses, and trying blame the Dems, and demands for apologies, and just telling lies, you know who would be a perfect leader for them? Willard Mitt Romney.
rick larson13 -- Well then be thankful Reid isn't running for president, eh?
Right, like the Bring Jobs Home Act the Teapublicans are likely to vote down tomorrow (Thursday). Contact you Senators now! I think those votes are going on record so constituents can see if their representatives are representing them and American workers.
“We have simply not been able to get to the appropriation bills,” Reid said, before McConnell interrupted him.
“Have you tried calling any of them up?” the minority leader interjected.
“Mr. President,” Reid said to the presiding officer, “I don’t think it calls for my being interrupted here. I've listened very patiently to all his name calling, and I don’t intend to do that.”........
Instead of answering the question.
Well, Harry? Have you tried calling any of them up? You know you're the Senate Majority Leader, right?
You know you can call them up anytime you like, right?
.
Fisty, this is the smartest post you have ever made! Finally something without lies and libby propaganda from you!
and yet you are still immature enough to throw some insults, how republican of you. Next you'll filibuster a record number of times...
red sux rule Sorry she was pointing out the size of your brain!
redsuxrule panning someone else's post on intelligence?
Best laugh I've had so far this week.
Oh, the magic "takeout" from a liberal website is truly something to behold.
FrankH, it looks like you are making a personal attack instead of commenting on the article.
Personal attack?
Funny, you didn't comment on redsux's personal attack.
FrankH-1860605
Just like idiots like you don't criticize liberals for personal attacks. Redsox Rule copied that from an attack by a scum sucking liberal against me.
And I know you democrat ass kissers are not too awfully smart so I will go ahead and let you know that is a personal attack.
This... the results of an x-ray of the matter between Feisty's ears.
rick Your comment says allot about you. I guess it takes one scum sucking ass kisser to know them all. Call this what you want. Have fun!
Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute is an ultraliberal? Norman Ornstein? THAT Norman Ornstein? McConnell is either a fool or a liar.
Guess which my $$$ is on... lol
I would say both.
FEistY You have your food stamps on Reid!
Uh.....remind me again which party spokesman declared the one and only goal of congress was to be to make the president a one termer, even before that president even had a chance to get his desk chair warm?
Also- was just over on First Thoughts. Lots and lots of stupidity and nonsense going on over there these last few days. I think I know what's going on: The right is so damned mad they don't know which end is up. Why so mad? Because they were convinced all they had to do was run ANYONE against Obama, and he/she'd win. Then, they come up with this complete phony Mitt Romney, and realize it ain't going to happen. Not only is the guy even more of a door-knob that Palin, but Obama has indeed done some pretty good things for our fellow citizens. Must drive 'em completely crazy.
"Obama has indeed done some pretty good things for our fellow citizens"
Yeah, thanks Obama for 41 months of high unemployment, and bankrupting us. Thanks for recently saying in Roanoke that "hard work" doesnt matter, "lots of people work hard"...but you can only succeed if the God of Government decides to help you...
Bob, do you have a job?
I do thank Obama for the 1,000,000 jobs a month turnaround he presided over and the 26 straight months of jobs growth. And for slowing the radical spending of Bush to the slowest growth in government spending since Eisenhower.
Bob in VA-
You know that is not what the President said. He said if you work hard and get ahead, be thankful - others work just as hard and DON'T get ahead. Only in the Republican's minds does hard work always lead to success.
Do your part to give others the opportunity (through THEIR hard work) to be as successful as you.
I thought you Republicans thought responsibility was a good thing?
I bet none of the folks throwing out their fake out rage can name a case in which the Roanoke speech by the President was not correct.
You Can't. If the government was not helping, there would be no roads or side walks or public buses to get to your business. You would have no lights, clean water or police to stop anyone who would decide to take your business.
If you had a job before starting your own business, someone gave you that job and the government made sure that the work place you worked in was safe and you got at least a minimum wage.
