Harry Reid Won’t ‘Waste the Senate’s Time’ on ‘Worst Legislation’ in U.S. History

Friday, July 22, 2011 

By Susan Jones

(CNSNews.com) – Without a hint of bipartisanship, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Thursday proclaimed the Republican deficit-reduction plan – the “Cut, Cap, and Balance Act” – as a waste of the Senate’s time.

“I think this piece of legislation is about as weak and senseless as anything that has ever come on this Senate floor. And I’m not going to waste the Senate’s time day after day on this piece of legislation, which I think is an anathema to what our country is all about,” Reid said on the Senate floor.

“So everyone, understand. We’re going to have a vote tomorrow (Friday)…I’m not going to wait until Saturday. We’re going to have a vote tomorrow, and I feel confident this legislation will be disposed of one way or the other.

“The American people should understand that this is a bad piece of legislation – perhaps, some of the worst legislation in the history of this country.”

The Republican proposal would cut government spending, cap the growth of future spending, and allow a vote on a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget.

Reid invited Republicans to go ahead and debate the bill “to their heart’s content.”

He also complained that “the loudest voices from the Republican Party are not reasonable leaders, but Tea Party extremists.”

In his comments on the Senate floor, Reid urged “reasonable Republicans” to join Democrats in reaching a compromise “that is good for the country.” Such a compromise, he said, must avert default and cut the deficit “in a balanced way” – balance in this case meaning tax increases.

The House of Representatives passed the Cut, Cap and Balance bill on Tuesday. As House Speaker John Boehner noted, Senate Democrats still haven't passed legislation of their own to prevent a government default. "It's time for the Senate to act," he said.

So far, all legislation attempting to put the country back on a sound fiscal footing has come from House Republicans.