J's Cafe Nette

Archive for the ‘Harry Reid’ Category

Dick Morris says it time to call your Congress critters.

If his information is correct, then health care legislation is far from dead:

Highly informed sources on Capitol Hill have revealed to me details of the Democratic plan to sneak through Congress Obamacare, despite collapsing public approval for healthcare “reform” and disintegrating Congressional support in the wake of Republican Scott Brown’s victory in Massachusetts.

President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate leader Harry Reid have all agreed to the basic framework of the plan.

Their plan is clever but can be stopped if opponents of radical healthcare reform act quickly and focus on a core group of 23 Democratic Congressman. If just a few of these 23 Democrats are “flipped” and decide to oppose the bill, the whole Obama-Pelosi-Reid stratagem falls apart.

Here’s what I learned top Democrats are planning to implement.

Senate Democrats will go to the House with a two-part deal.

First, the House will pass the Senate’s Obamacare bill that passed the Senate in December. The House leadership will vote on the Senate bill, and Pelosi will allow no amendments or modifications to the Senate bill.

How will Pelosi’s deal fly with rambunctious liberal members of her majority that don’t like the Senate bill, especially its failure to include a public option, put heavy fines on those who don’t get insurance and offering no income tax surcharge on the “rich”?

That’s where the second part of the Pelosi-deal comes in.

Behind closed doors Reid and Pelosi have agreed in principle that changes to the Senate bill will be made to satisfy liberal House members — but only after the Senate bill is passed and signed into law by Obama.

This deal will be secured by a pledge from Reid and the Senate’s Democratic caucus that they will make “fixes” to the Senate bill after it becomes law with Obama’s John Hancock.

Read it all, and I’m sure you will not be amazed or amused at the lengths our leaders will go to in order to save face.

HT:Slublog

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Riddle me this.

If no government owned health care reform passes in the Senate, will the Republicans then be considered obstructionists regardless of the fact that they have absolutely no say in writing legislation?

I’d bet on it as the winners will certainly be looking for someone to blame.

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I wonder if Harry Reid knows how foolish he looks in his attempts to deny Mr. Burris the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama:

His appointment finally endorsed by U.S. Senate leadership, Roland Burris said today he expects to be sworn in this week as Barack Obama’s replacement.

At a news conference this afternoon, Burris, a former Illinois Attorney General, extended an olive branch to the Democrats who had stood in his way after he was nominated by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Burris singled out for thanks two of his major opponents, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who had staunchly opposed the idea of seating any appointee named by Blagojevich. “It will be my honor to both serve with them and to learn from them,” Burris said.

And he said he “owed a debt of gratitude” to Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who had refused to sign papers certifying his nomination. He called White “an honorable man” who “stood for what he believed was right.”

It became clear that Burris had won his battle to become the junior senator from Illinois this afternoon when Senate Democratic leaders dropped their objections.

The agreement came after Senate lawyers said Burris met the chamber’s rules and could be sworn in.

(emphasis-mine)

But wait. Just in cast the Democrats run in to further trouble with this appointment well the Republicans are standing in the wings just ready to take the heat:

“Barring objections from Senate Republicans, we expect Senator-designee Burris to be sworn in and formally seated later this week,” said a joint statement from Reid and Durbin, the assistant majority leader .

Has anyone heard the Republicans object to this appointment?

I have another question..have we ever had an assistant majority leader in the Senate before? Maybe that’s part of all this change we heard about. Interesting.

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Since the Illinois legislature failed to pass a bill to hold a special election for the vacant seat of the president-elect, and did not act to forbid indicted Governor Rod Blagojevich from appointing a replacement to the seat, Roland Burris is legally the new senator from the state of Illinois and should be seated. Period.

Instead the Secretary of State is playing games with his signature not really certifying Burris is the new senator and Harry Reid and Company seem to think the rules of the senate will prevail over the Constitution of the United States.

Like it or not, Blagojevich had the authority to appoint Burris and the new Congress was being sworn in. He had an obligation to fill the seat so the state of Illinois had two senators instead of one.

Adam Clayton Powell, the late Congressman from New York, had a similar thing happen to him before he died. Congress refused to seat him and after two years the Supreme Court decided against the stand of Congress and for Powell. This set a precedent and I hope it doesn’t take two years to settle this case.

