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"[T]o the extent that Harry Reid, you know, does something during the day, it's usually to hold a press conference . . . or issue a statement that is tendentious, anti-Bush, negative, oppositional, you know, and very little in the way of, 'Here's how to solve this major American problem.'"
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Mort Kondracke, Special Report with Brit Hume - 11.02.2005
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"Noting that the only complaint he has heard from fellow Democrats is that not enough of Bush's judicial nominees were blocked in the past four years, Reid said he is prepared 'to go behind the pool hall and see who wins this one.'"
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Washington Post - 02.02.2005
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Although Harry opposed them, Chief Justice John Roberts and Judges Brown, Pryor, Griffith, McKeague, Griffin and Neilson were all confirmed.
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US Senate Website - 12.15.2005
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"I say as respectfully as I can that Priscilla Owen is not going to be approved. Fact. I don't know everything, but one thing I do know is where the votes are most of the time. Priscilla Owen is not going to be approved. We should get off of her and go to something else."
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Harry Reid in the Congressional Record - 04.29.2005
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Owens was approved
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- 05.25.2005
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"I will talk about the energy bill. The energy bill did nothing to help the American consumer. All it did was give a big sop to the already fat and beefy oil industry. They had $100 billion in profits this year. I don't think it was much of an energy bill."
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Congressional Record - 11.04.2005
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Twenty-Five democrat Senators, over half the caucus, to include the democrat whip, ignored Harry's opinion and voted for the Energy Bill.
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Congressional Record - 07.29.2005
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I Will Do Whatever I Can To Kill It." "'I don't like CAFTA; I am not going to vote for it; and I will do whatever I can to kill it,' said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the minority leader. 'We are approaching a trillion-dollar trade deficit. We can't survive as a viable, strong country doing that.'"
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New York Times - 05.10.2005
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"CAFTA, I think it was kissed goodbye a long time ago. There are senators who used to support that that say that they don't like it."
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Harry Reid Press Conference - 05.23.2005
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11 democrats joined Republicans in passing CAFTA
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Congressional Record - 06.30.2005
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On Class Action Reform - "[T]his legislation, in my opinion, is one of the most unfair, anti-consumer pieces of legislation to come before the Senate in a long time. . . . Access to the courts is a basic right in our democracy, and after today it will be a diminished right. These rights are being denigrated, taken away from us with this legislation. . . . I can say this without any question: Downtown beat us. There is no question about that."
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Harry Reid in the Congressional Record - 02.10.2005
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Over 40% of democrats joined 'downtown' in opposition to their 'leader' to support the class action bill, which passed
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Congressional Record - 02.10.2005
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Harry opposed a tax bill that would benefit Nevadans. calling for "responsible tax relief."
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Harry Reid in the Congressional Record - 11.18.2003
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1/3 of democrats voted for the tax bill, which passed.
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Congressional Record - 11.18.2005
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Reporting on the tax bill opposed by Harry but passed by the Senate:
"The Senate early today passed a bill that would allow Nevadans to continue deducting state and local sales taxes from their federal income taxes. The bill extends the popular tax break for at least one more year. Otherwise it is due to expire at the end of this year."
"Under the sales tax provision, taxpayers in all 50 states are allowed to deduct either their state and local sales taxes or their state income taxes, whichever is highest. . . . [A] handful of states, including Nevada, do not tax income, so their residents can write off sales taxes instead. . . . For Nevadans, the IRS-calculated deduction ranges from $304 to $1,970. The deduction could be higher if taxpayers collect receipts from the year."
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Las Vegas Review Journal - 11.18.2005
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"'If they, for whatever reason, decide to do this, it's not only wrong, they will rue the day they did it, because we will do whatever we can do to strike back,' incoming Senate Democratic leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) said last week. 'I know procedures around here. And I know that there will still be Senate business conducted. But I will, for lack of a better word, screw things up.'"
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Washington Post - 12.13.2005
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Despite his pledge to 'screw things up' progress was made to move America forward:
Confirmed: New Chief Justice John Roberts
Confirmed: Seven previously obstructed judicial nominees
Passed: Comprehensive national energy policy
Passed: Sweeping deficit reduction legislation
Passed: Tax cut extension
Passed: Class action reform
Passed: Bankruptcy reform
Passed: Pension funding overhaul
Passed: Education SMART grants
Passed: Gun liability bill
Passed: Highway funding bill
Passed: Central America Free Trade Agreement
Passed: Emergency War on Terror funds & tsunami relief
Passed: Prohibition on torture
Passed: Health care information technology
Passed: Terrorism insurance extension
Passed: Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
Passed: Avian flu preparedness funds
Passed: Cord blood stem cell legislation
Passed: Budget resolution
Passed: Twelve appropriations bills
Passed: Disaster relief to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina
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Congressional Record - 12.21.2005
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Harry was confused about progress this session. Compare the next two quotes from his press conference on May 17, 2005
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- 12.21.2005
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"I've tried all my life to find a good example of what we study about when they say that the Emperor Nero was fiddling while Rome was burning. I think what you see going on here in the Senate is a pretty good example. While the Senate is basically accomplishing almost nothing, the Republican leadership is fiddling actually."
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Harry Reid Press Conference - 05.17.2005
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I think that the work that was done showed the American people that we can work together, that we were able to do bills that even my caucus was not enamored with - that is, class action and bankruptcy. We've done the highway bill. I think we've done some pretty good work here so far this year."
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Harry Reid Press Conference - 05.17.2005
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