McConnell defends GOP against Dems' 'party of no' charge
Washington (CNN) – With midterm elections less than four months away, the top Republican in the Senate said Sunday that the GOP is “proud” to oppose many aspects of Democrats’ agenda. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, also laid out some issues where he said Republicans support President Obama.
Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, McConnell ticked off a litany of Democratic agenda items that his party has opposed.
“Look, what we are proud to say no to, and I think what the public wants us to say no to, are things like the government running banks, insurance companies, car companies, nationalizing the student loan business, taking over our health care,” McConnell told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.
McConnell also pointed to the recently passed financial regulatory reform bill, the growth of the federal workforce, action by the Federal Communications Commission to assert authority over the internet, and the possibility that the National Labor Relations Board will change the law regarding how unions can be formed.
“Yes, we are opposed - let me make it clear, we are absolutely opposed to all of those things, and proudly so,” McConnell said.
But the GOP leader quickly added that his party agrees with the president on other issues and is willing to work on passing some legislation the president says he wants.
“There are some things the president is trying to do that we support. We support his efforts in Afghanistan, I think he is on the right track there. I think he continued the policy successfully in Iraq. He says he is for trade deals, where are they? We would like to help him pass them.”
McConnell also mentioned some aspects of energy policy, specifically nuclear power and clean coal technology, as another area where the GOP might work with the White House.
“So the question is, what are you saying no to? We will proudly say no to the litany of things that I just mentioned a few minutes ago.”
On the GOP’s prospects in the midterms, McConnell said, “The environment is very good for a good year,”
With Republican candidates “either competitive or ahead in 11 different states now where there are Democratic incumbent senators.”
But he would not predict exactly how many Senate seats he thinks the GOP might pick up in November, only that it has a good chance of increasing its number of Senate seats.
“I'd like to be in better shape than the 41 that we have now. And I think the chances of that are pretty good,” he told Crowley.
Related: McConnell says Republicans have gotten their groove back
The republican party doesen't vote no just because , the vote no because most of what the bills that the dems want to pass ,are not good for the country. The majority of the public tells them so,but they cram it down our throats anyway,The dems have a majority so why do they keep up the propaganda about the party of no? they use that lame excuse because when things go sour for them, and it will, they will say ,the republicans voted for this also.The are just part of obamas socialistic agenda ,actions speak louder than words! The government is there to govern ,not rule the people,they seem to forget that they work for us.
This Obama guy has started the most divisive politics in recent history. It started with the Democratic primaries.. don't you remember how charged was the atmosphere within the Democratic party? Now he is playing labels with Republicans. I never had a sympathy for the Republicans but I hate the show style used by the Obama's Democrats. This is not the Democratic Party, this is Obama, Rahm, Axelrod and Pelosi's party. No results? It must be Bush's fault. You don't like us? You are racist.
'“Look, what we are proud to say no to, and I think what the public wants us to say no to, are things like the government running banks, insurance companies, car companies, nationalizing the student loan business, taking over our health care,” McConnell told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.'
'Government running banks'?
They LOANED money (which was already paid back) for them and now passed legislation that is intended to ensure that they won't gonna need to do that in the future.
'Insurance companies'?
The legislation passed that marks them is not, unlikely some may say, 'job-killing' or 'government overtaking'. It reduces their profit? Yes. It reduces the possibility of they doing whatever they want to with the people that faithfully pays them in the vain hope of not being ignored/kicked by them when neede?
OH YEAH!!!
'Car companies'?
Same as with the banks.
'Student loans'?
And what was your proposition on that, or any of the previous, matter?
'Health care'?
You didn't produced any viable alternative, tried to fool everybody with the concept (lie) that the US system is 'the best of the world', called it 'socialized medicine' and in the end... did NOTHING that was remotely useful for the solving of the whole problem.
Mitch really needs to resign and the Republicans figure-out how to actually do something besides be obstructionists.
Getting hi-jacked by racist extremists that hate Americans and a bunch of fringe Puritan religious fundamentalists that want to turn back the clock 100 years is not the answer.
