Markos Moulitsas Warns Harry Reid: Franken Win Takes Away Your 60-Vote Excuses (VIDEO)

Markos Moulitsas, founder of the Daily Kos, and Bill Press, a syndicated radio host, were guests on "The Ed Show" tonight to discuss the political implications of Norm Coleman conceding to Al Franken in the marathon Minnesota Senate race after the State Supreme Court ruled in favor of Franken.

Despite the fact that Democrats will have a so-called 'super majority' when Franken is seated now that their number has reached 60 in the Senate (with two independents regularly voting with the Dems), these two progressives did not sound confident that the Democratic party and the White House would become more aggressive with their agenda.

Moulitsas rightly points out that the Bush administration did not have nearly as large majorities as the Obama administration will, and yet they still considered that a mandate to push through Congress controversial policies such as the Bush tax cuts. Both Press and Kos believe that Harry Reid has been using the lack of a 60 votes as an excuse for not being assertive enough in passing their legislation.

Kos told Shutlz:

I think to a certain level we're a little cynical hearing Harry Reid use that 60 vote crutch as an excuse for not getting things done... Now we have this incredible reversal of fortunes in the Senate, the American people have spoken very, very loudly, very, very clearly, that they want Democrats in charge. And yet for some reason, Democrats still think they need Republicans to sign on when the American people have so clearly rejected them. And if you look at the polling to this very day, they still continue to reject Republican governance. So let's do it, let's do what the American people have asked Democrats to do, and let's not use any excuses like this 60-vote nonsense, which is now obviously longer an issue.

If this is any indication, progressive pressure will ramp up on the Democrats and the Obama administration to sideline Republicans if they obstruct Democratic priorities (something sure to happen on health care reform, especially regarding a public option) since they ostensibly no longer have to rely on attracting Republican votes to pass legislation in the Senate (something many progressives didn't believe was valid in the first place.)

Whether Democrats can keep wayward members of their own party from straying remains to be seen.

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Comments

[JayDDrew]

Progressive and liberal organizations such as MoveOn, The Daily Kos, etc. should have T-shirts printed in different colors with the following:

60 = NO EXCUSES!

[eniobob]

Now we will see if "ALBANY,NY"comes to DC.

[skyslimit]

If there is no public health plan, I will not vote for a Democrat again. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and if its squandered, both parties are dead on my ballot.

[Soundofthunder]

A 60-vote caucus means nothing, for only a puddling-spined pimple like Reid could parlay power into weakness.

SOT

[Soundofthunder]

pudding not puddling.

[yankees]

Wow - at least know I know who is the Majority Leader of the Senate and all along I thought it was Reid.

[JohnHKennedy]

IF REID had 100 Democratic Senators
he would still be making excuses
for not getting legislation passed
that the Democratic BASE WANTS!

At least for the last eight years we've heard "just give us 51 votes". then it was "60 votes"
NOW REID has other New Excuses.

These people are chairwarmers. They will never do anything we want them to do
Unless We Threaten their continued presence in the Senate.

Make them prosecute Bush and Cheney for Torture

SIGN THE PETITION

http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG
.

[JayDDrew]

Cynicism! I love it! Sadly, I think you are right, particularly concerning Reed. This will be how the Dems lose a generation of voters: they have been given the power to make change. If they don't, including Obama, we will know we can trust them no more than we can trust the
Republicans we kicked out of office. But while we stay home, the conservative base that still think Bush did a great job and Iraq has WMDs will still continue to go to the polls and vote for the idiots and neocons paraded out by the likes of Kristol, Krauthammer, Cheney, Hume etc..

[jealousmonk]

It really goes to show who has power. The Repubs have no little fear of popular reprisal. The Dems have great fear of Corporate reprisal. Nothing really gets done that favors the folk over the corporate masters.

[billyboil]

harry reid = wilted lettuce.

[PengieP]

Wilted lettuce is too stiff to represent Harry "invertebrate" Reid. To think this guy was once an amateur boxer!

[bobbyperu]

He was an amateur boxer and never turned pro for a reason.

[AmericanWarrior]

Pressure on the Jelly.
Pressure on the Jelly.
Pressure on the Jelly.

We have to keep our eyes on the Jellyfish name Harry Reid. Nancy Pelosi busts her buns to get things passed in the House. And for what?... She, as well as the majority of progressives, need a leader in the senate. Right now folks, if we don't pressure this man, NOTHING will get done.

[eztempo]

Harry Reid must be replaced as soon as possible. The man's weak, utterly lacking imagination or vision, and incompetent. He's gotta go.

[skyslimit]

I miss Daschle...

[mjwilstein]

Michael Steele agrees. He has essentially given up, ready to blame the Dems for anything:
http://www.gotchamediablog.com/2009/07/michael-steele-has-completely-given-up.html

[skyslimit]

Unless everything goes right, then it's because of the republicans, and naturally, democrats will concede.

[Sketchartist]

Our politicians represent Big Business - NOT the voters. Until that changes, nothing will.

We all know it. And we all will go back to forgetting it in the next five minutes.

[lwaldmann]

Discard for a moment the partisan rhetoric about healthcare and god knows there is a ton of it. A solid case can be made by pragmatic, educated, academics, that single payer healthcare will one day be the rule of the land, and many many people who now seem comitted to putting the end to healthcare reform will have egg on their faces. Single payer healthcare makes sense in the United States just like it does in every other civilized country in the world.

Lary Waldman

[Biscuit]

Amen.

[motoGpifupleez]

Single payer will NEVER be the rule in America. America is Corporate Owned and Operated. Political affiliation means nothing. Politicians are loyal to the largest contributors.
Democrats wouldn't do "The Peoples Business" if they had 90 Senate seats and 400 House seats.

[bolivare]

You are absolutely right. We have the best congress money can buy. They just give the American people lip service, but do absolutely nothing. These bills that have been signed have been so watered down that they amount to nothing.
Credit card reform? Don't make me laugh. They can still raise their interest rates to whatever they like and there is nothing you nor I can do about that because our illustrious congress saw to that.
Bankruptcy bill? Credit card companies wrote that one so they could come after you even if you went broke through no fault of your own. Trying to save your loved ones costs a crap load of money thanks to the health care lobbyists.
Speaking of health care, I'll lay odds they push the co-op option, which amounts to absolutely nothing too.
Promises made to get elected. Promises broken because of greed.

[eztempo]

Hear, hear! Single payer is coming -- it's just going to take a while for Republicans and the insurance industry to adjust to its inevitability.

[skyslimit]

.. and Cuba. Although at times they seem more civilized than us.

[podios]

This story supports my earlier post on the "Minnesota Decision" article on HP. The Democrats no longer have their bogus alibi that they can't get anything done because "we don't have the votes". It's time to s--t or get off the pot.

[RandVictims]

Oust Reid immediately, replace him with Bernie Sanders. - Problem solved.

He's right, - there IS NO EXCUSE now.

I'm as Liberal as they come but if Obama, Reid and Pelosi turn into Clinton and stiff us on good-paying jobs, universal healthcare and EFCA (aka "change") - I will never again support the Democratic Party and I'll write in Hugo Chavez in every cycle.

THAT'S a promise.

[Biscuit]

Why Bernie? Not arguing, just not as familiar as I should be.

My mind went to Feingold first.

[NWNHNM]

We need to boycott big business until the congress they own do the people's business, beginning with health care with a strong public option at a minimum.

And dump Harry Reid.

[sqwerl]

reid is done in 2010. Corporations keep vegas going, as do the rich capitalists. Reid spit in the face of the blue collar workers in that city when he went against the people that keep that city alive.