SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOREEEEEEE

The Senate health care reform bill now has a CBO score.

Immediate Results?

Earlier today I posted about the shot across the bow that some big Liberal and Progressive organizations launched at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid over having a public option in health care reform. I don't know if that annoucement is directly responsible for this news coming out of Reid's camp but I would bet it didn't hurt.

Earlier this week, the Senate Finance Committee voted down amendments that would have added a public insurance option to the healthcare reform bill it's considering. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apparently doesn't think that's a big obstacle. On Thursday, he promised that a public option will be included in the final version of the legislation considered by the full Congress.

"We are going to have a public option before this bill goes to the president's desk," Reid said in a conference call with constitutents, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. "I believe the public option is so vitally important to create a level playing field and prevent the insurance companies from taking advantage of us."

Now to be fair Senator Reid has always said he preferred a public option in the bill. But by the same token he usually hedges on the issue. This is the first time to my knowledge that he has ever definitively said that a public option would be in the final version of the bill. It is a MAJOR revelation with out a doubt and I am more hopeful now than I was before I read this, but it is still Harry Reid so I am going to take it with a grain of salt. But what I will bet you is that after making this statement if it gets saturated out in the media Reid will see his numbers go up in Nevada which hopefully will give him plenty of reason to keep this promise.

If not, all bets are off.

Its About Damn Time

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, consider your ass put on notice!

"If Harry Reid does not have the leadership skills to get 60 votes for cloture and give a Democratic president an up-or-down vote on health care, progressives will help defeat him in 2010, even if that means Republicans take that seat," said the head of one progressive organization, who's still working out the detail of the campaign. "There is no use for Reid's vote if 60 Democratic votes means nothing on cloture, and no use for Reid's leadership if his leadership is so blatantly ineffective."

That might not be such a troubling threat if Reid, who's up for re-election in 2010, wasn't suffering at the polls.

I FULLY endorse this move by Liberal and Progressive organizations. If we can't get Democratic legislation through with a super majority then its obvious that we can do just as well with 51 votes as we can with 60. It is time Reid was told what the consequences are for being a milque toast and selling out the base. If he wasn't up for the job he never should have taken it.

Let's Turn ALL Of Our Attention On Harry Reid

Yesterday Majority Leader Harry Reid muddied the waters on his support for a public option:

During a tele-townhall with constituents today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he supports a public option...but then he added an extremely important caveat. Reid said he doesn't think the public option ought to be a government run program like Medicare, but instead favors a "private entity that has direction from the federal government so people that don't fall within the parameters of being able to get insurance from their employers, they would have a place to go. "

That sounds suspiciously like Reid would prefer a so-called co-op system, which almost all reformers regard with suspicion, and many regard as a non-starter. Reid is ultimately more than just one vote, too. If the Senate passes a health care bill through the regular legislative process, he'll be the one marrying two different pieces of legislation: one which creates a public option, and one which creates co-ops.

Having read this breakdown from TPM yesterday I was upset of course but kind of shrugged it off. The reason being is that this is part for the course for Harry Reid. I can't think of anyone on the left, not one single person, who is happy with Reid's performance as Majority Leader. Time and time again he has failed to bring bills to the floor for up and down votes and its because of his lack of leadership why so many of President Obama's appointments still have yet to be confirmed by the Senate (anybody seen Dawn Johnsen lately?). But just now watching the funeral of Senator Edward M. "Teddy" Kennedy, and marvelling at his life's work, I had something of a lightbulb moment.

The grassroots left has been outstanding this year in terms of advocating for progressive legislation. There have been attack ads funded to run against both Republicans AND Democrats to try to bring pressure on them to support health care reform. Many of these projects have been very remarkable in that just a few people came together to produce and fund them and they have actually made a difference on several Democratic members of Congress.

Having said that, the one thing that has been a hinderance has been the fact that we have had to divide all our resources to attack these people individually in their home states. This is because with a so called "super majority" we needed every single Democrat to vote for cloture in order to get a health care reform bill to the floor for an up and down vote. But while I think those were worthwhile efforts, I think the time has come to pool all of our resources to bring to bear the full force or progressives against one member of Congress.