Your parents paid tuition and taxes to the government that managed the schools and roads.
And sure you pay taxes to the government. However, if you need the police fire fighters or the military to keep us safe, they are there, because government of the people put this entire Nation together with the people, whom are part of the government.
The bigger the Government the better we will all be. This talking point of smaller Government was a talking point that President Reagan started, and we all know how much expansion happened in the 1980s. So, don’t get in to the Republican argument of smaller Government. It’s a myth and a big lie that will never happen.
So, let the Government grow and expand, because that is how jobs and opportunities come about. Remember the expansion started by FDR, that created GREATNESS?
We do need Strong Government and that is a fact! You see we are all in this together helping each other.
Easy on ol' Bob, guys(gals?)- He seems to be missing some basic skills. He seems to think 'high unemployment numbers' some how equate to 'lost: 800,000 jobs PER MONTH' with a slow but sure recovery.
Which reminds me- when I keep hearing "this is the slowest post-recession recovery ever", I have to ask: The recoveries following the Great Depression and the later ones- were China and India and other emerging markets in play like they are this time around? Were a hell of a lot of our jobs and production being 'outsourced' at the rate they are now??
Well, were they, righties?
You are a liar.
Was it Ezra Klein who came up with the graphs that demonstrated that this recovery is slower than the others have been because this is the only recovery in history in which government jobs have decreased instead of increased?
Mitch (Slowski) McDonnell shouts "Go around, go around".
"....he would consider changing the Senate rules in the next Congress -- with approval ratings at historic lows -- in order to pass more legislation with a simple majority versus the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster."
So, then, as Minority Leader in the next Senate, with 55 Republican Senators in the august body, would Reid change the rules to end the Filibuster?
They are dysfunctional because they have adopted ideology as a way of getting elected. Also, they are not like most of the public since they have better benefits, pay and retirement. However, that is true of both sides of the isle. We fought two wars without paying for them and in fact lowered taxes and then deregulated the financial markets that led to the housing bust and all we can talk about is deregulation and lower taxes. Primarily because real income has not grown in this country in 30 years. Both sides have been in power several times during that time and not had any solutions for it so they just don't discuss it. If low taxes and no regulations were the answers then we would not have had the great depression because there were no regulations, no labor unions and very low taxes. At the same time sooner or later you run out of other people's money. We are going through a severe recession because of the housing bubble (or finance bubble) and we are just going to have to go through it. If republicans knew how to create jobs Bush would not have lost them at a record pace. If democrats knew how to create jobs the depression would not have lasted until World War II. They might just as well argue about which side makes the sun rise.
However, that is true of both sides of the isle
This is NOT true of both sides of the aisle. Democrats voted to give Bush authority to invade Iraq, in the belief the executive should have the ability to lead in times of crisis, and they were pilliored for it. Republicans in Congress never supported Obama's efforts to turn the economy around, in fact, they've been throwing tacks in front of his wheels from the beginning.
And republicans in congress voted to give Clinton and the democrats over the derivatives market. Bush warned it was a problem 17 times yet the democrats in the congress, particularly in the Senate, fought Bush with filibusters and threatened filibusters every time and that is why we are in this mess.
Filibusters by year:.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ze-lP9DFovs/Toi_GxvtrnI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/2yn81rQJSP4/s320/Filibusters_by_congress.jpg
The following narrative is kind of long but worth the time to read it. It will scare the crap out of you. If B.O.'s re-elected, get ready for some serious dissent.
Obama's Second Term Transformation Plans
The 2012 election has often been described as the most pivotal since 1860. This statement is not hyperbole. If Barack Obama is re-elected the United States will never be the same, nor will it be able to re-capture its once lofty status as the most dominant nation in the history of mankind.
The overwhelming majority of Americans do not understand that Obama's first term was dedicated to putting in place executive power to enable him and the administration to fulfill the campaign promise of "transforming America" in his second term regardless of which political party controls Congress. That is why his re-election team is virtually ignoring the plight of incumbent or prospective Democratic Party office holders.
