Reid reiterates: ‘Nothing is off the table.’
Reid reiterates: ‘Nothing is off the table.’
With House and Senate officials set to meet in conference to hammer out new Iraq legislation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made clear again today during a press conference that all options are on the table:
There’s nothing that’s going to be off the table in conference. I had a meeting last night with Speaker Pelosi. And she’s bound and determined that the conference we have — and the president’s going to be involved in that, through his spokesperson, Josh Bolten — is not going to be everything the president wants. He’s not going to have the blank check. There’s a Congress and he has to deal with us.
And I have a very strong person to work with from the House, and that’s an understatement: Speaker Pelosi. Nothing is off the table. The goal remains to fully fund our troops and change course in Iraq. Again, we hope the president and congressional Republicans will negotiate in good faith so that we can provide our troops the funding they need and an effective strategy. And we need to do it by next week.
UPDATE: More HERE.
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“Nothing is off the table.”
Not even impeachment?
May 16th, 2007 at 1:53 pmRepublicans negotiating in good faith? Yeah, right.
May 16th, 2007 at 1:57 pmIt has now been 5 ½ months since the new “sheriff†came to town in the form of a congress now of a Democratic party majority.
In that time numerous investigations and hearings have take place and, if I recall correctly, something regarding minimum wage passed somewhere. Don’t know if the minimum wage stuff was vetoed or not, but I can definitely tell you specifics about the dirty laundry of Rove and Gonzales and the various other criminal politicians who have a dash “R†after their name.
Meanwhile,
- Iraq “war†(aka; Illegal Invasion, Genocide, Pillaging) continues unabated and has actually even accelerated (aka; The Surge, Sending in the Fodder).
- The AUMF, the fully congressionally controlled authorization for the Bush administration to act as petulant warmongers, is in full effect even though it can be ended immediately, without a threat of presidential veto because it cannot be vetoed. Hmmm, imagine that.
- The MCA, the act which codifies torture as being both acceptable and “legal†for the US to engage in, remains in effect even though it could be reversed virtually immediately by the new congress. The MCA, by the way, also eliminates the right to habeas corpus, which eliminates the presumption of innocence structure that is at the foundation of our legal system thereby rendering it “dictatorialâ€, a fact that finds only apathy amongst the American intelligentsia.
- Warrant-less surveillance of American citizens continues.
- The deficit is no longer a deficit, but a hole so large and so deep that it will require generations (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren) to repay. It is EXACTLY as if you purchased a FLEET of new hummers on your credit card with the knowledge and expectation that you would not have the assets or the money to repay the debt in your lifetime so you WILLINGLY assign the debt to your own CHILDREN, even though they will neither inherit or ever benefit from the hummers. Astounding.
I wonder how many Friedmans we are supposed to wait for change. And I am wondering if I’m the only one who thinks that the new sheriff, though adorned in different clothes, looks almost exactly like the last sheriff.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:01 pmWhat America wants on the table : IMPEACHMENT!
What the hell are we waiting for?
We went into this War under the GREATEST PROVOCATIVE ACT AGAINST THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : 9/11
The War on Terror is a War on a Concept. This is a phony war just so The Bush Crime Family can continue their crimes against the People of the United States and the People of the World.
When is the Next PROVOCATIVE act that will literally scare MILLIONS AND MILLIONS INTO submission. When is the next PROVOCATIVE ACT THAT WILL FINALLY drag Iran into War with the US?
Are we, collectively, going to allow PATRIOT ACT II whip us into TOTAL submission and allow MILITARY RULE and more of our civil liberties to be taken away from us?
Today is a great day for The American Revolution II.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:03 pmIMPEACH
May 16th, 2007 at 2:07 pmput me down for #s 1, 3 and 4… it ain’t just about iraq… the whole criminal cabal needs to go… every day they remain barricaded in the white house is another day the foundations of our republic are being systematically dismantled…
And, yes, I DO take it personally
May 16th, 2007 at 2:10 pmimpeach, if nothing is off the table.
If impeachment is not an option,then you just LIED.
Getting out of Iraq will be much easier once Bush and Cheney are impeached and charged with their crimes.
Impeach already, or we may have to replace alot of Democrats next election cycle, since we haven’t replaced the ones that went along with the crimes of the109th yet.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:18 pmWhat needs to be on the table is impeachment.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:28 pmIt at least needs to be on the side board ready to be served on the main table.
The unlawful and Constitution ignoring and thwarting behavior of this horrible administration must be repudiated or future administrations will think this behavior is generally tollerated.
Enough is truly and fully enough.
Impeachment to be served on the table.
Doc Lee, Atlanta
While I’m always glad to hear them assert that they’re not going to give Bush a “blank check” one gets the impression that Bush will be pretty much getting what he wants in the end. Which sucks as far as I’m concerned.
