Reid: Democrats frustrated by GOP obstacles to change

[cal04]

Source: AP

Congressional Democrats accomplished important goals this year but they need more cooperation from Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Saturday.

The Democratic majorities in the House and Senate cut middle-class taxes, raised the minimum wage and took other steps to help working families, Reid said in the Democrats' weekly radio address.

Democrats tried to do more, but President Bush and his GOP allies in Congress thwarted them while siding with tobacco firms and "big oil companies," said Reid, D-Nevada.

"Time after time, when Democrats have fought for change, President Bush and Republicans in Congress have stood in the way," he said. "Like you, I am frustrated by the direction of our country."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/22/dems.radio.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[TwilightGardener]

1. Dems--frustrated by Reid's obstacles to the Dem agenda

(like the 60-vote requirement for EVERYTHING, and honoring holds by GOPers but not Dodd).

[davidwparker]

2. you beat me to that sentiment. reid is the problem; he is gutless.

[SoFlaJet]

3. Here's breaking news for you Harry...

The republicans have enacted a scorched earth policy and they will NEVER cooperate with the democrats-this is their 2008 strategy, to run on the dems incompetence to enact any real change-oh yea, and you ain't helping any by allowing votes like the Kyl-LIEberman amendment to get the the floor-the GOP would NEVER had let a vote like that come to fore on their watch

[annabanana]

4. No one outside the beltway knows this.

The only way to explain to America what the dynamics of obstruction are is to FORCE THEM to actually DO the filibuster they keep threatening.

Let America see one Repug after another refuse healthcare for kids and keep the troops in harm's way when they should be at home...

(it's just driving me crazy, harry)

[gratuitous]

5. So, what are you going to DO about it, Mr. Reid?

I've been in your corner, and hoping for change. But after watching you and your congressional colleagues get out-maneuvered, out-thought and out-politicked for months on end, I have to say, what are you going to do about it? I mean, besides honoring Republican holds on bills and ignoring Democratic holds. Yes, I'm still pissed that you dry-gulched Ron Wyden; he's in your fucking party, Harry - look it up!

Remember how the Republicans ran roughshod over you for five years? You don't have to do it on every bill, but it would be nice to see it happen every once in a while. And when the Republicans game the system, it would be very nice to see you or someone from the Democratic caucus (maybe about 15 someones) getting in front of every microphone and camera they can find and bitching about it. Loudly. So that there can be no mistake about why we don't have (for example) a new authorization of SCHIP, or a workable energy bill, or a new farm bill that doesn't cater to every depradation Monsanto can think of.

Drop the gloves, and start brawling.

[rockybelt]

6. Reid, you weenie

YOU ARE A LOT OF THE DAMNED PROBLEM. Why don't you resign your position and let somebody with some balls fill the chair. Maybe barbara Boxer. She has more balls than you.

[gaiilonfong]

7. YO' REID STFU

You are a spineless megalomaniac.
Take Queen Nancy and go away, you have been abject failures.
We are tired of your lame excuses, we know the ReTHUGlicans are obstructionists...BUT...you did nothin' about it.

[youngharry]

9. Reid/Pelosi

The problem is that Reid and Pelosi are not only weak and spineless, they are still taking orders from the DLC.
Either lead or resign. NO IMMUNITY FOR THE TELECOMS.

[xxqqqzme]

8. Stop whining; put on some gloves

and start fighting back. Get a clue and take a few lessons from the publicans. They will NEVER cooperate; they will NEVER compromise. Stop allowing them to control, what should be, the Democratic agenda.

I am so fed up w/ this whining 'but we don't have a big enough majority' shit. Reid needs to get out of the way. He is no leader. We have been leaderless for nearly 10 years. We have now reached the stage where the deterioration is accelerating because it is so close to total collapse.

[ananda]

10. utter bs

Reid himself, along with Pelosi and other DINO's,
are just as responsible.

I really hate it that so many still spout the notion
that we actually have a two-party system when in
reality there is just one party: the neofascist corporate
party.

[balantz]

11. The common folk citizenry say:

"Stuff it up you ass you 'better than the masses', hi fallutin' Washington insider piece of work!"

[KingFlorez]

12. Why is it that no one believes the Republicans are to blame for anything?

They have been blocking a lot of things, but people here just seem to ignore that fact and start blaming the Democrats. Newsflash, the Republicans are obstructionists and it's time to acknowledge that they are not blameless.

[balantz]

13. It's obvious there is more going on than that.

Reid and company roll over every time. You don't see too many stand up like Dodd, or Weiden, or the few who want to fight for US.

[Robbien]

14. GOPers are to blame, we just call them Blue Dogs/NewDems

same thing

[TankLV]

20. Waaaa! - the Repukes are in the Majority - they won't let us do anything/we can't do anything!

Waaaa! - the Repuke MINORITY won't let us do anything/we can't do anything!

That about sums it up.

Sorry Harry and King - we ain't buyin' the BULLSHIT anymore...

[VP505]

15. Why Harry, how could

those Republics NOT cooperate with you, after all, you know how they have been sooooo cooperative with the Dem's. Perhaps they just don't appreciate how helpful you have been in getting THEIR agenda through? :sarcasm:

[rocktivity]

16. You and Nancy aren't failures, Harry

In order to fail at something, you have to actually ATTEMPT it.

x(
rocknation

[cornermouse]

17. Whatever happened to traditional "lame duck presidency"

status? ...Oh yeah. We sent you guys (Reid and company) to Washington to stop Bush and instead you enabled and empowered him out of lame duck status. Congratulations Harry. :sarcasm: stated with heavy acid overtones.

[fascisthunter]

18. How Ironic (nt)

[dbt]

19. Impeach Harry. Impeach Nancy.

The WAY is clear thereafter.

[humbled_opinion]

21. WOW never thought I would say this but...

Harry Reid should have been as convicted with ending the war as Bush was with starting it....

It makes me ill

:puke:

[Zorra]

22. True. The Bu*h crime family, and its republican legislative "posse", are preventing

Democrats from making life better for all Americans by killing off any genuinely productive, constructive legislation.

Credit George "Uncle Veto" Bu*h for most of the carnage.