WASHINGTON (CNN) – Senate and House Democratic leaders had what two sources describe as an extremely heated meeting Thursday night about the spending bill.
Once Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid figured out he did not have the votes to pass it, he and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin went to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office to propose passing a five day resolution to keep the government running, and come back to the $410 billion spending bill next week.
The two Democratic sources say Pelosi reacted with “anger,” arguing that Democrats should instead adopt a “scorched earth” strategy and simply fund the government at last year’s levels through the end of the year. Her point, according to the sources, was that even though Republicans have been slamming the bill as wasteful spending, many of them really have an interest in seeing it passed. This would call their bluff.
One of the sources says Reid and Durbin pushed back, saying the bill increases funding for a lot of Democratic priorities slashed by President Bush, and that it was worth another try. At the end of the tense meeting, Senate Democrats prevailed.
This meeting was first reported by the Politico.
From CNN Politics
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She has some great big acorns. To bad Read does not. They should let the GOP filibuster. How long could that last? Come on Read grow some!
Pelosi just wants to play politics. Get her OUT
Sounds like the "gunfight at OK corral". but the Republicans are shooting blanks while the Democrats are "slinging lead".
Who does Pelosi think she is,
I did not vote for Obama, but I do hope he helps this country, he needs to sit her (Pelosi) high and mighty butt down and tell her, I AM PRESIDENT, not you.
Listen folks, I am a registered Republican, but have voted Democrat many times in my life. But if you Democrats do not get this woman under control, you will not get your man re-elected.
She will ruin him, the country and all of us taxpayers.
Bottom line also, Obama needs to keep his word and VETO this pork filled bill.
HAHA – Dems fighting over pork. You can't make this stuff up!
C'mon – don't screw this up for Obama. Take out the earmarks for now and keep working towards Obama's goal of better fiscal responsibility. Obama should veto any bill with the earmarks or else lose considerable support from Independents like me!
Together Obama,Pelosi,Reid and Durbin form a 4 headed DANGEROUS AND POISON0US SNAKE!!!!
WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you kidding me Nancy, All the Republicans have left now is a scorched earth strategy. There spitefulness knows no bounds. They would rather see the country burn, than admit the policies are failures.
I say good call on Pelosi's part. Give the Repugs exactly what they are crying about and see how they squeel about their pet projects that are in this spending bill. Boehner should watch what he wishes for, he just might get it. Ha!
Bonzai Nancy, Lead the charge and break the log Jam we do not have time.
Moderate Dems are starting to consider that Change might be a Myth:
old idea – send troops to war in Iraq
new idea – send troops to war in Afghanistan
old idea – give corporations money through tax breaks
new idea – give corporations money
old idea – take lobby money (green)
new idea – take PAC/bundle money (same color green)
old idea – pork barrel spending
new idea – pork barrel spending but lie about it
I don't like the old or new approach – start donating to your favorite 3rd party. Or 2nd if you consider RNC-DNC to be the 1st.
Wow, call me confrontational but I say good for Pelosi. Make them eat their own mistakes. Afterwards, we're on top.
Pelosi is a lunatic. I'm a Democrat begging for others to get her out of office. Please.
I gotta go with Nance on this one.
Freeze it at last year's spending and then the repubs will have to vote for it.
They have brought America this close to the brink, they may as well rejoice in pushing us over the cliff, and the bald bloated bonehead's agenda of failure would be fulfilled.
Pelosi reacting with “anger” and advocating a " scorched earth” strategy does NOT sound very mature or savy, rather she sounds whinny and ineffective. We expect or politicans to be "political" that is to negotiate and compormise, not to have temper tantrums and be smug as she appeared when Obama gave his state of the union speech.
When do we express anger over the politics involved in getting things done? I'm expressing mine now!
House and Senate- GROW UP AND DO YOUR JOB! THIS IS THE LIVES AND MONEY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE YOUI KEEP PLAYING WITH!
I know it early in 2009,but its time to start the NONE OF THE ABOVE for RE-ELECTION campaign- kick them all out. they are no better than the bank and auto management.
"Scorched earth" is an appropriate strategy for this old lady who is aging most ungracefully and is in over her head as a "leader" of a House that can't stop lurching from one bankrupt precipice to another. Go ahead, honey, make our day!
I am so sick of this Congress and this Senate, and getting quickly tired of even this administration! I have never seen anything like this in my 57 yrs, these fools, all of them are spendig like a bunch of drunken sailors, how long will it be before we all of us are working in rice paddies for the Chinese? If American's don't do something soon to take back our country, however we can do that, then we can simply kiss our country goodby. I have no earthly idea how we can go about doing that, just know it will soon be to late.
The next order for the DNC is to oust the republthugs Blue Dog Democrats OUT of the Democratic Party. They were an albatross around Bill Clinton's neck and now they threaten the success of Barrack Obama.
Blue Dog Democrats need to be defeated in the primaries and replaced by more progressive Democrats who care about the American people
Trouble in Socialist Paradise??? The bill must have money for Del Monte....Pelosi's husband's big holding. Or Reid's "smog-to-mob" train set.
Fight all day for 4 years, will ya??
I like the Pelosi's plan. DO NOT BACK DOWN, fund at last years levels and see how many come on T.V. to complain
Notice "....the bill increases funding for a lot of Democraic priorities slashed by President Bush,...". Love to see what those priorities include.
They pushed back to go and get "pushed down" by the Republicants again. Seems like the dems needs stronger leadership in the Senate not the same mamby-pamby wuss, Reid.
Call their bluff or lock them up until they can settle it. They are all acting like spoled brats and each has to their own way. Send each one to a time out until they can behave.
Pelosi is BAD for Congress, bad for Obama, BAD for America. Obama wants to help America. Pelosi just wants to make Republicans pay at the expense of all Americans. Scortched Earth is her plan