Now in Minnesota Norm Coleman is contesting the election, claiming some votes were counted twice and in some cases more voters than were on the rolls were casting ballots.

It’s a long shot for Coleman and it looks as though we will have a real comedian in the senate. Al Franken isn’t very funny, though, and is such a partisan I fail to see how he can help in what is being called a “post-partisan” era.

But Reid and Company want to seat him.

Nancy Pelosi has laid down her iron hand and decided Republicans will not get a say in debates, if there are any, and if she decides to bypass committees she will do it.

Republicans will be unable to offer amendments or offer a resolution to recommit.

It seems in 2006 she was the one whining the most about not having certain rights as the minority in the House and now she’s clamping down on the very rights the minority party did have.

In normal times it would cause her party to be thrown out in two years, but we are not in normal times. Many people in this country have wool over their eyes and think this is the best thing since sliced bread.

But there is a downside to this. With the Democrats completely in control, to the point of not allowing Republican representatives a voice in legislation other than a yes or no vote, everything that happens in the next two years can be laid at the feet of the Democratic party. Maybe it will be good, as I hope, but maybe it will make things worse, as I fear.

It appears Pelosi and Reid think they have served longer than the president-elect so they don’t really have to take orders or suggestions from this young whippersnapper. After all, five years ago he was a state senator from Illinois. Who does he think he is now, the incoming President of the United States?

Bush will be blamed for the economy when many things and people caused it for years to come. The Democrats will try to milk it for eight years at least.

The president-elect wants to spend our way out of this recession, but the fact is Roosevelt did the same thing and extended the Depression by a couple of years.

We just are not ready to build that many roads and bridges to get the economy working, and even if we do, what of the people who are not doing the building? How do they make it while construction workers do?

I just go along with what Jesus said, Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself.” It’s worked so far for us and I can’t think of Anyone better to give me advice.

See you after jury duty, unless something inspires me in the middle of the night as it did tonight.

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With the opening yesterday of the new Capitol Visitors Center, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid stuck his foot in his mouth once again.

In the past people have had to stand outside the Capitol building, waiting in all sorts of weather, to get in to visit the building. With the new Visitors Center people will be able to stay indoors and out of the weather.

The weather gets hot and humid in Washington during the summers, just as it does in most places.

So what does Harry Reid say about this?

“My staff tells me not to say this, but I’m going to say it anyway,” said Reid in his remarks. “In the summer because of the heat and high humidity, you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol. It may be descriptive but it’s true.”

But it’s no longer going to be true, noted Reid, thanks to the air conditioned, indoor space.

And that’s not all. “We have many bathrooms here, as you can see,” Reid continued. “Souvenirs are available.”

Source.

His staff tells him not to say it but he says it anyway. The Majority Leader of the Senate thinks we stink and doesn’t mind telling us.

I’ve been in those lines a couple of times during the summer and I have a pretty keen sense of smell. I don’t recall smelling any B.O. on anyone I came near. And they had a small gift shop in the old system too. You could buy coins for more than face value.

Is it the Peter Principle that states: Sooner or later everyone rises to his own level of incompetence.”? I think Harry Reid has reached that point. When he was just part of the leadership we didn’t realize how stupid he sounds but now that he’s the Leader of the greatest deliberative body in the world we are all aware of his stupidity.

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All emphasis in the following passages are mine but they signify exactly what is wrong with our system today.

Congress under the leadership of the Democrats is far more concerned with upcoming elections than they are the electorate as a whole.

It is a disgrace that once again they choose to abandon their duties in hopes of putting a few more votes in the (D) box.

They may be pulling the wool over the eyes of some, but there are many who will once again see that until we return to some form of bipartisan strong leadership which understands their duties to this country (and it is not perpetual campaigning,) we are doomed to fail on many levels.

“We feel good about our position in the race. You look at the poll numbers, we remain in a very close contest. Since the convention the map has expanded in our direction and retracted for Senator Obama. Of course much of the country’s attention now is focused on the financial crisis that we’re in the middle of, that the entire country’s in the middle of. Senator McCain is going to address this today in remarks. One of the developments over the last week you know as you’ve noticed is that the Obama campaign has become highly negative, highly personal, directed its attacks at Senator McCain. Senator, you know, Senator Reid and the Democrats in Congress today announced that they’ll be leaving Congress and this is a matter that can be dealt with after the election.

