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December 17, 2010
Harry Reid Pulls Omnibus He Does Not Have The Votes!!
Harry Reid doesn’t have the votes.
Speaking now on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) says he is “sorry and disappointed” to announce that he does not have the votes for the omnibus spending package. Instead, he will work with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) to draft a temporary continuing resolution to fund the government into early next year.
A top Senate source tells National Review Online that “it looks like Harry Reid buckled under the threat of Republicans reading [the bill] aloud.”
Reid Abandons Omnibus Bill Amid GOP Opposition
With Senate Republicans uniting against a massive $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill and threatening to demand a time-consuming oral reading of the 1,924-page measure, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tonight elected to ditch the controversial bill.
Republicans vowed to force an oral reading of it on the Senate floor. That process could have taken up to 50 hours, sucking up precious time in the few remaining days before Christmas when Democrats also are trying to ratify the START treaty, repeal the military’s "don't ask, don't tell" and pass the DREAM Act immigration measure.
But with GOP senators now refusing to support the bill – Reid said nine of them changed their stance in recent days and told him they would not vote for it – Democrats tonight scrapped any plans to proceed with it.
Reid called the omnibus “a good bill, an important piece of legislation for our country,” but acknowledged that he had decided to ditch it. The Senate’s top Republican, Mitch McConnell, said Democrats were forced to scrap the measure because they “don’t have the votes.”
Despite ditching the bill, Reid tonight mounted a passionate defense of earmarks, hitting out at President Obama and Republicans alike just as he did earlier Thursday.
“I don’t like this grab of power – and that’s what it is – and I don’t know why people in this branch of government are willing to give that power up.”
Republicans long have voiced support for a short-term continuing resolution over an omnibus because it would allow them to have far more power over the spending process starting in January, when they take control of the House and gain seats in the Senate.
I’m encouraged, greatly, by the action that was taken tonight to do away with this monstrosity and go back to, maybe, a one-page continuing resolution until the new members of Congress and the new members of this body can have their voices heard,” said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
“Did we just win?” quipped newly-elected Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois.
“This may be a seminal moment in the recent history of the United States Senate,” McCain replied. “We stood up and said, ‘Enough. Stop!’”
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Wild Thing's comment........
That process could have taken up to 50 hours
If it takes that long to read it is a sure sign that there is too much in the bill.
IMO, the part Reid said about dropping the bill because of some Republicans not voting for it, is pure BS. There aren’t enough Republicans in the Senate to stop anything. I will bet the main reason he is dropping it is because some dems have filed to have the entire thing read on the floor and he doesn’t want to waste time so as to cram more of his left wing disaster onto the American people.
Reid has filed for cloture on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the Dream Act, and the START treaty.
These people are like cockroaches!
Rush keeps playing the audios of Obama saying he was against earmarks
Also tons of we the people making phonecalls, emails, and faxes to these politicians, reminding them about the last election and we do not forget and we are taking names might be helping too. We need to keep this up, the dems are known for tenacity I will give them that ONLY, but we can be that way too and this is important enough to not see apathy happening.
The conflict of interest of Reid shoving in an internet gambling part of the bill - while his family lobbies for and receives cash campaign money from gambling interests is blatant and corrupt
Obama also said if this didn’t pass it would ruin his Presidency. Obama cannot move his big bill through a democrat Congress. We hope, we hope!!!!
The top Senate Republican has offered a one-page bill to prevent a government shutdown on Saturday as an alternative to a 1,924-page catchall spending measure offered by Democrats.
Posted by Wild Thing at December 17, 2010 05:50 AM
Comments
Another blind box canyon for the fast flying Dems. The more the Dem leadership has tried to ram thru lame duck govt. growth bills the less successful they seem to be. There are enough Dems(and moderate/liberal Rinos) running scared of 2012 that Reid and Pelosi now can't get the meat of their agendas forced through.
I don't just was to halt the Dem. tidal wave. I want to reverse most of the govt. growth since 2006.
Posted by: TomR,armed in Texas at December 17, 2010 11:43 AM
Thank You God! This bill was dark lord of the Sith evil.
Posted by: Avitar at December 17, 2010 05:43 PM
Maybe Old Harry is just too old for this job, He should retire and join Andy Griffith hawking obamacare.
Posted by: Mark at December 17, 2010 07:02 PM
Yes, there's going to be a barrage of legislation before they're done. They want something to stick, anything, that they can claim a final victory for. Pathetic.
Posted by: Jim at December 17, 2010 08:15 PM
Tom, well said!!!
Avitar, it sure was, it had my stomach in knots how bad it was.
Mark, LOL good one.
Jim, they sure do and I agree it is pathetic.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 18, 2010 04:16 AM
oh poor harry! you know your heart really has to go out for him,after all his rant about how long it would take to read the bill, he might miss xmas at home with his family. so not only does he not care about our service-men and woman, apparently he can't be bothered to fight for obama's most "important" bill
well henry, you'll be home for xmas dinner i think you'll be having a dead fish wrapped in newspaper!
that is unless tsa holds you up, since you, as well as nancy, were dressed up as a clown !
Posted by: latitude38 at December 18, 2010 06:42 AM
