I’ve been frustrated and disappointed and generally unhappy with Harry Reid over the years, but readng this on Christmas morning made me stop and reflect:
The majority leader, who was re-elected after a hard-fought campaign in November, also reflected on the serious car accident his wife Linda suffered earlier this year, in which she broke her neck. “She never asked for any sympathy or special attention, and I didn’t give her a lot, because I was stuck here,” Reid said. “But she never complained.”
I had forgotten about Linda Reid’s serious car accident. Harry Reid and his family have been through a lot this year and they have come out of it successful and healthy. I’d like to express my gratitude to them for everything they sacrificed to push through the most progressive agenda since The Great Society.
Scholars and pundits of all political persuasions agree that the 111th Congress has been the most productive the country has seen since at least the “Great Society” years of 1960s, if not ever.
The lion’s share of the credit goes to Reid, who as majority leader in the Senate was the ultimate stopgap: If he could find a way around blocks, filibusters and changing majorities, bills passed; if he couldn’t, they died.
“If we had accomplished in any prior Congress that I’ve been involved in 10 percent of what we were able to do this Congress, we’d be celebrating by turning back flips,” Reid said in his office on Wednesday, barely an hour after the Senate had ratified the New Start treaty with Russia, its last major piece of work before breaking for the holidays.
But they did leave us wanting more. No?
Female suicide bomber in Pakistani tribal areas.
The AP is sanguine.
Thanks for a little bit of positive perspective on this Christmas morning. I’m going to need it as I head to a family gathering today to get a holiday dose of madness from my teabagger/birther brother in law. It’s going to be a magical day!!
I know what you mean, my brother is a hard core South Carolina republican; It will be magical for sure. Heavy snow here in WNC means all is in place for Santa to do his thing. Merry Christmas and good health to all who read, and write, this blog.
We’ll always want more.
Re: the “Congress got alot done” meme.
yes, Congress was able to get important legislation passed during what I thought would be a more or less useless lame duck session– but, literally at what cost?
repuglicans GOT what they wanted: a two year continuation of welfare for the wealthy class– to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars of deficit spending.
Does anyone believe they would have cooperated on DADT and START II if they had not gotten the continuation of the bush tax cuts? I don’t.
as far as the Reid’s personal issues– I get it, but their issues are hardly more compelling than other’s– the baby in Indiana nearly denied life-saving surgery by the parent’s insurance company.. and the people in AZ being denied crucial health care due to “the state is out of money”… and the thousands of similar stories.
Read Meredith Whitney regarding the coming muni crisis (impacting 100 U.S. cities) and ask yourself if the $900 Billion just spent by congress would have been better spent on these cities swirling the toilet; about to go down the drain.
Harry has been underrated and unappreciated, imo. He doesn’t toot his own horn, and when he does it’s always in that soft-spoken way.
Imagine trying to round up 60 votes in a caucus of the most egomaniacal preeners in the world, ranging in ideology from Brown to Nelson. That he manages to get them all together for anything is a major achievemant.
The Jimmy Stewart of the Senate did come through big time. Now, can someone please, please explain why, after 2 years of “just say NO”, did all these Republican Senators cave?? I’m not buying the reasons that have been given:
Seriously, they had their Just Say NO strategy that drove the Democrats nuts and it was working well for them. Isn’t there someone on the Hill who has the true inside story for each of these Republican Senators? Why did they go against their Minority Leader?
Perhaps it was Reid promising not to nuke the filibuster in the next Senate…
Maybe! That would be a more likely reason than the others! Although doesn’t there have to be a 2/3 majority for that to happen and if so, how could it?
Great question, forus50. From the speculation I’ve read, here are the reasons that seem most likely to me:
Obviously, I have no inside information, but those are the most likely reasons I’ve heard.
Thanks massappeal for the detailed reply. I think your first one listed makes sense – get it off the table because they were on the wrong side of public opinion. Although I don’t know how START polls as it’s a complicated issue and can’t be reduced to sound bites or short poll questions.
I guess I would like this further explored on blogs, etc. as it would help to understand what to expect in from the Senate in 2011.
And here’s a Christmas Thank You to you, Booman. This post shows yet again how fair-minded and kind you are. No wonder this is one of my favorite blogs.
Well stated. I concur.
Thank you.