Time to play hardball!!!!!!!
May 16th, 2007 at 2:30 pmUnless enough Republicans go along, impeachment IS “off the table”, for practical reasons. If there are not enough Republicans to go along with veto proof legislation or resolution in anything else, there is no way to get an impeachment. I don’t know if there is a legal limitation but there certainly is likely to be a social/political one. If an impeachment is attempted and fails, there will not be tolerance for a second try. I don’t think we should be bashing Pelosi and the Democrats for not pursuing impeachment right now.
That said, I would look forward to an impeachment.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:34 pmExcuse me…why is *josh bolton* bush’s spokesperson?
He’s not even in government anymore, he’s a private citizen.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:36 pm“I wonder how many Friedmans we are supposed to wait for change. And I am wondering if I’m the only one who thinks that the new sheriff, though adorned in different clothes, looks almost exactly like the last sheriff.”
I understand the frustration. However, the new Congress does NOT look like the old one. They are not rubber stamping everything Bush wants. They no longer are passing laws harmful to the American people. Gridlock is an improvement.
The way Congress does things takes a lot of time, particularly when there is a conflict between the branches of government.
But it’s the best system available.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:37 pmThey should have been taken out of office when it was proven that they stole and cheated on the first election. And they should have been in jail after they cheated again on the second election. Hell, they shouldn’t even call them elections anymore, call it…mmm….a Selection, yeah that seems more in line with what the repukians have.
Jake, VV you still suck today, be sure and take your Stupid Pills, lately you have been Overdosing on the Stupid Pills.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:44 pmHarry Reid:
“The goal remains to fully fund our troops and change course in Iraq.”
I have yet to see that “fully funding the troops” has done anything but fully fund the war for 4+ years.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:01 pmCut off funding now!
#12,
No, you do not “understand the frustration”. Unless you have a relative or loved one in the military who is currently serving in the gulf, you have no understanding whatsoever.
And, I know that you do not have any skin in the game because your call for continued “patience” (or Friedmans) is absolutely ludicrous in such context. Tie your child to the railroad tracks and then tell me that the “civilized” approach to resolving the crisis situation is to petition the management of the railroad company to change their routing and scheduling and then declaring the approach a success once the railroad company agrees to review your request at their next board meeting in six months. Of course by then your child would be in so many bloody pieces that they would be unrecognizable, but I’m sure that the political victory would compensate your loss.
I’m amazed at the disconnect with humanity that you demonstrate and then try to camouflage with “civilized debate”. Especially when the debate is not whether something is right or wrong, but actually about the issue’s severity of wrongness. Bizarre to say the least.
Interesting to see that you are so dazzled by the new suits though. Bright and shiny objects are much more interesting than bloody and dirty ones. Unless it’s your blood, I would guess. Then, I suspect, it would be the most important issue on the planet.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:03 pmHarry Reid getting booted from majority leader? Throw that on the table!
Can’t even get 30 votes for his surrender politics.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:09 pmI don’t think we should be bashing Pelosi and the Democrats for not pursuing impeachment right now.
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian(PLC)
I heartily disagree.
We should be bashing ANY elected official that does not uphold the Oath of Office they SWORE to, whether they be Republican OR Democrat.
If they do not impeach for the long list of crimes then they are complicit with those crimes, period.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:22 pmThe congressional Oath of Office ( formy reply to PLC )
I, Loyal Citizen of the Republic, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:36 pm#18,
Wow! So it doesn’t say:
“I swear to be loyal to my party, the infallible Republicans/Democrats (circle one) and to act at the direction of my caucus regardless of whether or not it is in agreement with my constituency. I agree that my actions will be of the body I represent and therefore I can never be held personally responsible for anything and that the considerable increase in my personal wealth during the term of my service will be completely coincidental and a testament to my successful service.”
When did they change it?
May 16th, 2007 at 3:44 pmGet started on impeachment. That’s what needs to happen, Harry.
May 16th, 2007 at 4:16 pmNearly half of the commentors thus far want to see IMPEACHMENT PUT BACK ON THE TABLE!
May 16th, 2007 at 8:04 pmIs Pelosi finally getting the message? The man who she “took at his word” is a self-confessed criminal on about 10 counts. His veep is right up there with him. It is like they are competing against each other to see who can rack up the most crimes that they can giggle and chortle about them during their once a week dinners somewhere in a posh Washington restaurant. IMPEACH NOW! BOTH OF THESE BASTARDS HAVE TO GO!
May 16th, 2007 at 9:57 pmImpeach definitely, stop the criminal empire throughout the world. Stay out of foreign entanglements, that’s patriotic!
May 17th, 2007 at 12:03 am