The most significant accomplishment of Obama's first term is to make Congress irrelevant. Under the myopic and blindly loyal leadership of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats have succeeded in creating an imperial and, in a second term, a potential dictatorial presidency.
During the first two years of the Obama administration when the Democrats overwhelming controlled both Houses of Congress and the media was in an Obama worshipping stupor, a myriad of laws were passed and actions taken which transferred virtually unlimited power to the executive branch.
The birth of multi-thousand page laws was not an aberration. This tactic was adopted so the bureaucracy controlled by Obama appointees would have sole discretion in interpreting vaguely written laws and enforcing thousands of pages of regulations they and not Congress would subsequently write.
For example, in the 2,700 pages of ObamaCare there are more than 2,500 references to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. There are more than 700 instances when he or she is instructed that they "shall" do something and more than 200 times when they "may" take at their sole discretion some form of regulatory action. On 139 occasions, the law mentions that the "Secretary determines." In essence one person, appointed by and reporting to the president, will be in charge of the health care of 310 million Americans once ObamaCare is fully operational in 2014.
The same is true in the 2,319 pages of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act which confers nearly unlimited power on various agencies to control by fiat the nati on's financial, banking and investment sectors. The bill also creates new agencies, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, not subject to any oversight by Congress. This overall process was repeated numerous times with other legislation all with the intent of granting unfettered power to the executive branch controlled Barack Obama and his radical associates.
Additionally, the Obama administration has, through its unilaterally determined rule making and regulatory powers, created laws out of whole cloth. The Environmental Protection Agency on a near daily basis issues new regulations clearly out of their purview in order to modify and change environmental laws previously passed and to impose a radical green agenda never approved by Congress. The same is true of the Energy and Interior Departments among many others.
None of these extra-constitutional actions have been challenged by Congress. The left in America knows this usurpation of power is nearly impossible to reverse unless stopped in its early stages.
It is clearly the mindset of this administration and its appointees that Congress is merely a nuisance and can be ignored after they were able to take full advantage of the useful idiots in the Democrat controlled House and Senate in 2009-2010 and the Democrat Senate in the current Congress.
Additionally, Barack Obama knows after his re-election a Republican controlled House and Senate will not be able to enact any legislation to roll back the power previously granted to the Executive Branch or usurped by them. His veto will not be overridden as there will always be at least 145 Democratic members of the House or 34 in the Senate in agreement with or intimidated by an administrati on more than willing to use Chicago style political tactics.
The stalemate between the Executive and Legislative Branches will inure to the benefit of Barack Obama and his fellow leftists.
The most significant power Congress has is the control of the purse-strings as all spending must be approved by them. However, once re-elected, Barack Obama, as confirmed by his willingness to do or say anything and his unscrupulous re-election tactics, would not only threaten government shutdowns but would deliberately withhold payments to those dependent on government support as a means of intimidating and forcing a Republican controlled Congress to surrender to his demands, thus neutering their ability to control the administration through spending constr aints.
Further, this administration has shown contempt for the courts by ignoring various court orders, e.g. the Gulf of Mexico oil drilling moratorium, as well as stonewalling subpoenas and requests issued by Congress. The Eric Holder Justice Department has become the epitome of corruption as part of the most dishonest and deceitful administration in American history. In a second term the arrogance of Barack Obama and his minions will become more blatant as he will not have to be concerned with re-election.
Who will be there to enforce the rule of law, a Supreme Court ruling or the Constitution? No one. Barack Obama and his fellow-travelers will be unchallenged as they run roughshod over the American people.
Many Republicans and conservatives dissatisfied with the prospect of Mitt Romney as the nominee for presiden t are instead focused on re-taking the House and Senate. That goal, while worthy and necessary, is meaningless unless Barack Obama is defeated. The nation is not dealing with a person of character and integrity but someone of single-minded purpose and overwhelming narcissism. Judging by his actions, words and deeds during his first term, he does not intend to work with Congress either Republican or Democrat in his second term but rather to force his radical agenda on the American people through the power he has usurped or been granted.
