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Sen. Reid Re-Writes History to Mask Dem Scheme to Make Shut Down as Painful as Possible

by Katie Boyd

The Democrats who run Washington are on defense today after admitting that it "doesn't really matter" to them how long the government is shut down because, in the White House's view, they're "winning." With their cynical strategy laid bare, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) tried to re-write history today by claiming:

But it was just this Monday that Sen. Reid made very clear:

So, which is it? If there was any doubt Democrats are trying to make this shutdown as lengthy and painful as possible for Americans, look no further than their efforts to oppose the numerous common-sense bills the House has passed to fund the most critical parts of government, including veterans, the National Guard, FEMA, and support services for women, infants, and children, among others. When asked about passing one of these bills this week – funding live-saving cancer research at NIH – Sen. Reid went so far as to ask: "Why would we want to do that?"

Senator Reid has also refused to appoint negotiators, as the House has done, to work toward legislation to end the government shutdown and provide fairness for all Americans under the president's health care law. In a letter to Boehner earlier this week, Sen. Reid said he would appoint conferees only after Republicans gave the president and Senate Democrats 100 percent of what they want. If that's Sen. Reid's take on negotiating his "heart out," it just doesn't pass the straight-face test.

As House Speaker John Boehner said today, this "isn't some damn game." If Sen. Reid expects Americans to believe that he's serious about negotiating, he ought to come to the table ready to start the conversation on a bipartisan path forward that re-opens the government and protects all Americans from the train wreck of a health care law. "It's as simple as that."

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Sen. Reid Re-Writes History to Mask Dem Scheme to Make Shut Down as Painful as Possible
http://www.speaker.gov/general/sen-reid-re-writes-history-mask-dem-scheme-make-shut-down-painful-possible

John Hames