The Obama campaign is out there talking about the fact that the financial crisis benefits them politically and then you look at the actions of the leadership in the Democratic Congress, you know we’ll make the case that it’s more of the me-first, country-second politics that at the end of the day there’s a real crisis. American people are threatened by it financially. Congress should stay in there and do its job and not look to calculate and score points politically. So Senator McCain today and in the days ahead is going to talk to the American people about this crisis. He’s going to explain to them what happened, what went wrong, how we fix it, and we will have a dialogue on this very important issue with the American people going forward.”

Much more of this interview here.

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With a friend like Harry Reid, you really do not need many enemies:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., defended Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman on Wednesday after the former Democratic vice presidential nominee accepted a speaking slot at next month’s Republican convention in Minnesota.

“He has a close personal relationship with John McCain. I don’t fully understand why he does,” said Reid, who said Lieberman called Tuesday from the Republic of Georgia to alert him to the move.

“I told him last night, ‘You know, Joe, I can’t stand John McCain.’ He said, ‘I know you feel that way,’ ” Reid said.

But Reid said he would continue to resist calls from the Democratic Party’s base to strip Lieberman, now an independent, of his Senate positions for his disloyalty.

“All my close votes, he’s always with me, whether it’s the budget or energy issues,” Reid said. “No matter what it is, he’s always with us. He just does not vote right on Iraq. … Why would I want to throw away a good vote?”

(emphasis -mine)

Sure you support Senator Lieberman’s decision Mr. Reid. Plus, you show so much class in making public the fact that you “can’t stand” a fellow Senator, let alone a presidential candidate.

It is also clear the Majority leader will attempt to protect Senator Lieberman’s committee assignments only because he votes with him the majority of the time.

Does anyone believe that should the Democrats gain a veto proof majority in the Senate that Mr. Reid would not immediately throw Senator Lieberman under the bus?

We’ve seen many a majority leader come and go but Senator Reid has shown himself to be one of the rudest and most classless of all.

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Andrea Mitchell interviews General Petraeus.

The General wastes no time in making his positions crystal clear..now only if the media would listen.

While the Democrats attempt to jockey for position to take credit for us “winning” in Iraq, (we all know it had to be that pressure they put on the President), their steady drumbeat of words fall on deaf ears with me.

This is the party whose leader told us the war was lost. Remember Mrs. Clinton’s “willing suspension of disbelief” of General Petraeus’s report to the Armed Services Committee?

How about the disgraceful actions and words of Congressman John Murtha?

We should not forget the continuous threats on the Left to cut funding for the war, knowing full well the American people would not tolerate our troops being left in further jeopardy.

As for the media, well they have done their level best to turn public opinion against the war and the President perhaps not realizing there are those of us who resent their constant negativity and lack of support and recognition for the successes achieved.

President Bush has remained steadfast in his claim that when Iraq was stable and their government was certain they could maintain the peace, we would leave. His recent conversations with Prime Minister Maliki are the beginning of that process, not some artificial time line the Democrats would prefer our troops and Iraq follow.

Wars are not won or lost by presidential nominees (especially those whose positions change like the wind) or those in Congress, many of whom have never set foot in today’s hostile environments.

No indeed, they are won by men and women like these:

Something a bit different this week, in keeping with our the war was won theme. This is a video produced by the Third Infantry Division (aka Task Force Marne and MND-C) the surge division in Iraq.

and, those who have stepped up to defend their own country as it struggles (as our nation did) to form a democracy:

Then there are times when the change hits you across the forehead like a 2×4. Yesterday I found inspiration in the tears of joy on hundreds of faces at the graduation for the Iraqi Military Academy at Rustimiyah as 252 young men graduated from the one year course of instruction and were commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants in the Iraqi Army and Air Force.

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Even though John Murtha is trying to backtrack on his comment that the surge is working in order to get back into the good graces of his mentor, Nancy Pelosi, he said those words.

Harry Reid, on the other hand, will not admit the light at the end of the tunnel may not be a train. He says the surge is not working.