The governmental structure of the United States was set up by the founders in the hope that over the years only those people of high moral character and integrity would assume the reins of power. However, knowing that was not always possible, they dispersed power over three distinct and independent branches as a check on each other.
What they could not imagine is the surrender and abdication of its constitutional duty by the preeminent governmental branch, the Congress, to a chief executive devoid of any character or integrity coupled with a judiciary essentially powerless to enforce the law when the chief executive ignores them
Conservatives, Libertarians, the Republican Party and Mitt Romney must come to grips with this moment in time and their historical role in denying Barack Obama and his minions their ultimate goal. All resources must be directed at that end-game and not merely controlling Congress and the various committee chairmanships.
You are right, adopting republican policy after republican policy has proven to us that Obama is a radical....moderate. He is a moderate who is RIGHT of Reagan, you guys are too funny and too wrapped up in bigotry and hatred to see that.
Ohhhh, watch out for Obama he wants to cut your taxes and make you have some personal responsibility for your health. Silly teabaggers...
retired, that is just ridiculous. It is the republicans who have become radical wingnuts and I hope to God Americans are smart enough to keep Obama, otherwise the middle class will disappear.
You honestly think anyone is gonna read that long post that starts out imitating Rush..
suppose...what if....
That's really dumb.
Retiredceo,
Have you ever heard of plagiarism?
Who wrote the body of your post?
Excellent Post retired. EXCELLENT
MN NICE -
Pretty sure I saw parts of that post in the USA Today, but I could be wrong.
MN NICE-2902944
Retiredceo,
#8.4
I have heard about plagiarism. I heard a lot about it when Joe Biden ran for president.
Had retiredceo given credit for this piece he would have credited: Steve McCann from the website American Thinker (5/8/2012). This is the same website that gave us "FEMA concentration camps" and accuses anyone that doesn't agree with it of "liberal media bias."
The intent of the post was clearly defined with statements such as " the Democrats have succeeded in creating an imperial and, in a second term, a potential dictatorial president." and "take full advantage of the useful idiots in the Democrat controlled House and Senate in 2009-2010 and the Democrat Senate in the current Congress." There is no structure the the argument, no factual components except to draw conclusions from disparate and mis-contextualized items.
This post is supposition and nothing more than a radical right wing politically biased perspectives. It is about as logical as 1 + 1 = green.
I don't think there has been one bill that the republican senate has not filibustered.
false.
legislation has been passed during this Congress, so they couldn't have filibustered everything. more filibusters than are necessary? sure, but there have been a few bills that passed.
Why hasn;t the senate passed a budget. HARRY REID
And how does McConnell explain the problems that Boehner creates? How are his actions any different from the problems/actions that McConnell accuses Reid of doing?
Boehner is the poster child for obstruction. His lack of actions to help this country followed closely with the rest of his GNOP cohorts continues to strangle this country.
Here's a clue to republicans holding office. Naming Post Offices is NOT a priority that will help move this country forward. How about creating or at a minimum, passing legislation written by democrats that will strengthen this country?
Nomore -
Is that really going to be your argument?
"Well, look at how bad the other guy is"?
You guys are really going tohave to make up your minds at some point - after all, the election is coming fairly soon, and time is running out. Either Boehner is aninept joke who could not successfully lead himself out of a closet, or he is the greatest Speaker the House has ever had. I see you dems castigating him pretty much on an ongoing basis for various things, and claiming that his leadership is not good in any way. Fair enough - in that, I actually agree. On the other hand, I also see him being accused of being an obstructionist, and leading the GOP to being the obstructionist group that you maintain it is.
If he is so inept as a leader, how then is he leading the group to such absolute obstructionism? You dont get to have it both ways, unfortunately for your story line.
