Research Briefing

HARRY REID’S SEVEN WISHES FOR HIS 70TH BIRTHDAY

1. For vulnerable Democrat Senators like Blanche Lincoln and Michael Bennet to take one for the team and vote for his health care experiment.
2. For pro-life and fiscally conservative Democrats to stop posturing about principles and get with the program on health care.
3. For no one else to ask for a $300 million payoff to vote against their constituents' best interests.
4. For the media to keep ignoring that Republicans have been offering alternatives.
5. For jobs to actually be "saved or created" Nevada, offsetting the 54,000 jobs lost since his $787 billion stimulus was passed.
6. For Nancy Pelosi to stop passing unpopular legislation which he has to deal with.
7. For Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin to stop measuring the curtains in his leadership office.

FOR VULNERABLE DEMOCRAT SENATORS LIKE BLANCHE LINCOLN AND MICHAEL BENNET TO TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM AND VOTE FOR HIS HEALTH CARE EXPERIMENT

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) Says He Would Vote For Reid’s Unpopular Government-Run Health Care Bill, Even If It Costs Him His Job. “’If you get to the final point and you are a critical vote for health care reform and every piece of evidence tells you if you support the bill you will lose your job, would you cast the vote and lose your job?’ CNN’s John King asked Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado on Sunday’s State of the Union. ‘Yes,’ Bennet bluntly and simply replied.” (Martina Stewart, “Freshman Dem: Passing Health Care Reform Worth Losing My Seat,” CNN’s “Political Ticker” Blog, 11/22/09)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) Signaled Opposition To Government-Run Health Care. “Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), who could face a tough re-election battle next year, is signaling her opposition, and she has been noncommittal on whether she would vote with Democrats to end debate on the final measure and move to passage.” (David Drucker, "Moderates Make Feelings Known," Roll Call, 10/28/09)

• Because Arkansas Voters Would Be More Likely Vote Against Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) If She Votes For Government-Run Health Care. “[W]hen voters were asked how they would vote in a Lincoln-Baker race if Lincoln voted in favor of the healthcare legislation, the incumbent Democrat fell behind her possible GOP challenger 37-49.  In all, 48% of likely Arkansas voters said they would be less likely to back Lincoln's re-election if she supports the healthcare bill with 38% saying they were much less likely to support her in that event.” (“Lincoln Holds Lead Over Potential Senate Opponents,” Zogby International, 11/19/09)

FOR PRO-LIFE AND FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS TO STOP POSTURING ABOUT PRINCIPLES AND GET WITH THE PROGRAM ON HEALTH CARE

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) Won't Accept Current Language In Reid's Bill That Allows Taxpayer Funding Of Abortions. “That language is not language that I would prefer ... I think you need to have it eminently clear that no dollars that are federal tax dollars, directly or indirectly, are used to pay for abortions and it needs to be totally clear. [It's] not clear enough ...” (Michael O'Brien, "Lieberman: More Dems Could Join Public Option Filibuster," The Hill's "Briefing Room" Blog, 11/19/09)

Many Senate Dems Oppose The Bill’s Provision Creating A New Entitlement Which Will “Increase Deficits.” “Senators Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) wrote in the letter that they are concerned the CLASS Act would increase deficits. … ‘We have grave concerns that the real effect of the provisions would be to create a new federal entitlement program with large, long term spending increases that far exceed revenues,’ they wrote.” (Stephanie Condon, “Moderate Senators Oppose Long Term Health Care Proposal,” CBS News’s “Political Hot Sheet” Blog, 10/28/09)

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) Said Health Care Reform Should “Get A Handle” On Rising Cost Of Health Care. “Prices of health care are marching relentlessly upwards, and so too many people don't have coverage... The purpose of all of this is to try to get a handle on it somehow.” (Erica Werner, "Initial Senate Vote Looms On Health Legislation," The Associated Press, 11/21/09)

FOR NO ONE ELSE TO ASK FOR A $300 MILLION PAYOFF TO VOTE AGAINST THEIR CONSTITUENTS’ BEST INTERESTS

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Said She's “Not For A Government-Run, National, Taxpayer-Subsidized Plan, And Never Will Be.” (Charles Babington, "Key Senators May Rebuff Obama On Health Care," The Associated Press, 10/22/09)

But Landrieu Used Her Leverage “To Get Some Things That Are Important.” “I'm using as much leverage as I have for the issues that I think are important... [Y]ou've got to use the leverage when you've got it to get some things that are important...” (Carrie Budoff Brown, "Landrieu Leans Yes In Sat. Cliffhanger," Politico, 11/20/09)

