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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI'd like to thank a Democrat
Last edited Mon Apr 7, 2014, 10:50 PM - Edit history (1)
Senator Harry Reid.
Harry calls it like it is. He's the only Democratic leader who's consistently said no to cutting Social Security, refusing to pretend that chained CPI is not a cut.
During the 2012 "fiscal cliff" negotiations, he got pulled from the job of chief Democratic negotiator because he wouldn't cave be flexible enough. In the end, only one-third of the Bush tax cuts were repealed. (Shockingly, a year later when Democrats refused to give in during the recent government shut down, Democrats got everything they wanted. No, seriously, I'm shocked. Really.)
In an epic flip-off of Wall Street, Reid appointed Elizabeth Warren to the Senate Banking Committee. I think we all know how that's going - for the first time in decades, someone with juice is putting serious pressure on the folks who cheat us at every turn. And last summer, Warren and the other Dems Reid appointed to that committee prevented Larry Summers from having another crack at us.
A few months ago, Reid outright refused to allow a vote on fast-track status for the TPP, which was needed to slide the thing through before The 99% would even know what was happening. Now that the thing can't be done in secret, notice how it's dropped off the map?
And now, he's mooning the Koch Brothers every chance he gets, making them scurry around in the light of truth. And that light is not very flattering to them.
Certainly, there are some things I'd like to see Reid do differently, but I suspect that he's got some limits as to what he can do given his position as Majority Leader. I get that.
But here's the thing: Harry tries. Harry calls it like it is. Harry is in the fray, not above it. Harry throws punches.
Not all Democrats have the fire of Elizabeth Warren. But if all Democrats were Harry Reids, we'd be in pretty damned good shape right now.
Thanks Harry. Please keep kicking ass for us little people.
BeyondGeography
(39,284 posts)Harry has been a total mensch.
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)that he hadn't paid taxes for years.
It was beautiful.
Caretha
(2,737 posts)and publicity on that one was probably the pentacle of all the 2012 election's bread & circus'.
I too enjoyed it immensely.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)Or is Harry a closet Wiccan?
Autumn
(44,761 posts)I have found him to be impressive lately.
Mr.Bill
(24,104 posts)Before he was a Senator, he was head of the Nevada Gaming Commission. He's the guy who denied a gaming license to Frank Sinatra and his mob friends. He's the guy who ran the mob out of Las Vegas.
Don't be fooled by his soft spoken demeanor. He is quite simply, a badass motherfucker who is afraid of no one. That's why they hate him so much.
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Well done!
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)Paka
(2,760 posts)pa28
(6,145 posts)By shredding the proposal and throwing it in the fire.
Aides said Reid actually tore up the proposal and threw it into the blazing fire in his ornate green marble fireplace. The paper burned. Reid said he didnt want evidence that the idea had ever been considered.
http://www.mediaite.com/online/harry-reid-literally-threw-a-proposal-into-the-fireplace-during-fiscal-cliff-negotiations/
It wasn't always this way with Reid. Something happened along the way that toughened him up and I like it.
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)(Thank God.)
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)This certainly leans me into that direction.
3catwoman3
(23,816 posts)We'd be happy to have you. Bring some friends with you.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)Maedhros
(10,007 posts)Is it apathy, or perceived powerlessness, or disgust? Or something else?
I think it would be spark very useful debate, especially with the midterms coming up.
Welcome to DU!
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)About why they don't care about politics? Sure, but I assumed that would be boring for you guys.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)We're jaded. A post from a newcomer that illuminates why young voters are uninvolved with and divested from the political process could give us useful insight.
Because we've got to figure out how to get those people involved and invested.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)with the apathy of my generation, but sure, I'll try making the post now. What section of the site should I post it in?
daleanime
(17,796 posts)mountain grammy
(26,571 posts)I've nagged several of my friends into registering, and I love when they call me and ask me how they should vote..