Along with that story line, the current liberal theology maintains that since the republicans are hell bent on destroying the country, then the reasonable ones must be the democrats. Yes, reaching across the aisle to work with the opposition is hallmark of the reasonable democrats, or so the story goes.
Unfortunately, then we have Harry Reid. Mr "No bill supported by the republicans shall ever come up for debate, much less a vote, so help me Obama". And this in a chamber completely controlled by the democrats, so there is literally no risk for the dems in the senate to allow a debate.
If that is the democratic version of reaching across the aisle, how then do you blame the republicans for opposing?
And oh yes - as for your snide clue to the republicans currently holding office...
Heres a clue to the democrats currently holding office - oreventing even debate of a billsince you dislike it is not helping this country move forward. Failing for years on end to pass a budget is not moving this country forward. Telling republicans they have to sit in the back of the bus is not moving the country forward.
How about creating, or at a minimum passing (even though that is completely backwards) any legislation at all that does not have universal democratic lockstep support?
Pointing out the hypocrisy on both sides seems to fall on deaf ears. Why is Reid sitting on those bills, there aren't enough votes for them to pass, so what's the issue? He's being just as much of an obstructionist, but don't tell the liberals that. The dysfunction is on both sides, there is absolutley no willingness to compromise.
He charged that Republicans had become a party of extreme ideology, unwilling to compromise.
Most of America agrees the Tea Party is too extreme, heck, Grover Norquist brags about his control over the Republican Party, preventing representatives from compromising with Democrats over threats they will be challenged in their primaries.
AmyB -
So Grover Norquist is the single person to blame for no compromising in DC.
That is a new one to me, honestly.
I was unaware that one anti tax person, and his pedge to not raise taxes, actually controlled the government. Yes, he has a lot of pull, and a lot of influence - there we can agree easily. Now, ask yourself why.
I know, your answer will revolve around the idea that he is evil, or some such. In that, you will be wrong. The truth is more like this - no new taxes is not a bad plan, if you are able to see that spending in this country is a problem equal to the lack of revenue. If both are not addressed, disaster is coming. Norquist is insisting that both sides of the coin be seen, and dealt with.
More revenue is needed, for certain - but spending must be controlled. Given where the biggest outlays of revenue are, that means some people will have to do with less. The problem with more revenue seems to be the liberal ideology that the rich must pay more because other people need it. That is inherently wrong and unfair.
And if your point is that the republicans are a party of extreme ideology, then i suggest that you take a look at the current crop of dems - they are every bit as ideologically driven. The major difference there is that the dems have a more palatable message for the middle class and poor - not more correct, just more palatable - that suggests to them that they will have no need to suffer in order to get things back to right, and everybody likes not having to pay the price.
Polls all over this nation show a total contempt for the Republicans in congress yet pundits believe they may actually pick up seats. Are Americans that dumb? Polls show people believe the Republicans are to blame, yet people can't figure out a way to vote them out. You get the government that you deserve.
Matt -
Unfortunately, people really are this stupid.
They are willing to be led around by the nose by shining visions of hope and change, and promises of free stuff for all....well, not all - leave out those evil rich people in that promise, for sure.
They are willing to buy the line that all republicans want is to destroy this country, or at least the middle class.
Tragically, you are correct - we get the government we deserve - this is why we currently have President Obama - the people fell for a advertising campaign and a clever slogan.
you need to change your stage name to alltalkingpoints cause that post was full of them.
Yeah Frank - it really sucks when I repeat DNC nonsense, doesnt it?
No Matt,
You are the one who is that dumb if you believe those DNC polls actually mean anything.
Frog face McConnell can hardly wait to burn crosses in the Rose Garden. That is why he is angry with Wimpy Reid when Reid decides that enough is enough.
The cross burner, Robert Byrd, died a while back. So you are going to have to give that up.