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Got A $300 Million Earmark To Secure Her Vote To Begin Consideration Of The Reform Bill. “Staffers on Capitol Hill were calling it the Louisiana Purchase. On the eve of Saturday's showdown in the Senate over health-care reform, Democratic leaders still hadn't secured the support of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), one of the 60 votes needed to keep the legislation alive. The wavering lawmaker was offered a sweetener: at least $100 million in extra federal money for her home state. And so it came to pass that Landrieu walked onto the Senate floor mid-afternoon Saturday to announce her aye vote -- and to trumpet the financial ‘fix’ she had arranged for Louisiana. ‘I am not going to be defensive,’ she declared. ‘And it's not a $100 million fix. It's a $300 million fix.’” (Dana Milbank, “Sweeteners For The South,” The Washington Post, 11/22/09)

 FOR THE MEDIA TO KEEP IGNORING THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN OFFERING ALTERNATIVES

House GOP Introduced A Health Care Bill, Which Was Voted Down By Democrats. (“Offering Smart Solutions: Health Care,” GOP.gov, Accessed 12/1/09; H.R. 3962, Roll Call Vote #885; Rejected 176-258; D 0-257; R 176-1, 11/7/09)

And Every Republican Senator Supports Patient-Centered Health Care Reform. “This morning, I'll make my way to a wooden podium at the front of the Senate floor and deliver my 50th speech since June on the topic of health care. But you would never know it from listening to Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill. Listening to them, you would think Republicans haven't been part of the health care debate at all. I understand the tactic. It's an old political trick to accuse one's opponents of being against something very worthwhile when what they're really against are the specifics that you're proposing. In this debate, though, proponents of the administration's health care plan have turned this old strategy into something of an Olympic sport. The simple fact is, every Republican in Congress supports reform.” (Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Op-Ed, “Every Republican In Congress Supports Reform,” USA Today, 10/21/09)

 FOR JOBS TO ACTUALLY BE “SAVED OR CREATED” IN NEVADA, OFFSETTING THE 54,000 JOBS LOST SINCE HIS $787 BILLION STIMULUS WAS PASSED

Nevada Has Lost Over 54,000 Jobs Since The Stimulus Passed In February. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 12/1/09)

Reid Claims Stimulus Created 6,134 Jobs In Nevada, But State Government Verified Only 5,080. “Forgive the average citizen if the federal stimulus does not appear to him as transparent as promised.  The federal government says that in Nevada the stimulus has directly created or saved 5,658 jobs. The state itself puts that number at 5,080. Sen. Harry Reid’s office says it’s 6,134.  When it comes to measuring the direct effect of the hundreds of millions of dollars flowing into Nevada from the federal American Recovery Relief Act, it has become clear that, so far, little is clear.” (David McGrath Schwartz, “Stimulus Job-Count Guidelines Frustrate,” The Las Vegas Sun, 11/13/09)

 FOR NANCY PELOSI TO STOP PASSING UNPOPULAR LEGISLATION WHICH HE HAS TO DEAL WITH

Obama, Pelosi Pushed National Energy Tax Through “Despite Worries” Of Increasing “Electricity And Fuel Prices.” “The narrow House passage, 219-212, is a victory for President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who pushed the measure through despite worries about reshaping the U.S. energy landscape during a recession and the likelihood that it will push up electricity and fuel prices.” (Dave Michaels, “Climate Bill Wins House Approval Stringent Limits On Emissions Could Affect Texas The Most,” The Dallas Morning News, 6/27/09)

Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS) Admitted “A Lot Of People Walked The Plank On A Bill That Will Never Become Law” Because The Senate Will Never Pass it.  (Molly K. Hooper, “Boehner: Climate Bill A ‘Pile Of S--T,’” The Hill, 6/27/09)

 FOR CHUCK SCHUMER AND DICK DURBIN TO STOP MEASURING THE CURTAINS IN HIS LEADERSHIP OFFICE

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) And Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Will Fight For Reid’s Position As Senate Majority Leader If He Isn’t Re-Elected In 2010. “If Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is defeated in November 2010, we will likely see a battle to succeed him between Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee head and current Democratic Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (N.Y.). While it is tough to forecast the political landscape of the future, a Durbin-Schumer pairing would be a fascinating clash between two powerful leaders.” (Mark Greenbaum, Special To Roll Call, “Durbin Vs. Schumer: DSCC Gig Bred Loyalty,” Roll Call, 11/3/09)