From the Washington Examiner:Crying "obstructionism" is a tradition for Senate majority leaders, and Harry Reid does it as frequently and piously as anyone. But Reid, with the cooperation of a news media confused by the upper chamber's rules, has defined "obstructionism" down, and this week is blaming conservative Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., for blocking a bill even though Reid hasn't even tried to move it yet.
Food safety legislation sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., would give the Food and Drug Administration sweeping new powers, and thus has spurred fierce opposition from small farmers and local produce advocates, while big food producers support the measure. Coburn has expressed concerns about burdens on small business and the bill's cost to taxpayers. He's also argued that the bill multiplies regulatory redundancies and complexity, thus harming effective enforcement....
Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate health committee sounded the same note on a conference call: "It's a shame that one person -- one person -- can stop it." Media coverage dutifully describes Coburn as "holding" the bill.
But Coburn isn't blocking the food safety bill, because Reid hasn't actually tried to move the bill to the floor. Reid's rhetoric is simply the next step in his election-year effort to expand the definition of "obstruction" to mean anything other than rolling over for the majority.
Contrary to Reid's standard spin, a single senator cannot indefinitely delay a vote on a bill. A one-man filibuster lasts only as long as the senator can hold the floor -- think "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."...
Stewart argued, "The holdup on this bill has been Senator Feinstein." Dianne Feinstein has been pushing an amendment to ban or nearly ban the chemical BPA in plastic drinking bottles. The big food lobbies -- including the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the National Restaurant Association -- are all lobbying hard in favor of the bill, but the BPA ban would kill their support. Feinstein's office couldn't tell me if her provision was in the bill, or if there would be an up-or-down vote on her amendment.
So, Reid had apparently not determined what the bill would include or what amendments will get floor votes. Or if he had, he hasn't told any Republicans. It looks like Reid doesn't have his act together, and he's blaming Coburn.
Reid accused Coburn of raising his objections "at the last minute," but that's false, too. Coburn staff had e-mailed Democratic bill authors in March with a detailed list of objections.Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Media-duped-by-Reid_s-cries-of-_obstructionism_--894609-103159744.html#ixzz102BIXcpy
More Harry Reid crap. This guy does not have an honest bone in his body. And yet he calls Sharron Angle an extremist.
So, we have to decide, do we want a liar or an extemist as Nevada Senator. An extremist cannot do much damage by her self. A liar can do far more damage to Nevada and the United States than any extremist could ever do.
The World We Live In
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