Harry Reid: Don’t Expect Too Much From Our 60 Votes
Now that Al Franken’s victory has put Dems within reach of 60 votes in the Senate, Harry Reid is already working to lower expectations for what Dems will be able to accomplish:
“We have 60 votes on paper,” Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, said Wednesday in an interview. “But we cannot bulldoze anybody; it doesn’t work that way. My caucus doesn’t allow it. And we have a very diverse group of senators philosophically. I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.”…
“One or two could peel off on any issue,” said Mr. Reid, who has seen the ranks of his party swell by 15 in the past two elections.
This is true. The illnesses of Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd, and the willingness of “centrist” Dems to break ranks, means that reaching 60 is still an uphill slog.
That said, Reid’s comments raise a broader question: How much should Dems worry about the emerging Republican line right now, which is to raise expectations by pointing out that Dems now own the government — and its failures? As RNC chair Michael Steele put it: “I can say without hesitation that this government is totally theirs now, and everything that comes out of it and everything that results from it is on their plate.”
Why run away from this? Some Dems might point out a better response: “Damn right — everything we accomplish is the result of Democratic rule.” After all, Steele is right. The public did hand Dems a mandate to govern. Rather than worry about how the GOP is playing the “expectations game,” the other option is for Dems to embrace the public’s expectations of them, own their accomplishments, and seize on the GOP line to point out even Republicans are admitting that they’re irrelevant now.
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But, I’d add, while avoiding an appearance of arrogance. And, I think, avoiding a hard framing of us versus them.
The 60 storyline has been a carefully constructed myth to excuse failure. Lieberman has never been a reliable vote. Sanders has. Senators have too high an opinion of themselves. They are allowed to sit way after their sell by date. Byrd should have gone, given his health problems, but when did integrity ever appeal to him. Kennedy, who also is ill, should also give up his seat and concentrate on his health issues. Those two votes can count. But for now ego rules.
So Reid is admitting that even with 60 votes, he expects members of his own caucus to filibuster Democratic-sponsored legislation.
It’s time to impose new rules on the Senate and restore sanity.
As Senator Sanders has been pointing out, the Democrats should vote for cloture and allow up and down votes. If they vote against things like the “public option,” then they can explain their votes to their constituents.
Harry, your pissing me off! Get a pair!! Damn..excuses..excusses…
“I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.”
Has there been a more whimpering, spineless coward in the history of the U.S. Senate? What a lousy time to have this wuss running the show.
Tell you what, if Bush and the GOP had ever gotten to 60 there probably wouldn’t even have been an election last November.
I thought it was Reids job as majority leader to lead the 60 in the path he and the President want to guide the country in. I think this proclumation is a clear indication he can’t perform.
No prob, Harry. Don’t expect any flexing of my wallet muscle for your senatorial campaign, either.
Harry Reid is such a L-O-S-E-R. He should be joining Bernie Sanders in pushing the idea that Dems should stick together to vote for cloture to stop the Republican filibusters, after which the DINOs can vote against the legislation if they want to. There is no excuse for fewer than 60 votes to stop filibusters. NONE.
“I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.”
Is there any sign that he has any?
This is funny given that Harry has used the 60 vote things excuse in the past for why things haven’t gotten done. Glad to see Harry is boxed in now.
This is insane. The Senate doesn’t need 60 votes to pass legislation.
The Democrats should adopt an anti-fillibuster position. Demand that all legislation have a vote. And then, if a majority of members choose to vote against it, it fails, as the constitution intended.
I’m sorry, but there is no such thing as a 60-vote requirement to pass legislation. Dems should vote to break filibusters so that EVERY member of the caucus and the body has the opportunity to make their voice heard.
As long as Reid is in charge I’ll never expect much.
Greg and everybody else
I saw something interesting from Bernie Sanders yesterday that I think everyone should be pushing for all Democrats and for Harry Reid to lay down the law on. Bernie said what Democrats should be doing now is this, they should come together and commit to voting for cloture on every issue. Then after they vote for cloture they can feel free to vote their consious our their constituents or their pockets after that. The premise is that for years of Republican control of the Senate they said time and time again about how most issues deserve an “up and down” vote. And by committing to vote for cloture on these issues that ensures that these bills get up and down votes. And yet Landrieu and Nelson and Bayh can still cast their ConservaDem votes and pander to their various benefactors when the bill comes up for final approval thus giving them political cover.
But bigger than that if Harry Reid comes out and forcefully advocates for that kind of a committment then people will start asking questions if any Democrat fails to vote for cloture. Basically it doesn’t ensure that every bill passes, but it DOES ensure that just about every bill gets a chance to pass or fail on its own merits. And by doing so we get to see a real divide between what it means to be a Democrat and what it means to be a Republican. I think some liberal and progressive groups should use this kind of thing as ads in ConservaDem states.
