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
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Reid definitely needs more of a backbone. Pelosi should definitely exert pressure on Repubs to "shape up or ship out." Repubs never worked with Democrats during their 6 years of congressional dominance. Heck, Repubs even tried to pull the "nuclear option." And now Repubs are crying that their voice needs to be heard since their party is in shambles. Repubs are such sore losers...
THe Republicans are getting KILLED in the polls! Whhhoooo-HHOOOOOOO! Next election the Dems will sweep BOTH HOUSES by a MILE, biatches!!!! We tried it your way you greedy thieves and now the WILL OF THE PEOPLE will prevail!! OOBBBAAAAAMMMMMMAAAAAA!!!!!!
To all you one sided Democrats... You are the problem with this country!!! I didnt vote for Obama, but I am pleased with him trying to help our country! I am open minded! You my friends are all about yourself! You are the reason people want hand outs. I worked for every last penny! More wasteful spending is not needed and I hate to tell you, but my friends on the Hill agree that both sides are fighting within. However, the rebuffing comments are crap! You know it and I know it! You are just small minded and probably need a handout. The Democrats know their own party dont want to give you the check to go spend at Sizzler! It makes me sick that I cant get a check because I make too much, but you all want to play chess with other people's future! Wow, you really care about the Earth when you don't even care about our futures. Kinda contradicting don't you think liberals?
I have been a devoted Dem my adult life. Pelosi is a true Republican. She has adopted their manner of thinking. ITS MAY WAY , OR NO WAY..
She needs to step down and replaced with someone who will adopt Pres. Obama's "lets work together" platforms.
Meka........Congress has term limits, it's called elections.
However, I agree with no retirement, serving your country in Congress was never meant to be a profession. There wasn't any retirement until the early 50's. It was enacted by a Republican Congress under a Republican President, Eisenhower. Funny how that works. The Republicans cry for less government except when it benefits them.
We are in big, big trouble with this current admin., we need to stop giving things away, the only way to get the economy going is to get the American worker back to work and not tax him into the poor house. It seems that the only employees getting a lot of work is the irs, everyone this administration chooses is a thief when it comes to filing their taxes. Let one of the common man not pay taxes and owe the government 140k for years or 16k for years or 6k for years, you would be locked up, your first born would be jailed, your house would be padlocked, that is ofcourse unless you were a politician. Wake up America, we the tax payers are going to get a major stiffing. Pay attention, soon we will be owned by the Chinese.
Bush destroyed our country, but Obama's going to kill our country.
Pelosi uses her plane for her family! Oh and my last private visit to the Hill Nancy was throwing a party! I think others need to know this. But you all keep voting her in! This fighting will continue until she is gone! Who the heck likes her? I can't find anyone!!!
If Obama expects to accomplish very much then he needs better leadership than Tweedle Reid and Tweedle Pelosi who never saw a principle they couldn't bend or an opposition they couldn't cave into.
Hissy fits and speeches, closed door meetings and deals cut. How about doing away with the 2/3rds rule for fillibusters and have actual democracy in the Senate like the House?
Pelosi's response "arguing that Democrats should instead adopt a “scorched earth” strategy " shows the true Pelosi. She doesn't give a crap about the country. For her its a major ego trip. If this country is to go forward she needs to be replaced.
There are no political solutions to these economical problems ! Throwing more money, will only make things worse ! Tempers flair only because the "DIMS" have no answers.
It is laughable how the republicans after years of being the kings of earmarks are now going to save us from their own medicine. 8 years of Republican economic policy has put us in this mess, and now their only hope is to cry socialism, and hope that Obamas policies fail, and that our economy will be in ruins. The Republicans have nothing to offer but unrestrained anger, fear, and negativity.
REpublicans are REtarded and won't get REelected. Bush spent the surplus in Iraq killing his daddy's enemy. Don't blame us for the mucked up economy. YOU REPUBLICAN JERKOFFS MESSED UP AMERICA AND THE WORLD AND OBAMA IS GOING TO PUT THINGS BACK IN PLACE.
I think the democrats are are being rash. They should just wait for Rush to tell them what to so they don't have to apologize later.
If they can't even agree on how to keep their own paychecks coming, how can we expect them to save he country in these bad times, let alone solve the problems in our international relations – all of these residuals of the Bush years......
If they can't even agree on how to keep their own paychecks coming, how can we expect them to save he country in these bad times, let alone solve the problems in our international relations – all of these residuals of the Bush years......
If they can't even agree on how to keep their own paychecks coming, how can we expect them to save he country in these bad times, let alone solve the problems in our international relations – all of these residuals of the Bush years......
I think Obama is actually a moderate, but he is going to increasingly have problems with arch-lefties Reid and Pelosi. The sooner he can arrange to replace them with moderate Democrat replacements, the better. If he wants to do business with the Republicans and possibly keep a majority in Congress in 2010, that would be a good start.
This is the first positive news on the economy and budget I have read this year! If Ms Pelosi is serious, perhaps we can avoid this disastrous budget busting fiasco and return to fiscal sanity. If we eliminated all taxes this year for everyone, it would cost less than this crazy "stimulus" budget, encourage investment, create jobs and it wouldn't saddle our kids and grandkids with long-term deficits that they will have to pay with higher taxes well into the future.
It also would avoid government control of our healthcare and our lives. Long live Nancy Pelosi and her crazy tantrums!
They should put Pelosi,Reid and big mouth Barney on Pelosi's plane and send it west............
People just stop fighting on both sides and do what is RIGHT for the american people.We are sick and tired of what you think is right for the american people when you've had years to have a plan to fall back on but went ahead with everyday politics and ignored hard working americans.Right now people are losing their homes ,jobs ,retirements,and future savings and it's politics as usual.To H*LL with this and just do the right thing and do what we as taxpayers are paying you for and make us proud that we have you as our representatives because we sure as H*LL are not happy with you now!!!!!!!!!!!
What a queen bee. I live in Cali. she is the laughing stock of my state
which i love
STEP DOWN NANCY PELOSI !!!! TAKE CARE OF YOUR GRAND CHILDREN YOU LOVE AT HOME. DON'T MESS AMERICA AND AMERICAN ANY MORE.
So.Nancy,if they dont like it all the better.Let them eat mud for four long years.They didnt want to hear a thing you said for eight years.Paybacks are sweet.
I didn't vote for Obama, but I have to give him credit for trying to be bi-partisan. It is less the Republicans opposing him than Reid and Pelosi with all their verbal mooning of anything Republican that is creating the environment that is keeping the two sides from being able to work as the our US Government instead of as Democrat vs Republican.