Reid: troop funding bill “really is…a waste of time”
He just can’t help himself.
Democrats are playing politics with defense funding, and today, the game turned ugly.
Since Republicans seized the majority in 2014, Democratic leadership has engaged in a revolt not against specific policies, but against productivity in general. Today, they put the NDAA on their chopping block.
Defense funding is chum in the water for Democrats, who whose minority status has forced a tactical shift from all-out bullying via the calendar, to simply threatening to hold good legislation hostage. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said today that, although he hasn’t forced the issue yet, Dems may still filibuster defense spending unless Republicans agree to pad the already-passed House version of the bill with cash for other federal agencies.
Oh, and if Reid and his caucus don’t like that bill? Well, it’s clearly a waste of time to even begin a discussion.
Watch, via America Rising:
Now, was Reid suggesting with this statement that our troops are worthless, and undeserving of badly-needed funds? I think not. I do think, however, that this is representative of everything Harry Reid currently stands for. He doesn’t care about this NDAA reauthorization because he doesn’t have complete control over the contents of the bill. He’s pouting in his official capacity as a senior Senator.
Still, Republicans are making hay whilst the sun shines on Reid’s bitter, bitter head.
Mac Thornberry of the Armed Services Committee:
“Senator Reid’s comment yesterday was deeply disturbing. The first job of the federal government is to defend the country, and whatever political differences we may have on other issues should take a back seat to supporting our troops and providing for the common defense. Meeting those responsibilities should not be a political pawn or inconvenient afterthought for anyone.
“Year after year as Majority Leader, Harry Reid forced the Department of Defense to navigate uncertainty as he wasted floor time and pushed NDAA consideration until the very end of the year.
“The defense bill gives the President every penny he requested, cuts waste, reforms the bogged down acquisition system, pays our troops, cares for their families, and updates their benefits. Yet to Senator Reid, doing all these things is a ‘waste of time’. Meeting troops’ needs is never a waste of time and the Congress’ top responsibility. Suggesting otherwise is irresponsible.”
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy:
The only person wasting time is Senator Reid and the Democrats who seem to think blocking a bipartisan bill is a higher priority than supporting national defense.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy had this to say about Senator Reid’s comments:“The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is essential to providing the resources our men and women in uniform need to defend and protect the American people. By tradition, this legislation has been passed with bipartisan support, reflecting our mutual commitment to national security. But apparently Senator Reid has decided this year that doing his job is a waste of time. If Senator Reid really believes that, I suggest that he change his priorities and think about the reasons why the people sent us all here.”
And of course…
Do Democrats believe it’s “a waste of time” to reinforce the mission to defeat #ISIL? http://t.co/2dM4MEZ2lA
— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) June 3, 2015
It’s politics at its most primal—burn the witch!—but at least Republicans have rejected the idea that we can play nice with Democrats and still come out on top.
So yes, please: burn the witch.
What hasn’t been emphasized enough, I think, is the fact that the House already passed NDAA 269-151 back in May–with bipartisan support.
This isn’t a party issue; it’s a Reid issue—and if he’s not careful, whatever legacy was left intact after his disastrous tenure as Majority Leader is going to crumble before the end of his final term in the Senate.
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Comments
Filibuster? What’s that? Reid decided that any rules, including rules on filibusters, could be changed by a simple majority of Senators. If Democrats are now permitted to filibuster, it is only because Republicans are unwilling to play hardball a-la-Reid.
As all of us with an education about the good and proud America, and not just about the bad and shameful America, must know, Senate rules used to require a 2/3 vote of Senators present to override a filibuster. Because filibusters were used to almost [but not quite] prevent 1960s Civil Rights legislation from being enacted, the Senate later agreed, by a 2/3 vote of those present, to amend the filibuster rules to allow cloture by a 3/5 vote of the entire Senate [not just Senators present] except for rules changes involving the filibuster. That continued to require a 2/3 vote of Senators present.
Reid disregarded the rules. The media backed him up. The Republicans hid in the shadows as usual. Cowards.
This is no longer a lawful republic.
Reid is a dirty fighter, but it was legal. Only tradition bound successive Senates to rules passed in previous Congresses. The Senate and House make their own rules, except for those specified in the Constitution, and no Congress may bind future Congresses to their rules.
OK, fine, then I stick with my assertion that any filibuster by Reid at this time is thanks solely to spineless behavior by Senate Republicans.
NDAA isn’t subject to filibuster in the end. The Publicans can move it through the Senate on the basis of budget reconciliation which requires only a majority. The good Robert Byrd took care of that issue 40 years ago by declaring that appropriations were too important to be subject to a filibuster — and who would know more about appropriations that the good Senator Byrd, I ask you?
So this is all for show. The Pubs can put this through whenever they want.
LOL … Reid is still wearing the Ray Charles glasses from the accident with the exercise machine? The rumor is he was decked by his brother in some heated family dispute. Would have paid to see that …
I still say that his MOB buddies made him an offer he could not refuse, he refused it and they took him out to the woodshed for a little straightening out
I’m just an old country boy, but from where I sit Reid’s comments come perilously close to treason.
Re: FrankNatoli @ 8:02pm:
“This is no longer a lawful republic.”
Hasn’t been since at least 20 Jan 2009.
Not to steal a meme from a bumper sticker, but….
If Senator Reid doesn’t feel like standing behind our troops, he can certainly feel free to stand in front of them. 😉
Dingy Harry is simply holding out for more money to line his pocket. Pay to Play is alive and well in the fever swamp that is Washington, D.C.
The Senator from Nevada is a wretched, miserable, horrible, little man.
The sooner that Dirty Harry leaves the Senate, the better off this country will be. Too bad the SOB did not officially resign and get the hell out of D C. But that won’t happen. Even after he leaves the Senate, he will get a cushy lobbying job on K Street.
I’d work up a little ad against Senator X – only nine or ten Democrats are up in ’16, but those saved in ’12 by the Obama turnout will be up the next cycle – showing their filibuster votes against defense. Don’t put it on the web, just send it to all the Democratic Senators as an email attachment.
Stand with Dirty Harry, or with our national defense – up to you guys.
Crack him on the other side of his head.
Reid needs to have another “exercise equipment accident.”
Dear Useless Feckless Harry: 1-800-BiteMe.