@sgwhite,
That is all I have wanted is the ability to have an up or down vote. If Harry Reid can’t even get us cloture then what IS his purpose? I just don’t want any filibusters and if he can make sure that doesn’t happen I will be somewhat satisfied.
This is so out of character for Harry. Usually he’s like a freaking pit bull up there in the well. And behind the scenes, why I’ll bet nobody can count the bloody carcasses he’s left in his wake.
If Senate rules can not deliver the legislation desired by a majority of the country, then it is time to change the rules. We can not allow the tyranny of the minority.
New CQPolitics article on Reid which on his way of working:
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000003157797
“the emerging Republican line right now, which is to raise expectations by pointing out that Dems now own the government — and its failures”
This IS the problem, except for the one slight misstatement. The fact is… the DEems and Reps parties own, and have owned the government and are the root of its failures simply because the PARTY is more important than the nation and its citizens and gaining and keeping the power over the commoners is ALL important for BOTH parties.
these two groups have led us to near destruction but sadly, voters will as always, play as team members, voting in their own mobsters rather than the other teams mobsters, not realizing that this is NOT a game and neither party is actually on OUR side…
“If Senate rules can not deliver the legislation desired by a majority of the country, then it is time to change the rules. We can not allow the tyranny of the minority.”
Well I’ll just thank God that the Republicans had a bit more respect and integrity and did not change the rules when they very well could have. Were you all complaining about the Dems’ ‘tyranny’ when they refused to vote for Cloture repeatedly during the Republicans’ four years of control of both houses?
More to the point of the post and Dems ‘owning’ their accomplishments – they can start by owning today’s unemployment report and the failure of the massive stimulus package to thus far stimulate anything. Per Gibbs, it’s now Obama’s economy.
And of course the Dems will take credit for whatever good comes out of this congress and the repubs will blame them for whatever bad comes out of it – but 60 votes has nothing to do with it. Even the party with the bare majority always takes the full credit and blame – that’s politics.
Shorter Harry Reid: Don’t expect too much from Harry Reid.
Translation: “I WILL bend over at every opportunity and I am not going to let no Franken stop me from doing that”. When is this guy’s term up?
I am very sick of the 60 vote talk. MAJORITY RULES..
Why is Harry Reid still majority leader?
If he can’t provide leadership, why doesn’t he resign and let someone who can…do the job?
He is a disgrace.
I’m sick of this Democratic Party unity. Time to get another leader who can really lead. We need the same kind of *** kicking leadership that the Repugnics have had when the criminal element was in the WH. Get in line Dems with what the people are saying and not what the lobbiest are giving you for your votes. Healthcare, the spying on Americans, torture (crimes against humanity) these should be very important and either voted for or have investigations with jail time issued for the all the perps.
Let’s face it; Harry Reid, spineless wimp and accomodationist extraordinaire, would lower expectations if he had 90 votes in the Senate, let alone 60. “Of his 90-vote majority Reid said, ‘You have to remember that many members are from Republican-leaning states, and they have to take care not to overly-anger their right-wing constituents. After all, they serve all the people, not just Democrats.”
Reid is, to put it politely, weak tea. We need the Senatorial equivalent of Rahm Emmanuel in there–someone like LBJ, honestly. Reid? Not so much.
How does a schlemiel like Reid stay in power? By giving the Senate Democrats just what they want. Poker wisdom says that if you don’t know which player at the table is the patsy, it’s you. We’re being sandbagged, and both parties are in on the play.
Fellas, fellas, ease up on Harry! He’s doing exactly what he’s paid to do–block anything remotely progressive from becoming law.
He’s earning his money. Even with 60 Dems and a pony, Harry Reid is not going to be bulldozed into doing anything positive for those who are not rich. Harry, and many of the other Democrats have made it clear that they are not interested in what their constituients want. They represent not voters, but major business interests.
Nope, I will absolutely not ease up on Harry. He may be “doing exactly what he’s paid to do,” but he’s not doing what he’s been *elected* to do. Until such a time as he *is*, I’m not going to ease up on him.
These clowns may be bought and paid for by Big Pharma, or Big Ag, or Wall Street, or whoever your favorite bugaboo is, but they still respond to public pressure and the threat of not getting re-elected. To hell with easing up; bring the noise.
Great advice, Clearly explained and easy to follow. Thank you
Harry Reid is indeed a wimp!Any other Senate Leader could get the unemployment extension bill passed, with or without cloture. We are cursed with a wimp in the person of Harry Reid and all of us are paying the price for it.