This is a perfect reason to vote out all the poisonous confrontational fringe elements of the TEA-Republican politicos at all levels of local, state and national offices. They have done nothing to help president Obama and actually vowed on Obama's first day to make him a one term president. The TEA-Republican's have introduced 46 bills on abortion, 113 bills on religion, 73 bills on family relationships, 36 bills on marriage, 72 on firearms, 604 on taxation and 467 bills on government investigations. Where are the jobs promised in 2010?
Rudy -
And where are the jobs promised by President Obama, might I ask?
Not at Solyndra, not with the oil pipeline, not from the stimulus, not from small businesses.
You apparently defend President Obama, who has done little to nothing about jobs during his (almost) 4 years, but feel like its ok to attack republicans over a two year record?
That, sir, is a monstrous double standard.
As far as the much hyped desire of the republicans to make President Obama a one term president, I defy you to look into the past and find even one example of the opposition party not wanting this to be true, and actively working for it.
Another double standard.
Good luck with the voting out all of the "poisonous confrontational fringe elements of the TEA-publican politicos at all levels" though - obviously you learned nothing from Wisconsin.
Why would they want to help Obama? They don't believe that what he wants to do is good for the country. If Romney wins I'm willing to bet you will be more than happy for the Democrats in congress to oppose everything he proposes.
If Obama wins reelection (which I think he will), I actually hope that control of the House and Senate goes to the democrats, too. I'd like to see what they will do to bring this economy back around without the Republicans to blame for everything that goes wrong.
Maybe it is just payback. Look at how the democrats filibustered any attempt that the republicans made to repeal the Clinton policies that got us into this economic mess in the first place.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ze-lP9DFovs/Toi_GxvtrnI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/2yn81rQJSP4/s1600/Filibusters_by_congress.jpg
Hey idiot, Rudy, see the way the blame game works is if only party's policies are in effect (the Dems since 2009), and the other party's bills always get blocked by them, then...
The Dems get all the blame, make sense? We're operating under the stimulus, so called of 2009, Dodd-Frank, marketing to tens of millions to get them on handouts, more regulations and other dumb Democrat ideas...that's what's creating this economy today.
The Repubs have had no say, everything they pass gets blocked, so none of their policies are in effect. We still have the 2009-10 crap. No budgets, huge deficits, "stimulus", more regulations.
If our Forefathers were alive today they would have already forcibly removed this government and replaced it with one more resembling the one they originally intended for us.
This is an outrage. Americans sitting on their thumbs while the oppressors steal them blind, lie to their faces, and dismantle their 'Constitution' and 'Bill of Rights'.
Do so many of you prefer to live a hundred years as a chicken, then one year as a tiger?
Its not congressional dsyfunction,its REPUBLICAN dysfunction' they have refused to cooperate in passing anything for over 3 years and now they WANT TO RAISE TAXES ON SMALL BUISNESSES. They cant make up their mind which side of the road they want to be on,they just want to GRIDLOCK everything because they cant get their way ALL THE TIME.
Don -
Would that be the same thing as in yesterdays story where the dems said they would allow all tax cuts to expire if they did not get their way in allowing only the tax cuts on the rich to expire?
Ah yes, the spirit of cooperation, dem style - do it our way, or else, or we will claim that you are a felon.
By the way - it was actually the dems that provided the largest tax increase in history for the middle calss and small business owners...you remember, that thing known as the Affordable (hah) Health Care Act?
Besides - takes the House, the senate, and the President to enact a law, right? Last I checked, only one of those three was under republican control....
We have gone from "Giv'em hell harry" Truman to it's not my fault this @!$%# happens Haryy Reid. I'm soory he is one of Senators from my state but I didn't vote form him. Did he get 30% of the votes outside of the union controlled Las Vegas and Reno?
John -
He got lucky, in that he was running against a serious wingnut - a candidate that appeared to be sane would have won in a landslide, but tragically the republicans put up an insane person.
Even with that, it was close....
The Demoncat Senate is useless, the lazy bums never do anything, and never vote on any bill the House sends them...fortunately, they will only control it for another 6 months.