But Reid, in a Monday press conference, ceded no ground.

“The surge hasn’t accomplished its goals,” Reid said. “… We’re involved, still, in an intractable civil war.”

If everything in Iraq falls apart in the next year (and it could) then Harry Reid will be seen as a very bright man with foresight.

If, on the other hand, the surge does work and everything holds together with the Iraqis trained to protect their own, he’ll be seen just as another doomsayer who is hoping for failure in order to insure victory for his party in 2008.

Maybe he should take a trip as Murtha did and see for himself what is and what isn’t working.

I doubt anyone will tell him the central government of Iraq is working like a well-oiled machine, but then again I’m sure we had some growing pains too.

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~J~ wrote:

Take a look at the sidebar and you will see the winning bid for Rush Limbaugh’s EBay auction of the letter of condemnation by Harry Reid and some of his cohorts.

The winning bid was $2,100,100, and Rush will match that amount to go to this worthy cause.

How do you like them apples, Mr. Reid? Your letter actually helped military and law enforcement families.

We will take down the widget on Monday so everyone has a chance to see the winning bid.

Rush is also selling signed copies for $1,000 each to anyone who wants to donate. Go to his site to get yours.

Sue Wrote:

Senator Reid has effectively done nothing since becoming Senate Majority Leader. Nothing but insult the President of the United States, provide soundbites for a willing press and attempt a takedown of conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.

Sadly for the Senator, none of those things have worked in his favor.

The President is still at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the press, while it laps up his words, really has not given the Senator much credit for anything (there really is nothing to give credit for) and Rush Limbaugh just beat him at his own game.

I think the Leader also missed another important point. There are many conservatives who do not listen to talk radio or talking heads on television. But this maneuver by Reid and his fellow Senators, purely for politics, awakened many to support Limbaugh who otherwise pay little attention.

Instead of saying congratulations on the amazing amount raised by Rush, Mr. Reid tries to turn the tables and take credit for what is not his:

NOW, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT RUSH LIMBAUGH AND I DON’T AGREE ON EVERYTHING IN LIFE AND MAYBE THAT IS KIND OF AN UNDERSTATEMENT. BUT WITHOUT QUALIFICATION MARK MAY, THE OWNER OF THE NETWORK THAT HAS RUSH LIMBAUGH AND RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS LETTER THAT THEY’RE AUCTIONING IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT RAISES MONEY FOR A WORTHWHILE CAUSE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE COULD DO MORE IMPORTANT THAN HELPING TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN OF OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS AND POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE FALLEN IN THE LINE OF DUTY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE A GOOD EDUCATION. THINK OF THIS, MORE THAN $2 MILLION — THAT WILL REALLY HELP. THAT’S, AGAIN, AN UNDERSTATEMENT. THERE’S ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT SO I WOULD ASK THOSE THAT ARE WANTING TO DO MORE, THAT THEY CAN GO TO HARRY REID LETTER AND IT WILL COME UP ON E-BAY. I ENCOURAGE ANYONE INTERESTED WITH THE MEANS TO CONSIDER CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WORTHWHILE CAUSE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE WHEN WE CAN PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE, EVEN HARRY REID AND RUSH LIMBAUGH, WE SHOULD DO THAT AND TRY TO ACCOMPLISH GOOD THINGS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THIS DOES THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT. MORE THAN $2 MILLION FOR A LETTER SIGNED BY THIS SENATOR AND MY FRIENDS.

What a bloated ego this man has. He thinks people were bidding on this letter because his signature was on it…Mr. “the war is lost” Reid, let me give you a clue. This had nothing to do with you and everything to do with Rush, his supporters and the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Fund. If you are so pleased with the outcome how about you pony up and match the funds raised?

Now that the Senator has been made to look a fool over this entire incident, he wants to be friends with Rush Limbaugh …he says they can do good things together. Perhaps he should have thought of that before he took to the Senate floor and attempted to destroy the career of another man.

HT: Captains Quarters

*Update: ABC News apears to live in the same fantasy land as Senator Reid.

The bidding ends at 1:00p.m. No mater what, Democrats are going to make a ton of money for a charity off their political vitriol.

