Thread: Reid: Taxes, spending and immigration reform top Senate agen

Reid: Taxes, spending and immigration reform top Senate agenda
By Michael O'Brien - 01/19/11 11:21 AM ET

Taxes, spending and immigration reform top Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) goals for this Congress, he said Tuesday night.

Reid, the top Democrat in the Senate, suggested that he could find common ground with Republicans on taxes and spending, and perhaps on immigration reform as well.

Tax reform "certainly needs to be done this Congress," Reid said during an appearance on "Face to Face with Jon Ralston" on Nevada television Tuesday night.

"I really think it's going to happen — we may not go back to Bradley-Gephardt," the majority leader said referring to a tax proposal put forward in 1982 by former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) and former Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), "but we have to go back to a flatter tax."

Both tax and spending reforms have been discussed as possible areas of agreement between President Obama, the Democratic-held Senate, and the new Republican House. The president's fiscal commission recommended a series of spending cuts and tax reforms last year that could prove the foundation for congressional action over the next two years.

"We have to do that. It's not only domestic, discretionary spending that we have to do something about," Reid said of spending cuts, saying that the defense, Medicare and Medicaid budgets all should be considered fair game. "We cannot sustain the spending of this country; we have to get it under control. We cannot end up like Greece, or like Ireland, and default on our debt."

Reid also signaled his intention to make another try at immigration reform, an effort which stalled last year in the Senate due to Republican opposition. The majority leader had sought to advance the DREAM Act during the lame-duck Congress, but most Republicans and some Democrats voted against ending debate.

Since then, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and some other lawmakers have expressed an interest in comprehensive immigration reform once borders have been secured. But the Republican House could prove a stumbling block for any bill that offers what conservatives consider "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.

"I think the answer is unequivocally yes, I think we can get something done," Reid said of the prospects for immigration reform. "The tide is turning on this. This is not something that is going to be a lost program; we're going to get this done."
Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing- ... tes-agenda
The contents of this site are © 2011 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.
Comments (59)

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing- ... tes-agenda

"STILL NOT DONE HARRY!"

how about making jobs and the economy Priority one before you do anything else you old senile bastage

Yes reform Immigration, but not the way you want. Enforce and put stricter laws on the book. Look at Texas, look at California our school systems are suffering from your Dreamers and Anchor Babies.

Harry Reid makes me mouth vomit!
He really does. What a hemroid.

Is there anything that can really be done against Harry Reid? He pretty much refuses to put up any bills that pass through the house for a vote in the senate unless he supports it. He was the one wanting to change the senates rules to put a stop to "overuse" of the fillibuster but then he just tries this tactic to refuse a bill he doesn't support even getting a vote.

There should be some sort of recourse to deal with him and at least force a bill on the floor for a vote. Its just his game to try and save liberal dem faces from either getting voters upset or upsetting Obama.

Originally Posted by jamesw62

how about making jobs and the economy Priority one before you do anything else.

Demos lost the House because of not doing that. With any luck, Reid will lead Senate Demos down the same blind alley.

I think that he's stuck. If he goes for a jobs bill, he'll have to face the issue of who gets the jobs. That'll force him to say that illegals have to get their share. So instead he'll go for immigration reform - a.k.a. amnesty. Didn't work for House Demos, let's hope that it won't work to Senate Demos either.

Reid thinks he can work with Repubs on immigration reform. Well, not unless the Repubs go senile. And no matter what Reid tries in the Senate, Lamar Smith will be going for universal E-Verify and increased worksite enforcement.
************************************************** ********************************
Americans first in this magnificent country

American jobs for American workers

Fair trade, not free trade

unfortunately we have six more years of harry reid in office. unless he dies before that.
question is how long is he the majority leader?

The only reform on immigration is tougher laws and enforcement of existing laws with streamlined deportation and judicial systems in place. Put troops ont he border and seal it up. Make sure both drug runners and illegals alike know we are serious with a zero tollerance for intrusion into the USA. We need to stop the latino community from making the public think illegal is ok here and that the illegals are just fleeing to a better life. Lets make their life here tougher with no social services, no medical, no schooling , NO JOBS, and no housing. Arrest anyone who rents or shelters known illegals, stop the issue of ANCOR BABIES as there is noo such thing, and lastly...let law enforcement enforce the law. That includes ID checking and if any law enforcement officer (including sheriff) refuses to enforce the immigration laws then they need to be removed.