Lol @ Dems defending their 2006 wave election red state senate seats that they barely won even then!
I cant believe that Mitch can keep a straight face while he blabbers all the BS to the dems. about all the "seriouslegislation" the repubs. have put on the table....lolololol. He knows the crap that the repubs have offered are pure crap and wouldnt pass if a one celled protozoa was in office. They are so full of crap its pathetic.
The Senate under Democrat Harry Reid can't even come up with a federal budget. They hold votes on Obama's Budget request and it is voted down 99 - 0. Where is the Senate's Budget? We know it CAN'T be filibustered and only needs 51 votes to pass. Oh, I forgot that the Democrats in the Senate and Obama can't accomplish anything with out having a "SUPER MAJORITY." Lack of leadership, blame game and failed policies.
The budget starts in the house and is combined with the senate. You are the one passing blame with out under standng how the process works.
The House has passed a budget every year since the Republicans took over. The Senate voted on one of them and voted it down. The Senate and the House are required to produce a FY Budget and when the Budgets have differences they are usually sent to a joint committee for reconciliation and then again voted on by both the Senate and House. Maybe you should learn how the Budget process is suppose to work before you respond.
Dear NOOOOOO, I was going to tell you I didn't regard your defensiveness about your racism as alarming as I do your lack of literacy, but since you probably also hate public education you are your best argument for your own beliefs. My apologies for any misspellings or grammatical errors. I don't want to turn this forum into one of those, and I realize it is hypocritical when people who are anal about literacy make mistakes of their own, but I couldn't resist.
If Bain Capital Is So Evil Why Did Obama and All These Democrats Take Their Donations?
"Candidate
Bain Capital Donation
John Kerry
$76,200
Michael F. Bennet
$37,000
Mark Warner
$32,700
Tim Kaine (Candidate For US Senate in Virginia)
$30,000
Claire McCaskill
$22,500
Jeanne Shaheen
$17,100
Al Franken
$15,000
Jack Reed
$15,000
Jim Himes
$15,000
Sheldon Whitehouse
$11,800
Mark Udall
$11,300
Nancy Pelosi
$10,000
Joe Kennedy III (Candidate For Mass. District 4)
$10,000
Richard Blumenthal
$9,600
Christopher S. Murphy
$7,500
Andrei Cherny (Candidate For Arizona District 9)
$7,500
Barack Obama
$5,050
David Cicilline
$5,000
Niki Tsongas
$2,500
Total
$340,750
"
Nancy Pelosi says President Obama should embrace the "Food Stamp President" label as a badge of honor — and he has. Food stamp use has risen 100 percent in three years. Welfare reform has been rolled back through work requirement waivers. The USDA holds "food stamp parties" to hook seniors, and Obama's Ag secretary calls welfare "economic stimulus." Given the White House's stance on dependency, it's no surprise: Food stamp rolls are set to swell through 2014.
Wethecorporations...... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Here are some FACTS for you from the Dept. of Labor.
an average of 23 manufacturing facilities permanently shut down in the United States every single day during 2010.
The amount of money that the federal government gives directly to Americans has increased by 32 percent since Barack Obama entered the White House
The official U.S. unemployment rate has been above 8 percent for 40 months in a row
Shockingly, at this point 48 percent of all Americans are either considered to be “low income” or are living in poverty.
Today, an astounding 49.1 percent of all Americans live in a home where at least one person receives benefits from the government
The average American household spent a staggering $4,155 on gasoline during 2011.
At this point, the U.S. national debt is rising by more than 2 million dollars every single minute
In 2010, 2.6 million more Americans fell into poverty. That was the largest increase that we have seen since the U.S. government began keeping statistics on this back in 1959
I could go on and on and on and.... The National debt will be 25 trillion in the next 4 years. WE CAN'T AFFORD ANYMORE SOCIAL PROGRAMS. Welfare IS the biggest business in the US. NO NO NOBAMA 2012