Unbelieveable!

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Current bid is $40,200.

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Just a couple of pieces I found interesting and thought I would share:

I wonder how this father would have felt if it were his child that was affected by the actions (or lack thereof) of this daycare center.

One parent said the center’s owners gave a good explanation for Tuesday night’s mishap.

“That was just a big misunderstanding,” said Joe Thomas, whose 3-year-old daughter attends the center. “These are good people, and that was an honest mistake.”

It seems these Muslim Scholars wish for peace with Christians. On its face it sounds good, but who makes the concessions here when it comes to the peace they promote?

The Muslim scholars state: “As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not against them – so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their homes.”

I don’t recall us waging war on Muslims due to their religion. At any rate, a very interesting read.

This from Breitbart:
Do you know what’s in your attic?

Harry Reid, speaking at BYU said the following among other things:

Reid also told reporters the Republican Party has been driven by evangelical Christians for 20 years. “They are the most anti-Christian people I can imagine, the people from the Christian far right.”

Hmmm.

Also:

I do not care for the extreme right wing and often insulting politics of Ann Coulter.

The Anchoress takes her to task in regard to her recent remarks in a masterful post.

And finally:

Beware. If your bank informs you a check has “cleared”, that may not be the case. An interesting and informative piece from Classical Values.

Have a terrific Friday.

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There is a great post at Politico rehashing the latest defeat in the Senate of another “surrender measure.”

Yet another Democratic amendment on Iraq failed Friday morning, and this one didn’t even earn a majority of Senate votes. The vote was 47-47 on an amendment sponsored by Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) that would have required a change of mission in Iraq while mandating firm timetables for withdrawal. The amendment needed 60 votes to pass, and three Democrats voted against the measure, making it clear that no matter how Democrats craft their legislation, a majority of senators are uncomfortable mandating time tables for troop withdrawal. Three Republicans, Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Gordon Smith of Oregon, backed the measure.

I don’t know what it is going to do to convince Harry Reid that he is fighting a battle he cannot win and in my opinion the longer he continues to present this type of legislation, the worse it will become for the Democrats.

“Harry Reid has called up the same amendments for the same votes and gotten the same results – more gridlock on Iraq,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). “Instead of posturing for political gain, it’s time for the Senate’s leaders to sit down with those of us trying to find a consensus.”

But Reid has clearly made a calculation that he would rather force votes on firm troop withdrawal amendments instead of allowing bipartisan votes on moderate measures that may win a lot of support but wouldn’t force the president’s hand on the war.

“I ask my Republican colleagues for the courage and wisdom to join the American people and bring our troops home,” Reid said Friday morning. “Courage and wisdom demands that we do such.”

I think if Mr. Reid wishes to understand courage and wisdom, perhaps he should take a few minutes and read this speech presented by Marine Maj. General John Kelly. He just might learn a thing or two.

This fight is today, not against some potential peer competitor that might emerge 30 years from now, and will be with us for another generation or more. Our enemy is on a 100 year campaign to victory, and believes without question that he is winning. We, on the other hand, look out two years at best and seem to be wavering and looking for a way to rationalize our way out. The problem is our enemy is not willing to let us go. Regardless of how much we wish this bad dream would go away, he will stay with us until he hurts us so badly we surrender, or we kill him first. To him this is not about jobs, economic opportunity, or solving social problems in the Middle East. It is about way of life, about everyman’s and every woman’s worth and equality in the eyes of the law, about the God given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He doesn’t believe in these cherished concepts – we do. Our positions are irreconcilable.

Both links provide a great read if you have a few spare moments on a Friday night.

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Senate democrats tried for the umpteenth time to do a back-door retreat of troops in Iraq yesterday, and for the umpteenth time they failed.

Senate Republicans yesterday blocked a bid by Democrats to restrict troop-deployment schedules for a second time, saying it would impede the ability of President Bush and generals to wage the war in Iraq.

“The majority has brought this back in order to reduce the numbers of fully trained and combat-experienced troops available to our military commanders and thus to force an accelerated drawdown of troops and units in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let’s be honest about this,” said Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican and presidential aspirant.

