Harry Reid: Tea Party to Blame for Budget Stalemate

The Senate majority leader warns mainstream GOPers: Ditch the Tea Party or face government shutdown.

March 29, 2011 RSS Feed Print

BY Aliyah Shahid
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has a message for mainstream GOPers: Ditch the Tea Party or face a government shutdown.

The Nevada Democrat insists the Tea Party is to blame for the breakdown in budget negotiations, risking a government shutdown if Republicans and Democrats do not come to an agreement by April 8.

Two short-term deals earlier this year delayed a possible government shutdown, but the two sides can't seem to agree on a long-term fix. Democrats have reportedly offered $30 billion in cuts for the rest of the fiscal year—far more than they originally wanted to concede, but still not nearly enough to satisfy the appetite for budget-slashing among Tea Party-backed Republicans. [Check out a roundup of political cartoons on the Tea Party.]

"I am extremely disappointed that after weeks of productive negotiations with Speaker Boehner, Tea Party Republicans are scrapping all the progress we have made and threatening to shut down the government if they do not get all of their extreme demands," Reid said in a statement Monday.

"The division between the Tea Party and mainstream Republicans is preventing us from reaching a responsible solution on a long-term budget," he added.

Meanwhile, Republicans are playing a blame game of their own, insisting the Democrats are merely trying to divert attention from their own problems. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Monday that the American people would blame Democrats for any shutdown.

On Tuesday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused House GOP leaders of pulling out of a possible agreement.

"We could begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but suddenly at the end of last week, the House Republicans did a strange thing. They pulled back from the talks. They changed their minds about what level of spending cuts they could accept," Schumer said on the Senate floor, arguing that Boehner seems to want a budget agreement, but is facing mounting pressure from the Tea Party. [Check out a roundup of editorial cartoons about the federal budget and deficit.]

"We were right on the verge of a potential breakthrough, and they suddenly moved the goal posts. We felt a little bit like we were left at the altar," said Schumer.

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told the Daily News that Schumer is "making up fairy tales to derail serious discussions."

"He believes his party would benefit from a government shutdown. At this point, the House has passed a bill to fund the government through the end of the year while cutting spending. The Senate has not—and Sen. Schumer's inaccurate rants won't change that."

Tags:
Harry Reid,
New York Daily News,
deficit and national debt,
John Boehner,
Eric Cantor,
democratic party,
Chuck Schumer,
republican party,
Tea Party

Reader Comments Read all comments (41)

Add Your Thoughts
Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.

Mr. Reid is the epitome of an old boy bigoted senator whose prejudice mindset is leading this nation and the free-market economy to destruction: According to Webster's dictionary, bigoted is defined as "So obstinately attached to some creed, opinion, or practice as to be illiberal or intolerant" ; Webster's defines prejudice as " an opinion or leaning adverse to anything without just grounds or sufficient knowledge".

Harry's comment about a light-skinned African American who spoke “with no Negro dialect,” in reference to Mr. Obama during the campaign was an awakening moment. Mr. Reid's perception that Hispanic-Americans couldn't be republican is actually repulsive considering the numerous Hispanic's who have fought and died against fascist and communist regimes (43 Medal of Honor recipients of Hispanic heritage). If Harry had any moral understanding, he'd realize that over 11 million illegal-immigrants have indeed voted with their feet against the socialistic and communistic societies that his Progressive party endorses and promotes.

For Mr. Reid, the bigoted senator with a prejudice mindset to imply that the Tea Party does not represent Americans is a blasphemy that only a hypocrite could utter. The Tea Party does not take money or marching orders from an internationalist, like the socialist George Soros. The Tea party consist of Americans which include: Democrats, Independents, Republicans and Conservative Hispano-Americans like myself who is also a disabled veteran. If I could say anything to Mr. Reid, it is to let the "Cut, Cap & Balance" debate take place in the Senate! America does not need more taxes, America needs More Taxpayers! “Gold is the currency of kings; silver is the currency of gentlemen; barter is the currency of peasants, and debt is the currency of slaves.” –author unknown

Respectfully, Lou R. Chavez, USN Ret San Diego, CA

Lou R Chavez of CA 5:01PM July 28, 2011

Let's cut to the chase. Everybody has to give up something to get this debt ceiling deal. Obama is throwing in some cuts in services he didn't want to do but he stuck his neck out and did it. Now it's the Republicans turn. You will not balance this budget without revenue coming in. The Democrats want the Republicans to agree to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations, but they are balking. Now enter this Stupid Tax Pledge these Republicans signed. Republicans are more worried about The Tea Party than about America and are willing to plunge us into a financial calamity over this pledge they signed. But thats not how they'll tell the story. Now they're talking about going it alone. They have become incapable of compromise at any level. A British economist said yesterday that "it was a shame these nutty right wing politicians are willing to cause an upheavel in the worlds biggest economy". So we sit and wait for Doomsday!

Bob Lacerino of FL 9:09PM July 24, 2011

Vicki of LA,

I agree that since the government has started these programs, that cutting them now seems impossible. But then I would ask to you, what do we cut? Well i'm sure you and I will agree on millitary spending, particularly the wars. But cutting the wars will only cut hundreds of billions of dollars, we need to cut trillions in order to recover. So then what, well you might say defense spending, and I would agree with you. But, what about all the millitary families and people recieving VA benefits? Those people would be hurt just like the people on social security, medicaid and medicare. So, we are in a position now where we have to do something, and what ever we do cut, there will be people that are not happy about it. So I ask you, what do you propose we do? Where do we cut? Because i'm with you, I don't want to see people suffer, but if we keep printing money to cover the expenses, then we ALL will suffer in the end. So better we make sacrifices now, that will prevent that.

So if you don't agree with the GOP, then where do we cut? BEcause doing nothing and moving forward like we have, is not an option.

JoshDecker of OR 12:42PM April 05, 2011

Photo Galleries

Before and After the Joplin Tornado

A look at Joplin one year after the deadly tornado.

advertisement

Latest Video