Tom Harkin: House Republicans Have Morphed Into 'A Cult'

WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats attacked the "Cut, Cap and Balance" measure on Wednesday, calling the House-passed bill "devoid of substance" and "dead on arrival" in the Senate, where it will receive a vote later this week.

Senate Democrats contended the bill is evidence that Republicans, especially those in the House, are intent on changing Medicare and preserving tax breaks for the wealthy.

"The sad thing is America no longer has a two-party system," Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said at a press conference Wednesday. "One of our two parties has morphed into kind of a cult driven by a singular fixation and obsession: preserving tax breaks for the wealthy at all costs."

Harkin, along with fellow Democrats Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), rebuked the House GOP for voting Tuesday to approve the Cut, Cap and Balance bill, a Tea Party-backed plan that includes major spending cuts, capping spending at 18 percent of GDP and a commitment to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment.

"Once again the radical right is more worried about protecting their next election than protecting the greatest generation or the next generation," Mikulski said at a press conference. "What a sham, what a scam. I'd be tempted to blow it off if it weren't so cruel, stupid and dangerous."

The Senate will vote on the bill within the next few days, with Democrats planning to vote it down. Schumer called the bill "dead on arrival" in the Senate, and President Barack Obama issued a veto threat earlier this week.

There's no whip count for Republicans yet, but a senior GOP aide brushed off the criticisms from Democrats.

"23 Senate Dems are on record in favor of a balanced budget amendment, so yes, it's a little surprising to see them attacking it," the aide said in an email. "Particularly when they haven’t even produced a budget."

Senate Democrats said the bill was wasting valuable time that would be better used to come to an agreement on the debt ceiling, which the Treasury Department estimates must be raised by Aug. 2 to prevent the government from beginning to default on its loans.

Harkin said the same wing of the Republican party that opposes raising the debt ceiling also voted for the Cut, Cap and Balance bill.

"The fight is not between Democrats and Republicans, it's Republicans and their cult fringe, as I refer to them out there," Harkin said. "You'll find all sorts of Republicans who are willing to let this country go down the tubes on their ideological deal."

Clarification: This article has been updated to reflect the exact spending cap level as a percent of Gross Domestic Product.

Comments

[Shaktas Na]

01:21 AM on 07/26/2011

Both parties serve only one entity: themselves. they do not care about the people they are supposed to serve.

Look at Feinstein:
On the day the new Congress convened this year, Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation to route $25 billion in taxpayer money to a government agency that had just awarded her husband’s real estate firm a lucrative contract to sell foreclosed properties at compensation rates higher than the industry norms.

Mrs. Feinstein’s intervention on behalf of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was unusual: the California Democrat isn’t a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs with jurisdiction over FDIC; and the agency is supposed to operate from money it raises from bank-paid insurance payments - not direct federal dollars.

Documents reviewed by The Washington Times show Mrs. Feinstein first offered Oct. 30 to help the FDIC secure money for its effort to stem the rise of home foreclosures. Her letter was sent just days before the agency determined that CB Richard Ellis Group (CBRE) - the commercial real estate firm that her husband Richard Blum heads as board chairman - had won the competitive bidding for a contract to sell foreclosed properties that FDIC had inherited from failed banks.

full article here: http://dailybail.com/home/senators-husbands-firm-cashes-in-on-crisis.html

[ShaggyAtl]

04:58 AM on 07/22/2011

In case anyone forgot about our past and what a sham all this is:
"We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled governments in the civilised world - no longer a government of free opinion, no longer a government by... a vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.

Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organised, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it."
President Woodrow Wilson

[speckitis]

09:25 PM on 07/21/2011

The GOP protects the wealthy at the peril of the wealthy. The ironic thing is that I get the feeling that the bulk of the wealthy are more than willing to pay their fair share.

[PresidentDecider]

12:33 PM on 07/21/2011

When the Republican law makers (i.e., "The cult") put enough people on the street, poor, starving, without a home, and willing to do anything for survival (including killing and stealing from the wealthy), then and only then will they realize the error in their ideological ways.

The unfortunate thing is once we get to the point of true lawlessness, it will be too late.

[Eileenla]

12:33 PM on 07/21/2011

The very definition of a cult is a group that breaks from reality in favor of a collective platform of beliefs. Thus the extreme right wing of the Republican party qualifies.

[hgoodguy]

12:23 PM on 07/21/2011

Their starting to look and act like a cult--Happy faces-Glazed eyes-Lock step----Following their leader!!

[JDZSB]

11:47 AM on 07/21/2011

There were 6 Democrats that also voted for the CCB legislation that was passed in the House along with the Republicans. So, are these Dems also a part of this so-called "cult" that these Democrats claim exists in the House. To me, what I see happening is encouraging in that, for the first time I can recall, we have a large number of elected representatives of both parties that are rising above self serving politics and working together as they try to do the right things to begin repairing our country's financial situation. To call them "kooks" or a "cult" is unproductive and disrespectful of those in this group who are willing to take on the "establishment" in Washington who are responsible for this mess. More power to them!

