Entire Senate Republican Caucus Commits To Filibustering Anything Prior To Budget, Tax Cuts

This story has been updated

WASHINGTON -- The entire Republican Senate caucus has signed a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid, informing him that they will filibuster any legislative measure that comes before the Senate prior to the body considering a budget or tax cut legislation

The Associated Press first reported the letter last night. But on Wednesday morning Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office passed a copy on to reporters, showing that he had secured signatures from every Senate Republican.

"[W]e write to inform you that we will not agree to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers," the letter reads. "With little time left in this Congressional session, legislative scheduling should be focused on these critical priorities. While there are other items that might ultimately be worthy of the Senate's attention, we cannot agree to prioritize any matters above the critical issues of funding the government and preventing a job-killing tax hike."

The maneuver comes, notably, just hours after congressional leadership met with President Barack Obama in an effort to chart out how to work in a bipartisan fashion. It also dropped on the same day that a bipartisan group of lawmakers was set to meet with the Secretary of the Treasury and head of the Office of Management and Budget to discuss a resolution to the tax cut debate. Pointing to the latter, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) took the floor on Wednesday to condemn, what he called, a "cynical" tactic to delay legislative progress.

"My Republican colleagues knew [about the tax cuts meeting] as they drafted this letter," Reid said. "Therefore, they also know that the true effect of this letter is to prevent the Senate from acting on many important issues that have bipartisan support. With this letter they have simply put in writing the political strategy the Republicans have pursued this entire congress: Mainly, obstruct and delay, obstruct delay action on critical matters, and then blame the Democrats for not addressing the needs of the American people. Very cynical but very obvious and very transparent."

Democrats have been planning to deal with immigration reform and the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell legislation during the lame duck session. A continuing resolution for the budget was on the docket, as was one for tax cuts. But there was no sense about prioritizing those two before the former measures.

How Reid and the White House respond to the letter could give observers a fairly strong sense, not only about how the lame duck session will play out, but also how bipartisanship will be defined in the closing years of Obama's first term in office.

FULL LETTER:

priority letters

UPDATE: The Associated Press reports that the START treaty -- a nuclear arms pact with Russia -- will no be affected by the new GOP pledge. And Mark Helmke, a senior adviser to Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), the main Republican Senator behind START, tells Amanda Terkel of the Huffington Post that the treaty is not endangered.

"We're still pushing for the START Treaty to move forward. We're hoping to do that the week of the 13th," Helmke said. "We don't need to have the House in session for the treaty. ... This is assuming we're going to get these things [budget, tax issues] done in the next two weeks, then we take up START in the third week."

FURTHER UPDATE: McConnell took the floor shortly after Reid delivering the following remarks:

With just a few weeks to go before the end of the session, Democrats continue to place their own priorities over the priorities of the American people. These are the things Democrats have chosen to do instead of preventing a massive tax hike that economists tell us would stifle the economy.

Republicans have pleaded with Democrats to put aside their wish-list -- to focus on the things Americans want us to focus on. They've ignored us. The voters repudiated their agenda at the polls. They've ignored them. Time is running out. They're ignoring that.

UPDATED 10:15 AM: HuffPost's Howard Fineman reports:

"Senator Reid keeps stalling and we're looking at another week of dealing with issues that aren't the central ones," said one top GOP aide. "He's had months and months to deal with this other stuff."

The surprisingly easy passage of the Food Safety Bill -- hailed as a hopeful sign of bipartisanship -- made the GOP leadership all the more determined to take control of the timetable.

The unified pledge also helps GOP leader Mitch McConnell keep control of Republicans willing to work on side deals -- among them Sen. John McCain, who has expressed optimism about passage of the New START treaty.

Comments

[Berryives]

09:12 AM on 12/09/2010

The gReedpublican Party continues its lockstep march into class warfare by killing the middle class tax cut extension bills, and the Obamacrats have surrendered just like they were expected to do. Hopefully, though unlikely, the more progressive Democrats will hold firm (along with Bernie Sanders) and make the greed party continue to go on record against the middle class and the unemployed. Let them filibuster.

