The Imperial Mr Reid

[BlueStreak]

"When the lie is so big and the fog so thick, the republican trick can be played out again. People please tell me when, we'll be rid of these men?"

---Frank Zappa

"Just because it's a popularly held belief doesn't mean it has any real basis."

---Bluestreak

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

We kinda agree. Did I touch a nerve?

I was referring to foreign policy more than anything though. We did get tax cuts and welfare reform btw.

Pete

You did? When was that?

[piece-itpete]

Reform in the 90s, cuts under the Shrub.

Pete

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by whell

This story serves as a significant counterweight to all of the lame claims about "obstructionist Repubs" and how the Dems go out of their way to work with Repubs. Hell, Reid doesn't even worry about working with members of his own party much.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/2...orebears-power

Congressional experts say the Nevada Democrat has used more strong-arm tactics than his predecessors, has a firm grip on his Democratic colleagues and has played a major role in changing the once-collegial Senate.

American journalist Robert Caro famously dubbed Lyndon Baines Johnson the “master of the Senate,” but experts say Reid now wields more power than Johnson ever did.

Reid’s tight leadership reins have protected vulnerable Democrats from having to take tough votes and helped them amass a 55-seat majority. He routinely puts legislation on the floor as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, denying the minority and even members of his own caucus the chance to amend it.

“Sen. Reid has actively assumed the role far in excess of that assumed by previous majority leaders. That is to be a traffic cop over the amendment process either to produce amendments by allowing those he deems acceptable for consideration by the Senate or to bar amendments altogether,” said Martin Gold, an expert on congressional procedure who served former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker (R-Tenn.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).

“He has engaged in that practice more than twice as frequently as all previous majority leaders combined,” Gold said.

And as far as the childish claim that "Republicans made him be such a basitd:

Baker drew a contrast between Reid and his Democratic predecessors, former Senate Majority Leaders George Mitchell (D-Maine) and Tom Daschle (D-S.D.).

“Under Mitchell, conditions were much more benign,” he said.

Baker emphasized that Republicans were much more willing to cooperate with Democrats under Mitchell’s reign.

He said that Reid having “gone farther than anyone else” is “less a reflection on his grasp on power than on the increasingly bitter partisanship.”

Also:

This year, the major items of the Democratic agenda — an unemployment benefits package, an increase in the minimum wage, the Paycheck Fairness Act and student loan legislation expected in June have not undergone committee markups. Reid has brought them all straight to the floor, violating the “regular order” process.

Reid flexed his muscle earlier this year when he overruled Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden’s (D-Ore.) desire to rework a deal he struck with Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to freeze scheduled cuts in doctors’ Medicare payments.

What a steaming pile of horseshit. The imperial Mr. Reid is no different in principle from the imperial Mr. McConnell. Or the imperial Mr./Ms. the rest of 'em. Your only problem with the imperial Mr. Reid is he's not yours. If he were yours you'd suck his ass regardless of what was coming out of it.

Steaming pile of horseshit #2 - the Democratic agenda...no different in principle from the Republican agenda. Different in content, but not in principle...no fucking different as to how business get done.

Steaming pile of horsehit #3 - Martin Gold, the "expert?" Are you fucking for real? Martin Gold is a Republican stooge. He's been a staffer for Baker, Hatfield, Frist...Frist??? Really??? You're gonna suggest that we'll get a balanced opinion from Bill Frist's guy?

What a waste of decent bandwidth.

[Dondilion]

The amount of whining about Reid is indication that the guy is not a patsy.

It means that the guy is a good reader of Republican moves.

[bhunter]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

The amount of whining about Reid is indication that the guy is not a patsy.

It means that the guy is a good reader of Republican moves.

I've a feeling that a lot of Harry's orchestrated maneuvers will come back to haunt the democrats, but I do respect his tenacity and fighting spirit. IMNSHO, CSPAN ought only be broadcast with a wideangle shot, thus depicting what's happening in the exalted chamber.