Harry Reid.

Many of the ConservaDems in the Senate feel safe because they aren't up for reelection next year anyway. And several of the ones that are come from very conservative states. Ironically enough Harry Reid himself may be the most vulnerable Democrat in the Senate running for reelection next year. So it is time we gave him a choice, either we get health care reform with a public option or he doesn't get to be Senator any more.

I know some people will see this as a purity purge, I however disagree. Universal health care has been a plank of the Democratic platform for over half a century. If a person decides that they want to be elected as a Democrat then there should be at least some level of expectation that goes with that with support for universal health care being the lowest of bars. Otherwise what use is it to have a party or a platform in the first place?

To that end Harry Reid is uniquely positioned to bring as strong health care reform bill across the finish line. If he decides he wants to start twisting some arms and snatching some chairmanships the votes will inevitably come. But as long as he keeps this "just vote your conscious" attitude then we will continue to see every single progressive bill that makes it to the Senate be filibuster and therefore for them to pass just about every single one of them will have to be watered down. He has given all the power of Congress over to the rump Republican Minority without so much as a whimper let alone the roar we will now miss with Senator Kennedy. He can't even make the Senate Finance Chairman, Max Baucus, negotiate a health care bill in the full committee where the ratio of Democrats to Republicans is reflective of how the citizens of this country have voted in the last two cycles.

ENOUGH!

What we should do is simple. All of the money put together for ads should now be used to produce ads against Harry Reid. I would call them warning shots to get his attention both in Washington and in Nevada. The next step will be setting up fundraisers for which ever Republican decides to run against Reid next year. Third we should pledge to phone bank Nevada against Harry Reid next summer. We won't have to campaign for his opponent but just remind the people of Nevada how Reid has failed them over the last 3 years as Majority Leader.

Now I know that many will say that Democrats in Congress aren't afraid of the Netroots, but recent events have shown just how wrong they are. If Ben Nelson wasn't worried about the netroots he wouldn't be calling up people who appeared in attack ads against him. But Nelson himself is actually the little fish in a little pond. It is now time that we go big game hunting.

If there is one thing Harry Reid wants in this world its to continue being a Senator. We need to use that against him in order to get this health care bill done. Im sick and tired of complaining about Reid. I am sick and tired of wishing we had a better Majority Leader. Its time we stand up and DEMAND that he gets his shit together or we will all make sure to send him packing after next year's midterms. What damned difference does it make anyway to have 60 Democratic members of the Senate if we still can't pass progressive legislation?

I would much rather have 55 Democrats in the Senate with Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer or Pat Leahy as Majority Leader than continue on with 60 or more and have Harry Reid continue on in that role. Sometimes you have to add by subtracting.

Now, whose coming with me?

I Have A Proposition...

It goes like this, since Harry Reid is such a coward and he is now saying that the Senate will not vote on a health care reform bill before the August recess, let's make a deal. If health care reform dies or gets watered down after the August recess lets commit to voting his ass out of office next year. Screw just having his Majority Leader post taken away, he has to get the fuck out. Period.

To that end anybody who has contributed to his reelection campaign should request a refund. We should also work to get Democrats to cross the aisle and vote for whomever the Republicans run against him. And we should dig like hell to get dirt on him.

Right now the biggest obstacle we have to President Obama's progressive agenda is a weak assed weak kneed Majority Leader. I don't want him anywhere near Washington after next year if we don't get health care reform.

And before you ask, I am damned serious on this one.

"Make No Mistake About It..."

...there WILL be a public option"

Get em Chuck!



Can somebody point me to what the procedure is to replace a Majority Leader please?