The troop-deployment measure, which would have required troops to get “dwell time” at home equal to time deployed overseas, died 56-44, falling four votes shy of the 60 needed to pass, according to a previous agreement.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, vowed to keep pushing to end the war, even though Mr. Webb’s amendment was the lone war-related measure considered to have a chance for passage.

“We will not stop waging the hard-but-necessary fight to responsibly end the war,” he said.

OK, let’s see if we can make this clear. I’ll type slowly so maybe they can understand.

Congress has the right to declare and fund wars. The president is the Commander in Chief and has the right to decide how to deploy the troops and for how long.

If they want to end the war the only option available to them is to vote to de-fund the troops.

I learned that in ninth grade civics class. Seems pretty clear to me.

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he will block any potential nomination of Theodore Olson as Attorney General.

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed on Wednesday to block former Solicitor General Theodore Olson from becoming attorney general if President George W. Bush nominates him to replace Alberto Gonzales. …

…”He’s a partisan, and the last thing we need as an attorney general is a partisan,” Reid told Reuters in a brief hallway interview on Capitol Hill.

We certainly don’t want partisans in Washington, do we? Especially one with an impeccable record and credentials.

The White House says it hasn’t made a decision yet on who will get the nod for AG, but it appears whoever it is will be filibustered by the Democrats anyway.

It’s a good thing our founding fathers are dead or they’d all die from the sheer horror of what is happening in the country they founded. All for the party (either one) and never mind the good of the country.

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After the Petraeus report it seems the Congressional Democrats’ hope for Republican defections to order a quick withdrawal from Iraq is going to end up in frustration again.

Senate Republicans, bolstered by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus’ war report this week, are closing ranks and say Democrats will continue to fall far shy of the votes needed to force a pullout from Iraq.

Republicans facing intense antiwar pressure in home states, such as Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, and the party’s war critics, including Sens. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana and Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico, say the general’s congressional testimony helped persuade them not to switch their votes.

“I’m supportive of a reasonable plan which they offered,” Mr. Lugar said on PBS’ “NewsHour” after Gen. Petraeus, U.S. commander in Iraq, called for withdrawing about 30,000 troops by July.

President Bush, in a prime-time address tonight, is expected to endorse the general’s plan to return to the pre-surge force strength of 130,000 troops by July.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who failed repeatedly to muster enough votes to compel the president to accept a pullout plan, yesterday said he will try again next week with measures to force significantly larger troop reductions.

“I call on Senate Republicans not to walk lockstep with the president as they have done for years,” the Nevada Democrat said. “It is time to come over and join us.”

Mr. Reid said Democrats will introduce four to six war bills, including measures for large-scale troop reductions and to transition the mission from combat to training Iraqi forces and conducting counterterrorism operations.

He did not provide details of the legislation, but the characterization of measures was nearly identical to failed bills from earlier this year.

Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott has been checking the votes and feels the Democrats will, once again, fall short of the 60 votes necessary to pass any of these bills.

Someone once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. This is the very definition of partisan insanity on the part of the Democrats, but they really don’t seem to have any plan other than get out of Iraq.

Republican leaders also say the Democrat-led Congress’ fixation on the war is preventing action on essential legislation, such as fixing the alternative minimum tax and passing spending bills for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.

Can anyone name any significant legislation passed by this Congress?

It’s been eight months since the Democrats took over the legislative branch of our federal government and, other than a minimum wage hike attached to a war funding bill, no significant legislation has been passed.

They say Americans voted for a change in November, and maybe they’re right, but I doubt the American electorate voted for the same futile votes to be taken over and over again.

The Senate is going to be hard for the Republicans in the next election due to retirements and so many senators’ terms being up for re-election.

Based on the last election I’d say things are very close in this country as the Democrats didn’t win huge majorities in either chamber or huge victories in many districts or states.

If the American people begin to see the surge working they are not likely to insist we give up. We like victory too much and I doubt we have changed that much over this one war.

Americans need to understand we must prevail in this war against radical Islam or we will all be doomed to their rule over us in the future.

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If this isn’t political gamesmanship I don’t know what is.

Following is the Democrat memo highlights or lowlights, depending on how you see them, for the big filibuster that will take place tonight. And CNN is already cooperating by talking about and showing the rollaway beds.

