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Wash. Times gave anonymity to "senior Republican aide" repeating Cornyn's on-the-record Franken statement

July 02, 2009 10:41 am ET by Media Matters staff

From a July 2 Washington Times article, headlined "Democrats' supermajority may be illusory":

"The problem Democrats will run into now is that they can no longer blame 'obstruction' by Republicans for delaying their agenda," one senior Republican aide said. "There's nothing stopping them from moving anything they want, as long as they're all willing to accept responsibility for the consequences of passing a national energy tax, government takeover of health care, more bailouts and running the auto industry."

From NRSC chairman John Cornyn's (R-TX) June 30 statement on Senator-elect Al Franken's (D-MN) election victory:

The implications of this Senate race are particularly significant because the Democrats will now have 60 votes in the Senate. With their supermajority, the era of excuses and finger-pointing is now over. With just 59 votes, Senate Democrats in recent months have passed trillion-dollar spending bills, driven up America's debt, made every American taxpayer a shareholder in the auto industry and now want Washington to takeover America's health care system. It's troubling to think about what they might now accomplish with 60 votes.

Tags: The Washington Times

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    • Author by progressiveright (July 02, 2009 10:47 am ET)
      6  
      Just maybe the Dems can undo much of the destruction of the United States that has happened since January 20, 1981 when Regan took the oath of office.
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    • Author by siobhanmkelly1450 (July 02, 2009 10:49 am ET)
      2  
      What troubles me about what the Dems will do with a "supermajority" is that I'm pretty sure it will be... nothing. No universal health care, no energy bill, no civil rights for gays, nothing not incredibly watered down to protect a conservative America that is the minority.
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      • Author by wookie (July 02, 2009 11:12 am ET)
        2  
        Very true. Between corporate and defense lobbyists and religious groups there still is a ton of money and momentum to push conservative ideas regardless of what label the majority party has.
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      • Author by MickD (July 02, 2009 2:27 pm ET)
        2  
        The "60" solves nothing. Perhaps 66 or 70. Good luck in the next election, Repubs, given all the great alternative ideas you've floating about!
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        • Author by center-right (July 02, 2009 2:51 pm ET)
          1 1
          The bigger problem for the dems is in the house. Even with a majority there they seem to make every bill a struggle.
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    • Author by diogenie27611 (July 02, 2009 12:12 pm ET)
      3  
      Here's my laundry list of things I'd like to see done that even with a super-majority won't get done:

      1) Reform healthcare in such a way that HMO's only exist for the purposes of purchasing supplementary health insurance and health care providers can't get away with charging $2,000.00 a night for hospital patients and $15,000.00 for a helicopter flight!

      2) Roll back the ridiculous tax cuts in capital gains and in the highest income bracket that have occurred over the last 29 years that has crippled the country and drives it ever deeper into debt!

      3) Have an energy policy that resembles sanity so that consumers won't be so inclined to roll down main street in an M1 tank!

      None of these things will get done despite the fact that the vast majority of Americans think that it should done.
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      • Author by WildcatProgressive (July 03, 2009 10:16 am ET)
        3  
        Amen!

        Look, I understand the idea that one needs to build a base of power, but I cannot imagine it getting much better than 60-40 in the Senate and 257 (?) in the House. In other words, if you're not going to make REAL change now, then when? Getting power (and maintaining it) is only worthwhile if you do something with it. Make a real (not incremental) change in health care, a real (not incremental) change in energy policy and the environment, a real (not incremental) change in Don't Ask Don't Tell and DOMA.

        To paraphrase Bill Maher, this is not what I voted for!
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