Even Harry Reid Admits That Harry Reid Is Weaksauce

Reid says he expects the tactic of gentle persuasion to work best, given the size of his Senate Democratic flock and the political divergences within it. “I don’t dictate how people vote,” he said in an interview this month. “If it’s an important vote, I try to tell them how important it is to the Senate, the country, the president ... But I’m not very good at twisting arms. I try to be more verbal and non-threatening. So there are going to be — I’m sure — a number of opportunities for people who have different opinions not to vote the way that I think they should. But that’s the way it is. I hold no grudges.”

When your Majority Leader makes these kinds of assessments about himself, it tells me two things.

1. He has a knack for self reflection and

2. Its time to get a new Majority Leader.


(h/t Greg Sargent via TPM )

Someone Got Their Balls Back

Its about damn time Mr Majority Leader!


A spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tells me that the senator is filing cloture on Harold Koh, the president’s nominee for State Department Legal Adviser, “right now.”


Credit Dave Weigel for breaking the story but honestly why in the hell did it take this long? It is ridiculous that any and everything the Democrats want to do is predicated on whether or not we can file cloture. That has never happened in the history of the Congress and as far as I am concerned one person is responsible, Harry Reid. Its great he finally found his gonads this time but when in the hell will Dawn Johnsen get her day?!

Time To Step Aside

Cross posted at Attackerman

Did somebody slip Harry Reid a cup of courage? Or did he see some new polling data? Honestly I could care less either way because at least he is now on the right side of the GITMO issue.

From Ambinder:

Reid taped a segment of Ralston's program, Face to Face:

Reid, who has been criticized for his contradictory positions on Guantanamo Bay, said some prisoners will be put in maximum security prisons on U.S. soil, emphasizing the safety of those facilities:

"A maximum security prison in the United States, there has never been a single escape."

JR: "You think eventually the plan is going to be to put them in maximum security prisons here in this country, correct?"

"I think some. Keep in mind, Jon, there's so many different issues. There's no question that a number of these people who are there are not guilty of anything. The Uighurs, these are a group of Muslim Chinese who are guilty of nothing. They were arrested, put in there. They are there. They are doing nothing. We're going to have to find someplace to put them. We can't send them back to China. Should they go into a maximum security prison? Probably not."

The problem of course is that this is almost a complete 180 degree turn from what Harry Reid had to say just a week ago. And now according to a Rasmussen Poll* released to day public opinion has wildly shifted against closing GITMO and or housing detainees in American supermax jails. Words are powerful things, especially words that end up getting twisted by the other side into talking points for political gain. But even worse when you instead just repeat talking points the other side has already put out.

The longer Harry Reid is installed as Majority Leader, the more likely Democrats will pull defeat from the jaws of victory IMHO. I know he is supposedly shaking in his boots because of some yet to be established reelection challenge he will be facing from Republicans. But if he can't pull his head out of his ass long enough to realize how much he will hurt the effort to close GITMO by parroting Republican talking points, then he needs to be replaced immediately. As it stands its going to be hard to get this story back in the box and public opinion back on our side when it comes to closing GITMO and I have absolutely no confidence that Harry Reid is the person who can make that happen. You combine that with his aversion to taking the GOP on when it gives even the slightest hint of a filibuster and you have the recipe for EPIC FAIL

I think what is most appalling about Harry Reid's flip flop on GITMO is that there was reporting earlier today that he opposed President Obama last week on the issue just so he wouldn't be seen as a "liberal" back in Nevada. Now I am not the type of person who thinks we need litmus tests for Democrats. I am a pragmatic person and I understand that Barney Frank probably couldn't win a Senate race in Nebraska and that Dennis Kucinich probably couldn't win state wide in North Carolina. So there has to be some diversity there if we want to dominate elections nationwide.

HOWEVER I do believe that at its core the Democratic Party should hold to liberal and progressive policies. It has to mean something to be a member of a political party and even more so to be an elected official of a party. Otherwise why have a party in the first place? So basically the Majority Leader of a party that should be proud of its liberal and progressive fundamentals is instead running from the characterization. How does that make sense? When was the last time a Republican ran from the charge of being too conservative? Hell they will turn around and tell you that instead they aren't conservative enough. But here is Harry Reid offering up the weak sauce just so he doesn't look liberal.