The Democratic memo includes this just-add-water message template for Democratic senators to propagate: “President Bush has proven beyond any doubt that he won’t listen to the Congress or the American people unless he is forced to. While some Senate Republicans might not want to change course in Iraq, it does not gives them the right to block an up or down vote on legislation supported by a majority of the Congress and the American people.”

The memo says Senate Democrats are coordinating with their House counterparts to produce an echo effect during floor speeches in the other chamber. Under a section called, “Amplifying Our Message to Force a Change Of Course in Iraq,” the memo gives this overview:

–“Senate Democrats will tape TV feeds and actualities back to their home states.”

–“Outside groups will hold a ‘call to action’ event Tuesday night to call on Republicans to end their Iraq filibuster.”

–“Iraq veterans will make visits to Senate offices asking Republican Senators to allow an up or down vote on the Levin-Reed Amendment.”

–“Center for American Progress will live-blog the all night session.”

–“Senate Democrats will conduct interviews on national cable and radio.”

–“The Steering and Outreach Committee will release a video of Iraq veterans and military families calling for a change of course in Iraq.”

The Republicans have their talking points too.

A companion memo for Senate Republicans accuses Democrats of pulling a “stunt” – a word you can count on hearing as a mantra from the GOP. Watch to see if White House Press Secretary Tony Snow uses it.

…

The memo from the Senate Republican Communications Center, part of the office of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), calls attention to the fact that the all-night session coincides with evening rallies sponsored by the liberal group MoveOn.org, which is giving supporters instructions on how to “Host a Counter-Filibuster to End the War.”

Is this what our Congress has come to? Staging events for the news and for Moveon.org? Too cute by half.

The fact of the matter is Sen. Reid could take a vote on this issue anytime today if he wanted to and the numbers will be no different from the ones taken tomorrow.

It’s a campaign publicity stunt and we’ll see how many Americans notice and even care.

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The Senate Democrats have been foiled again in their effort to decide whether or not to fund the troops.

The Senate on Wednesday rejected legislation that would cut off money for combat operations in Iraq after March 31, 2008.

The vote was a loss for Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and other Democrats who want to end the war. But the effort picked up support from members, including presidential hopefuls previously reluctant to limit war funding – an indication of the conflict’s unpopularity among voters.

The proposal lost 29-67 on a procedural vote, falling 31 votes short of the necessary votes to advance. Of the 67 senators who opposed Feingold’s proposal, there were 19 Democrats, 47 Republicans and Connecticut Independent Joseph Lieberman. Of the 29 supporting, 28 were Democrats and Vermont Independent Bernard Sanders.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Democratic presidential front-runner, previously opposed setting a deadline on the war. But she said she agreed to back the measure “because we, as a united party, must work together with clarity of purpose and mission to begin bringing our troops home and end this war.”

Sen. Barack Obama, another leading 2008 prospect, said he would prefer a plan that offers more flexibility but wanted “to send a strong statement to the Iraqi government, the president and my Republican colleagues that it’s long past time to change course.”

The proposal had been expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to advance under Senate rules, but was intended to gauge the tolerance of members on anti-war legislation. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid staged a series of war votes Wednesday to inform negotiations with the House on a war spending bill.

“We stand united…. in our belief that troops are enmeshed in an intractable civil war,” said Reid, D-Nev.

Feingold’s measure, co-sponsored by Reid and Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., proved divisive for Democrats.

Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he opposes any measure that cuts off money for the war.

“We don’t want to send the message to the troops” that Congress does not support them, said Levin, D-Mich. “We’re going to support those troops.”

But other Democrats said the move was necessary.

“I’m not crazy about the language in the Feingold amendment, but I am crazy about the idea that we have to keep the pressure on,” said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., who also wants the Democratic presidential nomination.

They’re all dancing on the head of a pin saying they support the troops and then trying to justify a vote against the emergency funding bill.

Disgraceful.

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It seems Arizona Senator Jon Kyl and not Senator John McCain is the White House go-to man for immigration legislation.

Last year the Senate passed a pretty liberal immigration bill that allows a path to citizenship for just about anyone who wants it. If not for the Republican House last year this bill would have become law.

Now all eyes are on Jon Kyl.