[SonyaInTx]

12:02 AM on 12/05/2010

In his ha;f baked concession speech after his loss in the 2008 presidential elevtion, John McCain pledged to "Work with president elect Obama in the future for the good of the country".....

Yeah, whatever.

[Independent66]

06:39 PM on 12/04/2010

Well someone up there got the message from Independent voters. Reduce the budget deficit and focus on helping business grow. If the Dems really want the money to spend on the unemployment benefits, prioritize something that is less important, stop funding it and use that money.

The rich will avoid the tax increases and Congress will just spend more. There is so much special interest spending in the budget it is easy to save $300B next year and begin to close gap. If Congress does NOT begin to do it, they will lose their jobs in 2012. The power is with the Independent voters now and we will be watching every vote.

[carlwhart]

03:34 PM on 12/03/2010

What sc*m.

[Robert Ritchie]

11:16 AM on 12/03/2010

Consumer and government demand for American products and services will create American jobs - not tax cut giveaways for America's wealthiest people.

[mcmingus]

10:39 PM on 12/02/2010

Republican good is BAD for most people in this country, plain and simple.

[Polly Sauers]

10:29 PM on 12/02/2010

Unbelievable that we as a nation voted men into office that cannot and will not help those hardest hit by the recession. Unemployment and emergency unemployment to 2 million Americans is to be cut off as of this month. Unbelievable.....every Republican should be ashamed!!!! But, are we surprised? No....when has the government ever done anything right? Why are we as "Americans" taking this? You might not need unemployment today....but what if you loose your job? Have compassion for people that are trying to survive.....

[MCWAY]

10:00 AM on 12/03/2010

I've been on unemployment and, unless the rules have changed, the purpose of that is to give you a buffer, while you look for a job. You get it, with the idea that, at some point, the benefits will STOP.
 
Again, the key is to look for and obtain a job. Key words: A JOB, not your dream job or something in the field in which you studied for college. When I was on it, I found a job about two weeks before the checks were scheduled to stop coming. It wasn't the ideal job I wanted (in terms of career fulfillment or pay). But, I took it, because I knew the deal.
 
This isn't about compassion. It's about Team Obama, getting the rest of America to bow before the government by keeping them hooked on government benefits. Who the heck stays on unemployment for nearly two years?
 
 

[Chris Matthews 1]

10:10 AM on 12/03/2010

During a reccession where there are no jobs, you help the people.

No everyone is as lucky as you were during your time of struggle.

"It's about Team Obama getting thev rest of America to bow before the government by keeping them hooked on government benefits?" What are you on that makes you think that's even remotely logical? That's absolutely ridiculous!

[p c r]

02:04 PM on 12/03/2010

I don't know where you live, but the McDonald's isn't even hiring in our area. It is difficult to obtain a job when there are no jobs available. Perhaps we should use the extra dollars that the super-rich won't miss in taxes to create jobs so that people can work and won't need the unemployment.

[HWD 19579]

03:47 PM on 12/02/2010

Yes President Obama, did come into the presidency as being too naive, but what is so wrong
with someone, especially someone of color, wanting to beleive that his country with it's
documented horrific history of racial bigotry and cruelty, has maybe finally put those fears,
stereo-types, hate, and intolerance away for good, "has gotten over it", in the same way,
many white americans feel that black americans should, "just completely let go of any
left over residual hard feelings, over all of that stuff!. There would'nt be "any thing or any reason
happening in this day and age in the 21th century"! Obama only wanted to be president of the
21st century United States, and all of its people, including Sarah Palin, Beck, McConnell,
(please let obama, exclude rush limbaugh!), the south, mid-west, west, east, asian people,
native americans, muslims, christians, gays, atheist, wealthy, poor, middle class, business,
african americans, latino's, the elderly. He never wanted any one to "define him, into another
one of the many stereo-types given, The Angry Black Man". That he wanted to belive so much,
in the goodnees and fairness, and tolerance of the people of the United States would fully
accept him and embrace him, and not hold him to hundreds years old, One Drop Rule, inspite
of his having 50%, would not be relevant in this day. Don't be too hard on him, for wanting to
beleive in his country, had reached finally, "We Shall Over Come!......,MLK JR...