What a joke.

But I have to say that its not just Reid. We have to take note that Reid had a easier time getting over Democratic votes to go against funding the closing of GITMO than he did to get votes for the stimulus bill and than he probably will to get votes for universal healthcare. But Harry Reid is still the ringleader.

I don't envy Harry Reid's position but I am not concerned with sob stories either. I am concerned with getting shit done and right now Harry Reid is doing more hurting than helping on that front if you ask me. So maybe its time to call for him to step down and allow some new blood to take over. I am partial to Dick Durbin because he seems like a straight shooter who is just tough enough to intimidate Republicans and who has been around just long enough to garner the respect of the Democratic Caucus. But I am open to suggestions. Who else should be up for Harry Reid's position and why? Whom do you think could push through progressive policies in the Senate? And who do you think would be strong enough to stand up to President Obama when we really need them to and not just for political posturing?


*Normally I would never ever in a gazillion years link to a Rasmussen Poll because they are wingnutted out on a regular basis with polling questions that would make FoxNews blush. However this time the questions seemed legit so I felt that there was a least some measure of legitimacy attached to their numbers.

Dick Durbin For Majority Leader

Dick Durbin brought the heat to Newt Gingrich today and personally I want and need someone with that kind of temperment as Majority Leader in the Senate. I am almost positive if that had been Harry Reid he not only would have thrown Speaker Pelosi under the bus, he probably would have apologized on her behalf.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA, Help.... I Can't Breathe!

So I am going through my email a few minutes ago and I see that I have something from GiveEmHellHarry.com. I almost sent it to spam but then I remembered that right after Harry Reid showed his lack of courage or backbone by allowing Joe Lieberman to keep gavel at the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I happened to be commenting at Swampland when frequent commenter cincinattus posted the link to that website. Turns out its a site that helps raise money for Harry Reid and they had a blog where you could send a message. And boy DID I! So I was pretty interested to see what this email was all about. Then looking at the subject line I let out a snicker.

Going on the Offense

I had to look one more time to make sure that this was really from the Harry Reid website.

So I read the email and now I can't stop laughing. Thank goodness for spell check because I am having a helluva time trying to type whilst fighting for air. I mean nothing in the email resembles anything Harry Reid has done in recent history. Going on the offense? Dude, how about just showing up for the game for once. Anyway I decided to share so enjoy.

Dear XXXXX,

If last week demonstrates anything, it is that Republicans are more interested in settling scores than solving problems. They will try and use the 41 members of their caucus to obstruct Barack Obama's agenda.

And I am their number one target. In 2002, Republicans spent tens of millions of dollars attacking Tom Daschle and succeeded in removing him from the Senate. I will not let them do it again.

On December 31st my campaign will report its fundraising totals to the FEC. Republicans and the media, both in Washington and Nevada, will use this number to gauge the strength of my campaign.

This is why, for the first time ever, I am asking the GiveEmHellHarry.com community to join together and raise $50,000 by midnight on December 31.
Make a Contribution to Friends For Harry Reid before the FEC fundraising deadline on December 31st.

If Republicans think I am scared of their challenge, they don't know the fight they are in for. I pledge to you, no attack will go unanswered and no smear will go unchallenged. But playing defense is not enough.

In this campaign, I plan on contrasting our values as Democrats versus theirs as Republicans. In the end, the choice will be clear.

But right now I need your help to make a strong showing before the FEC fundraising deadline on December 31st.
Make a Contribution to Friends For Harry Reid before the FEC fundraising deadline on December 31st.

Since 2005, every time I've asked, this community has come through for me. I know this time will be no different.

Thank you for everything you have done and will do.

Sincerely,

Harry Reid

Check out the first part of the email. He isn't pissed about the Republicans blocking the auto bailout. He is pissed because they are coming after his ass.

If only we could get him to fight as hard for our interests as he seems to be willing to fight to stay in the Senate, we might actually get some things done in Congress for a change.