An eMail from Sen. Reid's Office

Here's an email I just received from Senator Reid's office:

As a matter of comity, the Minority in the Senate traditionally defer to the Majority in the setting of the agenda.  If Bill Frist pulls the nuclear trigger, Democrats will show deference no longer.

Invoking a little-known Senate procedure called Rule XIV, last week Democrats put nine bills on the Senate calendar that seek to help America fulfill its promise.

If Republican's break the rules Democrats will use the rule to bring to the Senate floor an agenda that meets the needs of average Americans, such as lowering gas prices, reducing the cost of health care and helping veterans.
               
Across the country, people are worried about things that matter to their families ­ the health of their loved ones, their child's performance in schools, and those sky high gas prices, said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid.  But what is the number one priority for Senate Republicans?  Doing away with the last check on one-party rule in Washington to allow President Bush, Senator Frist and Tom Delay to stack the courts with radical judges.

If Republicans proceed to pull the trigger on the nuclear option, Democrats will respond by employing existing Senate rules to push forward our agenda for America. 
      
Democrats have introduced bills that address America's real challenges.

1. Women's Health Care (S. 844).  The Prevention First Act of 2005² will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions by increasing funding for family planning and ending health insurance
   discrimination against women.
2. Veterans' Benefits (S. 845).  The Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2005 will assist disabled veterans who, under current law, must choose to either receive their retirement pay or disability compensation.
3. Fiscal Responsibility (S. 851).  Democrats will move to
   restore fiscal discipline to government spending and extend the pay-as-you-go requirement.
4. Relief at the Pump (S. 847).  Democrats plan to halt the diversion of oil from the markets to the strategic petroleum reserve.  By releasing oil from the reserve through a swap program, the plan will bring down prices at the pump.
5. Education (S. 848).  Democrats have a bill that will:
   strengthen head start and child care programs, improve elementary and secondary education, provide a roadmap for first generation and low-income
   college students, provide college tuition relief for students and their families, address the need for math, science and special education teachers, and make college affordable for all students.
6. Jobs (S. 846).  Democrats will work in support of
   legislation that guarantees overtime pay for workers and sets a fair minimum wage.
7. Energy Markets (S. 870).  Democrats work to prevent
   Enron-style market manipulation of electricity.
8. Corporate Taxation (S. 872).  Democrats make sure companies pay their fair share of taxes to the U.S. government instead of keeping profits overseas. 
9. Standing with our troops (S. 11).  Democrats believe that putting America's security first means standing up for our troops and their families.

         
"Abusing power is not what the American people sent us to  Washington to do.  We need to address real priorities instead -- fight for relief at the gas pump, stronger schools and lower health care costs for America's families," said Senator Reid.

If we had a fair corporate media, this would shut up all the talk about the Dems not advancing any plans of their own. 

I really like the Prevention First Act.  It's going to be a big winner going into '06 and '08 when the inevitable backlash against the Dominionists comes.  Safe, legal and rare still makes the most sense to the most people.

I'm not crazy about the Relief at the Pump business and would have been more impressed with a more comprehensive solution to the problem - one that mentioned  cafe standards, MTBE and renewables. 

The rest are fine, common-sense measures that clearly have the support of most of America.  I'd love to see the GOP be forced to explain why they haven't put any of those items on the agenda themselves, while bills like the Barriers to Bankruptcy Act flew threw.

Comments

[Dylan]

I actually disagree with you here...

I got the same email, and I immediatly wrote Ari Rabin-Havt an reply which I'm still waiting to hear back on.

"If Republican's break the rules Democrats will use the rule to bring to the Senate floor an agenda that meets the needs of average Americans, such as lowering gas prices, reducing the cost of health care and helping veterans."

If Republicans break the rules, then and only then will Democrats bring their agenda to help America to the Senate floor. Shouldn't they be doing that anyway? I think this email plays right into those stereotypes that Dems don't have their own ideas.

While I appreciate that it is traditional that the Majority sets the agenda, the Republicans have never played by those rules. When the Democrats were in the majority, they responded with The Contract for America, and made the Democrats' lack of direction the issue by viture of their overt statement of direction.

The one thing that will shut up those who say that Democrats don't have a direction or a plan is them actually, uniformly outlining their direction and plan.

[eRobin]

Hi Dylan. You wrote:
While I appreciate that it is traditional that the Majority sets the agenda, the Republicans have never played by those rules. When the Democrats were in the majority, they responded with The Contract for America, and made the Democrats' lack of direction the issue by viture of their overt statement of direction.

I agree with you. You and I know that the Dems don't do nearly enough (for a lot of very bad reasons) and that the GOP doesn't play by the rules. But I think that the bulk of America thinks that both sides are the same in those regards. I also think that the only thing that voters hate as much as corruption is obstruction, which is the stick that the GOP is holding. I have no proof, but I'm pretty sure that the Dems are going to work very hard to make their every action appear fair so that the obstructionist label doesn't stick so easily. They're challenge is to paint the GOP as so ideological (and unfair) that it is they who are the obstructionists by virtue of their unwillingness to compromise with the minority. I think the idea described in this letter goes a ways in that direction.

But who knows - I'm the one who wants to see monthly marches on the capitol and a tent city on the Mall holding BOTH parties to task for the Barriers to Bankruptcy Bill among other egregious attacks on the lower classes.

[Dylan]

This is going to sound contradictory to my first comment, but I sometimes wonder if we are at the point where it is better to fight hard and hurt as many Republicans as we can just to get back into power. The Republicans are in power because they fight dirty. While I hate to feel like we have to stoop to their level, we might have to.