A good friend turned 62 in 2008 and retired early with health benefits from her company (one of the few lucky ones, union job). She told me she hadn't voted in at least 20 years. I got her to register in 08 and she voted for Obama. Been voting in every election since.
She's still apolitical, but when there's an election, she listens up and votes.
One friend I registered put "registering to vote" on her list of accomplishments for a high school reunion.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)And they'd rather do something productive.
mountain grammy
(26,571 posts)AcertainLiz
(863 posts)MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Great things will be happening!
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)We fixed America last time, in 1933.
We'll fix it again.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)Is that what you mean by Third Way?
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)The Elizabeth Warren wing is coming on strong.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)Unfortunately, my family are kind of hardcore Republicans
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Even my Republican friends respect her. She's our Senator, and even Republicans can see that she's taking on the bankers and the other special interests that have done so much hideous damage to the 99%.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)Because my family are the kind of people who still like Bush....
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)OK, then maybe they won't like Warren.
But give it some time...
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)My dad actually thinks he had a good record on economic and foreign policy, and voted for Mitt
Samantha
(9,314 posts)My whole family is Republican. I am THE ONLY LIBERAL in a huge family. It is not easy, but it sure is worth it.
I too was a Republican for about 20 years. I left the party in the 90s during the Clinton impeachment. I was so shocked by Republicans' conduct, especially the hypocrisy, I could not let my name be associated with those people. The tipping point came when Ken Starr decided to post evidence (Bill Clinton's private endowment) on the Internet. This was done not only to embarrass him in the eyes of the people in this Country but with foreign leaders and citizens of the world.
When he announced this, I just kept thinking one day Chelsea Clinton will grow up and read about this as a young woman. Hillary Clinton will be humiliated. Many of those "hunting" Bill Clinton had much worse moral transgressions than he. So I left them all behind.
Once I became a Democrat, I realized I should have always been one.
Welcome to DU, and I hope you join the Democratic party.
Sam
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)I'm not the most hardcore liberal, and I do have conservative stances on a lot of issues, but I don't agree with the Republican Party, and do want a generally liberal platform to guide America. In that I have quite a few disagreements with my mom and dad.
Samantha
(9,314 posts)Just follow your own political conscience and do not listen to anyone who tries to tell you otherwise (including me).
Sam
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Then she did some research, and realized that Republicans are wrong. She switched.
Samantha
(9,314 posts)I have been a wonderful inspiration to her.
Sam
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)"Clintonites" was a common phrase among insiders during the 1990's. I think you're pretty astute.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)And saw it was the Democrats turn apparently under Bill Clinton.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)you're reading the higher level material because those terms aren't on the wiki pages or the Third Way's own intro pages.
you're picking up this material like it's second nature.
keep it up.
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)I mean I only gleaned the term from a search on Google, I'm not super bright or astute...
Out of Time Man
(141 posts)I'm glad to learn that there's more of us in our generation that aren't politically apathetic!
AcertainLiz
(863 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)There, I said it.
WillyT
(72,631 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)ffr
(22,649 posts)Have done a spectacular job at representing Democratic values. Which coincidentally are American values.
Not sure what the GOP is selling, but I think it's akin to bait-n-switch.
IronLionZion
(45,259 posts)It's nice to see a positive message. Are you feeling OK?
Give em hell Harry!
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)but he's not the "only Democratic leader who's consistently said no to cutting Social Security".
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jack Reed, Tom Harkin, Elizabeth Warren, Patrick Leahy, Edward Markey, Jeff Merkley, Al Franken, Barbara Boxer, Richard Blumenthal, and other Democrats in the senate have been steadfast and consistent.
Nancy Pelosi in the house has been just as firm and is joined by many other house members.
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)And only one of those three was against the chained CPI.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)cheapdate
(3,811 posts)It seems that toward the end of 2012, during one of the almost innumerable fiscal cliff/government shutdown battles, when asked by reporters if she would consider chained CPI a 'cut', she replied: "No, I dont...I consider it a strengthening of Social Security, but thats neither here nor there."
