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Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Harry Reid
Sun Archives
- Dems predict Harry Reid win, analyst expects GOP gains (9-29-2009)
- Protesters decry GOP stance on health care reform (9-29-2009)
- Harry Reid plans telephone town-hall meeting Thursday (9-29-2009)
- Reid maneuvers for sweeter deal; some not impressed (9-23-2009)
- Crafty wording for bill would help cancer institute (9-23-3009)
- Report: Harry Reid's poor approval rating leaves race a 'toss up' (9-10-2009)
- Home state finds it hard to warm up to Reid (8-20-2009)
Sun Coverage
Sun Blogs
As Republicans ramp up their campaign against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the party’s Nevada and Washington operations can’t seem to get their stories straight on a line of attack.
In Nevada, Reid is badgered for not doing enough for the state — not using his power as majority leader to bring home enough bacon.
In Washington, he is being pilloried for using his clout to cut a better Medicaid deal for Nevada in the health care legislation.
Which is it?
On the Senate floor Wednesday, Reid was decried for wielding his influence for Nevada’s gain.
“They got a special deal for four states — one of them being the state of Nevada,” Arizona Sen. John McCain railed. It was his second day on the attack over the issue.
“I wonder how citizens in Wyoming, California and Florida and other states will feel?” remarked Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. “Sen. Reid has done exactly what all the governors hope would be done” for their states.
But back in Nevada, Republicans have been leveling a steady line of attack against that perceived Reid strength.
Nevada Republicans chisel away at Reid’s emerging 2010 campaign slogan that “he delivers for Nevada as no one else can.” They point to the economic recovery act as an example of legislation that didn’t deliver enough pork to Nevada.
Other than his efforts to halt the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump, “I’m not sure Sen. Reid has explained what benefits Nevada has received,” strategist Ryan Erwin recently told the Sun.
The contradictory messages show that as the 2010 campaign gets under way, what might resonate in Nevada doesn’t necessarily translate for Washington audiences, and what the Hill might see as a political swipe might not ding the candidate back home.
“You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” said Eric Herzik, chairman of the political science department at the University of Nevada, Reno.
“In the state, Reid has always kind of built his political campaigns around delivering for Nevada,” Herzik said. “Then Republicans attack him for not delivering enough. Then when he does deliver it’s like, ‘You shouldn’t do that.’ ”
The Sun reported last week that Reid secured a deal for Nevada and three other states with high unemployment, giving them 100 percent federal funding for the expansion of Medicaid being considered in the health care reform bill. The four states also have low Medicaid enrollment.
The deal, which would cover the first five years of the expanded Medicaid program, was a head-turner.
Reid defended it Wednesday.
“I make no apologies, none, for helping people in my state and our nation who are hurting the most,” Reid said on the Senate floor.
Health care reform advocates say one of the most cost-effective ways to give the uninsured access to health care is to broaden state Medicaid programs to include more low-income residents.
But states have balked at having to share the costs of such an expansion when money is tight.
Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has warned against extra expenses. Even after Reid secured the sweetheart deal that has set Washington aflutter, Nevada Republicans were cool to the idea.
The Republican governor’s office questioned how Nevada would afford its share of the costs after five years, when federal funding would shrink to an 82 percent match — meaning Nevada would have to pony up 18 cents for every $1 spent providing health care to newly eligible Medicaid recipients.
Republican Sen. John Ensign tried unsuccessfully in committee to halt the Medicaid expansion for any state that would have to pay more than 1 percent above its current Medicaid expenditures.
Nevada’s annual Medicaid expenditures would jump by 1.6 percent over the next decade.
On average, states would pay 1.3 percent more toward Medicaid over the next 10 years under the bill than they now do.
Yet states would also receive vast new funding from the federal government to handle the increased load. On average, states would see a 12 percent increase in federal Medicaid money being sent their way.
Under the deal Reid secured, Nevada would see a 30 percent increase in federal Medicaid funding flowing to the state.
But Republicans aren’t the only ones having trouble getting their stories straight.
When the health care reform legislation was introduced last month in the Senate Finance Committee, Reid offered different messages to different audiences.
He told the national press that he welcomed the legislation as moving “us a step closer to having a comprehensive health insurance reform bill.”
To Nevada reporters, Reid said the proposed Medicaid burden for his state was too high and he vowed not to bring a bill to floor unless changes were made. “This bill will be improved for Nevada,” he said.
And it was.
If the Republicans are using a "damned if he does, damned if he don't" strategy they are only taking a page from Hapless Harry's playbook that he employed against George Bush and loves to employ against Republicans every chance he gets.
We're not sending Reid mixed messaged. We're very clear what we want to occur, he is voted out in 2010. Neither America nor Nevada can afford their lunatic laws. Reid is an idiot and a pathetic excuse for a human being.
Haha. Republicans don't even try to make sense anymore. I guess that's how much they've been conquered by the extreme birther/teabagger elements. So Harry Reid's bad for helping Nevada, but he should do more to help Nevada? HUH??!!