[Meg Winters]

01:00 PM on 12/02/2010

Excellent. The Dems should commit to No Continuing Resolution. Put each of THEIR budgets up for a vote ~ let the teapublicans vote to shut down government or filibuster until the tax cuts expire.

Of course, the Dems are too wimpy to actually have an agenda AND push it through.

[myth buster]

07:28 PM on 12/16/2010

At which point the Republicans insist the Omnibus bill be read aloud, first to the Senate, and then if the Senate version passes, to the House. Dems get the blame for refusing to pass a continuing resolution and demanding that the Congress vote on a bill they haven't had time to read, with the government shutting down as a result because we had the audacity to demand they read the bill before passing it.

[John Weddig]

11:50 AM on 12/02/2010

The new "Gang of 42"

[SAdams1987]

11:35 AM on 12/02/2010

This is obviously the most pressing issue in the Senate right now. Tax tables go out next week. Senate Republicans are correct to demand that this be the first issue undertaken.

[John Weddig]

10:03 AM on 12/04/2010

"The New Gang of 42"

My message to Harry Reid December 2, 2010

"Congratulations on your re-election. I'm not very good with small talk so to the point.
I'm sick of bending over to the Republicans and now the 111th US Republican Senate Caucus, who I'm hoping to tag with the moniker "The Gang of 42", publicly announced their no-compromise stand on restructuring the Bush era tax code. I say call their bluff and allow the clock to run out which would reinstate the Clinton tax code. My increased tax load will be negligible, however I am retired and pay little in Federal Tax anyway with my SSI, moderate pension, IRA and modest home mortgage deduction. I may be wrong but I believe that reversion to the pre-Bush tax code would help rather than hinder the economy. Thank you and I hope the 112th congress will begin a new era of co-operation, however I won't hold my breath."

[ennis438]

11:34 AM on 12/02/2010

McConnell and his Republicant traitors to the American people need to be continually spoon-fed money from dirty ,anti-American thugs in order to "operate." The American people made a very serious mistake to reinstall these leeches as guardians. They only care about their useless rich nothing friends and their corporate welfare thugs amigos and will give nothing but the middle finger to everyone else.

[judiNJ]

11:30 AM on 12/02/2010

Negotiating with the Republican party is like playing chicken with a suicidal teenager. They really don't care about the American people... really!

[nypapajoe]

11:22 AM on 12/02/2010

The Republican Party of No at it's Best! So what's new?

[MCWAY]

10:41 AM on 12/03/2010

What's new is that the GOP is actually doing what the American people want them to do: Extend the Bush tax cuts for EVERYONE.
 
The left's tired "the-GOP-only-want-to-help-the-rich" tirade has fallen on deaf ears. And what better example of such, than Alan Grayson who got CLOBBERED, during his re-election bid. I and my fellow Floridians have the distinct pleasure of throwing this fool OUT of office.

[Chris Matthews 1]

02:59 PM on 12/03/2010

Actually, the people want both sides working together to fix the mess our country is right now. The GOP has made it perfectly clear that they want to prevent that over the past two years. Anyone that voted for them is going to get exactly what they deserve: To get boned. Unfortunately, those of us that see through their b.s. are going to get boned as well.

[calplan]

11:19 AM on 12/02/2010

mc connell, Boehner, and Cantor are setting a path towards the destruction of this country. i am convinced that these are evil men who do not care about people; have zero compassion; are consumed by anger at having a non-white as president and are solely motivated by revenge. I do not understand why so many republican congresspeople and senators follow so blindly--people like Snowe and others I have respected over the years.