Harry Reid on GOP budget cuts: Let's have a vote

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is promising an up-or-down vote on the $61 billion in budget cuts passed by House Republicans — just to show that version of the spending bill is “dead” – even if the upper chamber has to debate until 1 a.m. to prove the point.

“I hope we have a vote on this today,” said Reid to reporters. “If not, we’re going to go through all this procedural process. They cannot stop us from having a vote on H.R. 1. [the Republican spending bill] We want the American people to know that H.R. 1 is dead, and we’ll get there.”

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It's a smart move on Reid's part, which is going to force Republicans to take a position that will be recorded - Their vote. It's one thing to say that you can negotiate, but it's another to actually make your position clear by going on record with it, so that you cannot weasel out of it when it is time to campaign.

Yes, smart move by Reid, who is looking at the possibility of a Republican takeover of the Senate in 2012. Smart, but it also shows desperation, and the willingness of Reid to do whatever it takes, politically, to tar the opposition, which might talk a good game, but don't want to be saddled with a political position themselves that would push away independents, which are key for reelection.

Smart move by Reid? Yes, but not quite an honest one either, since the move has more to do with politics than what is good for America.

Article is here.

If I take what you're saying right... getting Republicans to come out on record about the tax cuts they have been complaining about is slightly dishonest....?

Hatuey said:

If I take what you're saying right... getting Republicans to come out on record about the tax cuts they have been complaining about is slightly dishonest....?

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It's Reid's motives that are dishonest. But I will agree with you that Republicans pushing for massive spending cuts, thinking that they won't have to actually vote on them, is also dishonest. As I said, Reid's move is a smart one, since it paints Republicans into a corner that will be tough to defend come election time.

danarhea said:

It's Reid's motives that are dishonest. But I will agree with you that Republicans pushing for massive spending cuts, thinking that they won't have to actually vote on them, is also dishonest. As I said, Reid's move is a smart one, since it paints Republicans into a corner that will be tough to defend come election time.

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It's brilliant. Not dishonest. It's giving both the extremist Tea Party exatcly what they asked for and seeing if Republicans are willing to put their political careers before their proclaimed values. It's a test for both parties.

danarhea said:

Smart move by Reid? Yes, but not quite an honest one either, since the move has more to do with politics than what is good for America.

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To be fair, the Republicans are also playing politics. So both sides are doing it, and not focusing on what is good for America.

danarhea said:

It's Reid's motives that are dishonest. But I will agree with you that Republicans pushing for massive spending cuts, thinking that they won't have to actually vote on them, is also dishonest. As I said, Reid's move is a smart one, since it paints Republicans into a corner that will be tough to defend come election time.

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1. these spending cuts are not "massive". they aren't even the 100 Billion promised in the "pledge". and even the 100 Billion wouldn't be anything but symbolic. Rand Paul's proposed $500 Bn budget cut would do some good; but it wouldnt' even balance the budget (which is where we have to get if we wish to survive).


here's the best depiction i've found thus far of these "massive" spending cuts.





2. the country is in a cutting mood, and fiscal reality is beginning to dawn on the populace. I'm thinking if Senator Reid wants to put his entire caucus on record as only being in favor of 6 Bn in cuts (less than a rounding error of the fraud in Medicare) as we start gearing up for the 2012 election cycle, that's something i have no problem with him doing. I would like nothing better than for them to make that election a clear choice between fiscal irresponsibility bordering on psycopathy and the need to rein in our oversized government.

Hatuey said:

It's brilliant. Not dishonest. It's giving both the extremist Tea Party exatcly what they asked for and seeing if Republicans are willing to put their political careers before their proclaimed values. It's a test for both parties.

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that is certainly true.

interestingly, it looks like a couple of people may jump ship.

Senator Paul, for example, intends to vote against the House Bill; saying that anything that leaves a 1.5 Trillion deficit is still too much spending (Paul, apparently, can do math).

Senator Joe Manchin also looks like he may ditch Dems and vote for the proposal.

I hope Reid does do this and I think it has the potential to be a bonus for Republicans...

They largely campaigned on cutting spending. If they vote for it, then this gives at least some legitimate backing to them putting their moeny where their mouth is. The questioning of whether or not Republicans were going to vote how they campaigned is one of the things on the mind of many tea partiers, Republicans, Libertarians, and conservatives in general.

On the flip side, this doesn't just count the vote of the Republicans, but of the Democrats as well. They also go on record of voting down a budget that cuts spending. Something that could ALSO be used in coming elections.

Its a gamble on Reid's part, but unlike Dana and his typical Doomcrying, its one that could prove beneficial for either side depending on 1) how it goes and 2) how the public is feeling come 2012.

Zyphlin said:

I hope Reid does do this and I think it has the potential to be a bonus for Republicans...

They largely campaigned on cutting spending. If they vote for it, then this gives at least some legitimate backing to them putting their moeny where their mouth is. The questioning of whether or not Republicans were going to vote how they campaigned is one of the things on the mind of many tea partiers, Republicans, Libertarians, and conservatives in general.

On the flip side, this doesn't just count the vote of the Republicans, but of the Democrats as well. They also go on record of voting down a budget that cuts spending. Something that could ALSO be used in coming elections.

Its a gamble on Reid's part, but unlike Dana and his typical Doomcrying, its one that could prove beneficial for either side depending on 1) how it goes and 2) how the public is feeling come 2012.

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this is going to be harmful for democrats. Republicans are talking about saving the nation from fiscal crises and Reid is talking about the vital importance of Cowboy Poetry

Reid: Save federal funding for the cowboy poets! - On Congress - POLITICO.com

brilliant

The Prof said:

Reid: Save federal funding for the cowboy poets! - On Congress - POLITICO.com

brilliant

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:slapme: you cannot make this stuff up. that's the leader of the worlds' greatest deliberative body, ya'll