The Dems only need to use the Republicans party words against them until Nov. Dems keep pointing out that there will be a choice to make in Nov. which will be go back to the Bush Tax policy that got us in this mess, or move foward with the Dems policy that is trying to help get the American back on track. Now that Nov. is just around the corner, the Republicans are feeling good about their position and now telling the American their plan to get the American people back on the right track which is the same policy that got us in this mess TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH.
Republicans record on job creation is a nightmare! Their policies have destroyed America! More safe and good paying union jobs please! Like my parents had! Thanks for ruining the America my parents grew up in republican idiots!
Everyone who works for an auto company ought to remember than McConnell is proud that his party wanted to let those companies die.
What a wind bag!
This blow hard and the Republican flatulence machine haven't got a leg to stand on.
The country has been brought to near bankruptcy thanks to the Republican policies. The Obama administration is digging out of the ditch that McConnell and his cronies put us in.
I used to be proud to call myself a Republican. Now I feel as if I have been kicked out of the party because it has been replaced with backwards looking partisans more interested in winning elections than in serving the country. Republicans used to be the party that pointed toward the ever greater potential and future of the US. Now it points to the past and offers only slogans and no real answers.
Are we seeing the Republicans for what they are yet?
HELLO!!!!!!
He'll vote against any spending that assists people. But, he says, "yes, yes, yes..." to spending an exorbitant amount of money playing cowboy and Indian in the Mid-East for the oil companies. What a patriot! And, Steve from North Carolina, do a bit of research and see how much of our tax dollars end up as "government hand-outs" for countries like England and Israel. But, that's probably OK because Rush said so. Sheep!
Hell hath no fury like Americans scorned by the part of NO. Just wait until November.
"No" ideas, "no" intellegence, "no" class. The party of No.
The problem is the country is going no where fast...work together to accomplish something at least instead of constantly working towards the next elections.
I have yet to see a plan from the GOP. When they say NO, they say NO. They don't come with a better plan or any plan for that matter. They just say NO it won't work, all negative. Show us your plan and the back to show why it will work.
Just say "NO" to Republicans in November!
No it is not go home and die. If you believe that then you are seriously in need of phsyciatric help. You have been brainwashed by the socialist democratic party. I have health care and will be punished by teh federal government because I made career choices that figured healthcare as part of my criteria for what I considered to be a well paying job. AND now the federal government reduces my disposalable income by passing this health care reform. I will be fined for having a cadillac plan, I will not be able to use pre tax dollars to pay for premiums and FSA. The FSA limits are reduced to $2,500.00 and the IRS is the gatekeeper for "qualifying" health care. Now the tax cuts are going away .... It seems that the libs are saying you all need to move down the social ladder rather than up it.
"YES, we are opposed – let me make it clear, we are absolutely opposed to all of those things, and proudly so,” McConnell said."
Go for it McConnell! Protect those Big Banks, The Wall Street contributors to your reelection campaign, and the heck with the middle income folks on the street. Protect those Drug Companies and Insurance Companies that gouge the American public.
May the right-wing controlled Republicans be flushed down the toilet of history!
LOL! I hope McConnell realizes with his 'No' stragety, the Republicans will be the way of the Whig Party.
I think I finally am beginning to understand the conservative mindset. Mention that the wealthy are getting richer while everyone else is still struggling, that's class warfare, but throwing working people into poverty, bankrupting the states* and trying to tank the recovery for a political advantage after you've chalked up the biggest deficit in recorded history when you were running the show, that's 'fiscal responsibility".
So the republicans are for wars and trade agreements. That's it? Where are the ideas??? Sure you can say no all you want, but if you don't contribute anything then you're just wasting our tax dollars. The Republicans are all for continuing the status quo that got our country in this mess. It keeps all of the money under the control of the top 1% and allows the poor to go and die in the wars that they start. Why wouldn't they want to keep that going?
Republicans- NO clue, NO ideas, NO shame, NO leadership, NO help for the middle-class. NOTHING to be "proud" of McConnell, you blithering idiot.
i'll take president obama any day over any the GOP. he is hands down way better for the country then any current noteworthy repub.
Do you think the American people want you to say "no" to continued benefits that will enable out of work Americans to put food on their tables for their families, and avoid getting thrown out on the street... since there are no job whatsoever out there???
Did you say NO to Bush