Democratic Senate News

Harry Reid Demonstrates The Weak Tea Effect

3:20 pm EST December 4th, 2009 | News | 8 Comments

Harry Reid’s numbers in Nevada are bad

Just 38 percent of respondents said they had a favorable opinion of the Democratic Senate majority leader, the same percentage as in October and 1 point higher than in August.

The reason for this is making the democratic leader in the senate someone from a purple state, which he responds to by being too conservative and cautious, which then makes him look weak and turns off progressives in the base. Also, Harry Reid is just an amazingly ineffectual leader in the senate, not even the shadow of people like LBJ.

If Reid loses I won’t be sad, because maybe then the senate will put someone in a leadership role more complementary to Speaker Pelosi (Dick Durbin? Chuck Schumer?). Also if he loses, he’ll be the second Democratic leader in the Senate to get taken out within a decade.

Get a clue, guys.

Topic: Democratic Senate, Harry Reid

Trigger?

11:42 pm EST November 27th, 2009 | News | 30 Comments

A new report says that a triggered public option is superior to the current, more watered down provisions. A trigger would probably pass the senate, though fricking Lieberman says he’ll block any public option (seriously, WTF up with the senate allowing one senator to derail crap?). Personally I have been concerned that if something wasn’t passed in the Senate before Thanksgiving we might not get anything, and I am dead certain if it isn’t passed this calendar year it will be dead.

The fate of this entire thing is on Harry Reid. There are 60 votes in the Democratic caucus. There should be 60 votes for cloture, and at least 51 for passage. It’s on Harry Reid.

Topic: Democratic Senate, Harry Reid, Health Care, Public Option

CYA Watch From Senate Democratic Staffers

7:46 pm EST November 20th, 2009 | News | 4 Comments

crying baby in suit A Senate Democratic Chief of Staff has written to Josh Marshall that progressives will have misplaced anger if the Senate Democrats don’t get all 59+1 in their caucus to line up to have a health care bill to debate. Bull. The entire reason we have that many in the Democratic caucus is to vote for bills like health care reform, not to whine and moan about doing the job they’re supposed to.

Voting for health care reform – and at the ultimate least, voting for that bill to get to a floor vote – should be a fundamental element of being in the Democratic caucus. If you’re going to be against it, you shouldn’t be there in the first place. There is a party opposed to reform of of one of the most important elements in American society. It is called the Republican party.

Senate Dems and their staffers have coasted along for far too long, protected from the world of actual politics because for so long they could do no more than toothless stunts and speeches. Now they’ve got to step up to the plate and deliver, and playing CYA wont’ cut it.

UPDATE: Chris Rock said it best.

N***as always want credit for some shit they supposed to do. A n***a will brag about some shit a normal man just does. A n***a will say some shit like, “I take care of my kids.” You’re supposed to, you dumb motherfucker! What kind of ignorant shit is that? “I ain’t never been to jail!” What do you want, a cookie?! You’re not supposed to go to jail, you low-expectation-having motherfucker!

Topic: Democratic Senate, Health Care

Text Of Senate Health Care Bill

8:11 pm EST November 18th, 2009 | News | 2 Comments

Here it is.

Topic: Democratic Senate, Harry Reid, Health Care

Senate Health Care Bill Costs $849 Billion, Reduces Deficit

5:02 pm EST November 18th, 2009 | News | 13 Comments

Now, pass it.

The health care bill will require $849 billion over 10 years in new spending, to be paid for with cuts to Medicare, while reducing the deficit by $127 billion.

Topic: Democratic Senate, Harry Reid, Health Care

Big Dog In The Fight

3:01 am EST November 10th, 2009 | News | 7 Comments

President Clinton will be talking to senate Dems about health care reform. I’m pretty sure there will be lip biting and thumb pointing involved.

A notice obtained by CNN went out to Senate Democrats saying, ‘All Senators should be aware that former President Clinton will be making a presentation on Health Care at tomorrow’s caucus lunch. Senator Reid has requested that all Democratic Senators attend.’

We need a bill on the president’s desk by Christmas, at the very latest, New Years Eve.

Topic: Bill Clinton, Democratic Senate, Harry Reid, Health Care

Is Harry Reid Going To Derail Health Care Reform?

5:12 pm EST November 3rd, 2009 | News | 6 Comments

Looks like Harry Reid is getting ready to snatch defeat from the jaws of near-victory.

The Senate Democratic leader indicated Tuesday that lawmakers may not complete health care legislation this year, missing President Barack Obama’s deadline on his signature issue and pushing debate into a congressional election year.

With just eight weeks left, the Senate is running out of time to finish a comprehensive bill to extend coverage to millions of Americans and control rising medical costs. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., emerged from a closed-door meeting of rank-and-file Democrats signaling that delay was likely.

Asked if he could pass health care this year, Reid said: ‘We’re not going to be bound by any timelines. We need to do the best job we can for the American people. We want quality legislation, and we’re going to do that.’

Look, if health care reform doesn’t pass this year, it isn’t going to pass. The entire reason we’re this late on it is because Reid allowed Baucus to dick us around this summer. Harry Reid is a majority leader who acts weaker than a minority leader. He bends at the slightest sign of resistance. He talks big, then retreats.

If he doesn’t get a health care vote this year, Harry Reid should either step down or be removed from his leadership role.

UPDATE: And now, backpedaling. Message control in the Reid office is not a virtue.

“Our goals remain unchanged. We want to get health insurance reform done this year, and we have unprecedented momentum to achieve that,” Reid spokesman Jim Manley emailed. “There is no reason why we can’t have a transparent and thorough debate in the Senate and still send a bill to the President by Christmas.”

Topic: Democratic Senate, Harry Reid, Health Care

Harry Reid Can’t Ever Seem To Do His Job Right

2:13 am EST October 22nd, 2009 | News | Comments Off

This is a continued embarrasment. God willing we can get the actual health care bill passed, but the Reid track record does not make me optimistic. Its as if Harry Reid is a simple spectator in the stands rather than – theoretically – a major player in the game.

Topic: Democratic Senate, Harry Reid, Health Care

Blanche Lincoln & The Rigging Of The Game

11:07 pm EST October 4th, 2009 | News | 5 Comments

The NY Times writes up the role Sen. Blanche Lincoln will have in the upcoming health care bill. Of course the problem is that Lincoln is up for re-election in a red state, and despite all the evidence that people in Arkansas support a public option – she keeps voting against one.

Republicans too often react with kneejerks to the demands of their base, Democrats act as if they’ve got none.

Topic: Democratic Senate, Health Care