She went on to say: "Ive said to the members: 'express yourselves,' you know, 'speak out against,' because Im not thrilled with the presidents proposal, I mean, it is what it is in order to save the day...But that doesnt mean that well all identify with every aspect of it. So, they go forth with my blessing."
This particular crisis ended without any capitulation on social security and with chained CPI being taken off the table.
Maybe I'm remembering one of the many other catastrophic crises that the GOP has forced upon us.
Nancy Pelosi works very hard and I respect her even when I don't always agree with her strategy or policy proscriptions. Sometimes she'll make short and exasperated remarks when badgered by reporters at the end of a long and tough day. I'm not sure that this one remark is the best representation of her full opinion on social security.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)He's buzzing around those Koch Brothers like a little gnat. So persistent and so difficult to smash.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024774600
Harry Reid Torches Koch-Fueled 'Lies' About Obamacare
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024567653
The President couldn't have delivered health care reform without Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.
Change
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024781130
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I guess cuz he now meets the approval of Manny, we can now forget all the DU "F@#% Harry Reid" posts.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)sheshe2
(83,341 posts)God sheds his grace on thee.
OMG! Manny approves of a Democrat! Be still my heart~
mimi85
(1,805 posts)marble falls
(56,358 posts)AngryDem001
(684 posts)Historic NY
(37,449 posts)how things change...
http://t.co/tcDY5nZPTm
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)be held accountable for his actions. Some here dont agree and dont like anything other than blind adulation. Open-minded Democrats will judge on a case basis. "Persona-non-grata" is your word.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)obxhead
(8,434 posts)Reid gets one of them.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)"During the 2012 "fiscal cliff" negotiations, he got pulled from the job of chief Democratic negotiator because he wouldn't cave be flexible enough."
A year earlier: "But it ain't true. Reid, like Obama and many other "Democrats", is carefully choosing his language to leave room for cuts. He'll block privatization or elimination of the program, but not cuts"
http://election.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x327062
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)In any case, when the rubber met the road, he did the right thing, and we should be thankful for that!
Tom Rinaldo
(22,911 posts)He refused to allow a Senate vote on it even though Schumer and a host of other Democratic Senators were sponsoring the legislation that Obama warned would scuttle the nuclear negotiations with Iran
I posted this OP in July 2012:
"Harry Reid often doesn't get much credit around here.
But I've been thinking of late that he's been doing pretty damn well under all of the circumstances. I don't consider Reid weak or spineless. He isn't loud or flashy, but Reid is willing to stand his ground and forcefully speak his mind, soft spoken as he might be. There is never real talk about disgruntled Senators from any wing of the Democratic Party plotting how to potentially unseat him. I believe Harry has won all of their respect, and that in itself is a pretty impressive accomplishment."
GoneFishin
(5,217 posts)Sentath
(2,243 posts)And now, he's mooning the Koch Brothers every chance he gets, making them scurry around in the light of truth. And that light is not very flattering to them.
So, even the man's asscheeks radiate the light of truth and justice!
Bwa ha Eh heh
Thank you for 'lightening up' my Tuesday ( :
P.S. Besides, they might...
Leith
(7,802 posts)and I'm proud to say that I voted for him gladly.
Especially considering that Sharron "Obtuse" Angle stayed so high in the polls before election day. I haven't seen a bumper sticker saying "anybody but Reid" for years.
ancianita
(35,812 posts)If Mr. Reid goes on a speaking tour this summer, I'd pay for anyone who'd want to go with me to see him.
Harry needs to have a sit down with his party and teach them all he knows before he walks off into the sunset.
Or write down his playbook for future new office holders.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)like nobody else.
FailureToCommunicate
(13,989 posts)pnwmom
(108,925 posts)rustbeltvoice
(427 posts)Enrique
(27,461 posts)that is how I remembered it, after Bush won re-election that was his biggest priority and the pundits were saying it was going to happen, but the Dems didn't cave the way they were saying they would, and Reid led the fight.