For two years, the White House thought the chances of getting an immigration bill passed in Congress lay with Arizona’s Republican senator. Unfortunately for President Bush, he was counting on the wrong one.

While the White House was working with Sen. John McCain, Arizona’s other senator, Jon Kyl, emerged this year as the most important player in the immigration debate, showing that even as the Congress has grown more liberal with Democrats in control, the immigration debate has shifted to the right.

It’s also a recognition that as Mr. Kyl goes, so go a number of Republicans.

“If it’s good enough for Kyl, it’s going to be good enough for a lot of conservatives,” said Rep. Jeff Flake, Arizona Republican and one of the top House lawmakers pressing for a bill this year.

The debate starts today when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, is expected to use a parliamentary procedure to resurrect one of last year’s bills. His move is designed to pressure Republicans to get something done, but they said they can’t meet the deadline.

Mr. Kyl is leading a group of Republicans working with the White House, two Cabinet secretaries and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the Democrats’ leader on immigration, to try to write a tough and workable bill.

“There’s only one way that there’s going to be legislation adopted this year, and that’s in a bipartisan way,” Mr. Kyl said yesterday, warning that Mr. Reid’s move could “break up any chance” for such an agreement.

Excuse me for not having the intellect to understand how Sen. Reid, the Majority Leader in the Senate is resurrecting one of last year’s bills (without hearings) so he can get the Republicans to get something done. 8-|

Feel free to explain that one to me.
Read the rest of this entry »

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California Conservative does a pretty good job of fisking the comments made by Sen. Reid and Speaker Pelosi after the president’s veto speech last night.

Here’s the transcript of their speech:

Statement by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on President Bush’s veto of the Iraq spending bill, as provided by CQ Transcriptions:

REID: The president may be content with keeping our troops mired in the middle of an open-ended civil war, but we’re not — and neither are most Americans.

A bipartisan majority of Congress sent the president a bill to fully fund our troops and change the mission in Iraq. The president refused to sign this bill. That’s his right, but now he has an obligation to explain his plan to responsibly end this war.

In the coming days, we’ll continue to reach out to the president, and we hope congressional Republicans who remained silent — congressional Republicans through this whole debate — will work with us as well.

But if the president thinks that by vetoing this bill he’ll stop us from working to change the direction of the war in Iraq, he is mistaken. Read the rest of this entry »

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From the Washington Times:

President Bush yesterday invited congressional leaders to the White House to discuss redrafting a new war-spending bill next week, and warned Democrats he is willing to wield his veto power repeatedly to block troop-withdrawal deadlines for Iraq.

“I’m optimistic we can get a bill, a good bill, a bill that satisfies all our objectives, and that is to get the money to the troops as quickly as possible,” Mr. Bush said during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the president’s Camp David retreat.

Speaking a day after the Democrat-led Congress passed a war bill with troop-pullout dates, Mr. Bush said he has enough support to sustain his veto as Democrats began looking for a resolution to the impasse that would appease its anti-war wing.

“If the Congress wants to test my will as to whether I’ll accept a timetable, I won’t accept one,” said Mr. Bush, who is awaiting the bill to formally veto it.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he thinks the president is open to negotiations based on his recent statements, and called on the president to “carefully” read the bill, “stop swaggering” and sign it.

“He will see it fully provides for our troops and gives them a strategy worthy of their sacrifices,” the Nevada Democrat said. “Failing to sign this bill would deny our troops the resources and strategy they need.”

Democratic and Republican leaders agreed to meet with Mr. Bush Wednesday, and Mr. Reid has talked to Sen. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, the minority leader, about how to move forward.

Senior House leadership aides have held “very preliminary” discussions with White House staffers about post-veto negotiations, although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, has not yet reached out to Republican leaders on the issue, one official told the Associated Press, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the talks were not public.

Senator Reid knows the president won’t sign the bill in its present form, but he is at least willing to discuss compromise legislation with the president. That’s a step in the right direction.

Speaker Pelosi will hopefully come around to also attending the meeting and a compromise can be reached that will satisfy everyone.

Politics is a game of compromise, and each party must be willing to give up something he wants in order to come to a consensus. Here’s praying this works to the benefit of our troops who are the political football in all of this and are the most innocent parties, but the ones who are affected the most.

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