Oh, and I love how they're singing Bush's praises again. Yes, please keep that up, GOP. Talk about how he loved our state so much he wanted us nuked as he wrecked our economy.
And the usual suspects wonder why we know Reid will survive whatever nonsense they throw at him...
"Pinkie" Reid, a leftover from the 60's liberal leftwing, tax & spend pork barrel political scene won't be defeated in 2010, I'm afraid. The public is still tied too close to the 06 and 08 elections, in having to think they didn't screw up by electing him and his Marxist brothers. It'll take another 2 years for the public to wake up. Karl Rove is 100% correct. When the public wakes up from the liberal left's nightmare, and realizes that American Capitalism works best by being left alone to create economic progress, and that the leftwing Marxist economic policies cause regression in the marketplace, then and only then, will we advance once again, unencumbered by government meddling. American Capitalism works best when the risk takers reap the benefits from entrepreneural ventures.
Haha. I'm still laughing. Yeah, Reid's such a "liberal" that so many of the left hate him for not being progressive enough. Honestly, I have disagreements with him over:
- gun safety: He's pro-NRA. I'm pro-sanity.
- climate change: He's pro-cap-and-trade. I'd rather see a simple carbon tax to take on CO2 emissions.
- reproductive rights: Reid is somewhat anti-choice. I'm for women making their own health decisions.
- LGBT civil rights: Reid seems OK with domestic partnerships and some anti-discrimination laws. I want full equality on the state and federal levels.
Yet despite these differences, I'll support him as long as he delivers on health care reform and he keeps delivering for Nevada like none of the Republicans can.
The Medicaid deal was a pure political STUNT using taxpayer funds to his political advantage. There was not an ounce of humanitarianism in this.
Then Gried rewards himself with another $4 million in office expenses for being such a nice fellow while the "public option" goes down in flames.
The pure hatred for Gried is coming from left, right, and center. He is the poster child for the arrogant, self-serving, back room dealer who has no concept of the lives and problems of the people in his constiuency.
It's not just an anti-Gried movement; it is anti-incumbent movement that spans all parties and all politicos. NevaDUHans are fed up and heads are going to roll and roll and roll until they remember who they represent.
The other Democrats in the Senate seem none to happy with harry for his special deal. It seems a revolt is coming down harry's path.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/090...
Thanks LVS for another publication of your default picture of Prince Harry! This must be required on all "blogging for Harry" articles.
I prefer the picture of him standing on the floor of Congress and surrendering to the Qaida in Iraq - whilst we had troops on the ground!
Now that was a picture worth remembering come 2010/
Harry has been in POWER tooooooooooooo long. He has to go. We need a CHANGE in all of our congress and senate too!!!
The Las Vegas Sun ceased making the attempt to be journalists awhile ago. Now they simply regurgitate stories and editorials from the New York Times. Greenspun should pack it up and move to New York.
Apparently the liberal writer of this article does not comprhend. Searchlight Harry does not do enough of the right things and far too much of the left wing extreme things. When you have a soul mate like Pelosi you'll have that.
I like the Sun but this writer is a hack. Harry Reid needs to be voted out of office.
Harry epitomizes mediocrity and should be phased into the sunset.
atdleft: that's exactly what I've been thinking for years.
So, let's say they get Harry out of office and replace him with that basketball coach's son... what then?
Who takes over as Majority Leader in the Senate? Well, it will be a Democrat. The chances of the republicans winning back a majority are virtually zero.
Instead, the Dems will choose a new Leader, and by most accounts, the next Leader would be Chuck Schumer... who is FAR MORE LIBERAL than Reid!
So, what would I say the the republicans if that happened? Um, thanks!
Reid's suddenly "fighting for Nevada" because his number's are way down and he's up for re-election next year. Either way, he's got to go. (Editor: is that relevant enough for you?)
sPORT's!
If "Pinkie" Reid isn't far left of center, then FDR was a street organizer for the Nationalist Socialists in the 30's.
Whorehouse Harry Reid, the scum of Nevada. Crooked to the core and as dumb as they come.
John Ensign wanted this to stop? Why? No job for his girlfriend?
Weasel mania! Please,Tell me again uncle harry how you looked upon searchlight from all that is bad. You have made Nevada a joke to say the least. Just remember to fall back on your sweet land deals like any honest politician should.
We have not incurred all that is planned for us thanks to Reid and his " long shark" pals.
Not only national health care, cap and trade, national sales tax, and universal college.
We are going to be taxed, taxed, and taxed. Those who will survive will be Reid and his rat pack.
We need to clean house on all sides. 2011 is a gleam of hope.
We need to forget party lines and all work together to clean out Washington and state governments. If not we will no longer be the America we knew.
It don't matter if Reid gets reelected... The Democrats are going to lose control of the Senate during the next election, so it will be to the back of the bus for Harry.