[AnimalLover6]

03:43 PM on 07/21/2011

Are you out of your mind? The Republicans are responsible for "this mess"--the fallout of 8 years of Bush--have refused ANY compromise whatsoever, and are demanding that only the poor and the middle class make sacrifices, protecting their corporate owners at all costs. They ARE a cult, full of theocrats and corporate lackeys, all of whom have abandoned this nation. And you want to talk "disrespectful"??? The Republicans in Congress have NO respect for our President whatsoever. What kind of congressman publicly declares that a U.S. President will "cave"???

[Schalaine]

09:31 PM on 07/21/2011

6 Democrats voting for this idiotic bill does not equate to a large number of elected officials..... Enjoy your bagger house members. They have less than 18 months in office. They will be going home, Nov. 2012. We don't have any desire to have cult members in our government. Let them form a commune somewhere over the rainbow....just get the hell out of Washington.

[chance1946]

10:36 AM on 07/21/2011

JOBLESS JUMPS AGAIN, RISES TO 418,000...
15TH STRAIGHT WEEK OVER 400K...
How is Obama going to create 350,000 jobs a month when he is losing jobs?

By By Obama

[Eileenla]

12:37 PM on 07/21/2011

Obama's job is not to create that job belongs to congress, and to the elected members who ran on the "jobs, jobs, jobs" platform in 2010 but have yet to submit a single jobs bill. They're too busy eliminating abortion rights, attacking gay marriage, undermining the EPA and the Consumer Protection Agency and refusing to compromise on budget cuts and tax increases in any meaningful way to focus on jobs.

When the Executive Branch is actually permitted to write law and not just sign it into being, your comment may hold some weight. Until then, put your attention on the real failed lawmakers in the House and Senate.

[Angie Tyne 1]

04:24 PM on 07/21/2011

Facts

- US/DOL
http://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet
Unemployment spiked higher in Reagan's first two years. It was over 10% for almost a year. He wasn't dealing w/a massive market crash.

[nypapajoe]

09:26 AM on 07/21/2011

Money has bought out these representatives who are rabid defenders of the wealthy conservative elite! Americans should be alarmed and very concerned about what's in store in the event these politicians succeed in privatizing everything and eliminating all Social programs for the children, elderly and sick!

[TexianLife]

09:23 AM on 07/21/2011

I referred to the current GOP/teabags as a a Cult long before Sen Harkin said it. LOL.

The GOP allowed the teabagger cult to take over their party. They only serve the very rich in this country. They are un-american & un-patriotic.

[chance1946]

10:42 AM on 07/21/2011

Texian

It's simple the tea Party wants the budget balance. Is it so hard for you to understand. I will bet I am older than you, so you are going to give me more money so that you will not have it when you retire?
If you are that generous, thank you, but I am not that greedy.

[cowboymiketex]

02:00 PM on 07/21/2011

well, then I am sure you will have no problem giving up your social security when you retire

[Angie Tyne 1]

04:25 PM on 07/21/2011

Facts

- Deficits
From US govt spending.com
http://tinyurl.com/42n2pcl

[Eileenla]

12:41 PM on 07/21/2011

By courting the religious right, Republicans announced they were open to cult members. They attracted what they courted, and now don't seem to know how all the riff raff wound up on their dance floor! Dueling banjos doesn't sound o good to them now...

[benshere8]

08:31 AM on 07/21/2011

THE HYPOCRISY OF THE REPUBLICANS IS DESPICABLE--WHERE WERE THESE FISCAL OXYMORONS DURING THE EIGHT YEARS BUSH AND THE GOP CREATED 90% OF THIS DEBT AND OBLIGATIONS TO WARS,CONSEQUENCES OF NO CHECKS AND BALANCES TO THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE ECONOMY. GOOGLE COST OF IRAQ WAR (WASHINGTON POST)ALONE--OVER 3 TRILLION AND COUNTING,DRUG S TO MEDICARE,AND ABOVE ALL THE LIES ABOUT WMD'S AND PROTECTING THE RICH AND SPECIAL INTEREST FROM PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE CORRUPTION AND INCOMPETENCE THEY CARRIED OUT FOR EIGHT YEARS. WHAT A SHAME!!! NOW THEY ARE THE FISCAL HAWKS--BS!!!

[chance1946]

10:43 AM on 07/21/2011

Get over Bush, Obama is spending more money than Bush.

When you talk about Bush you have lost the argument. I thought obama was about the future.

[elfinator]

03:20 PM on 07/21/2011

That's part of the problem.....we can't get over Bush as the damage that he did to this country is so far reaching we are still paying for it, and will be for years to come.

You can't have an intelligent conversaton about the state of this country today without recognizing the Bush "legacy." Really tired of all the right wingers running away from that discussion. He was your president, own it!

[Jake Dogg]

03:49 PM on 07/21/2011

Obama is spending more than bush? Please give me a link to your "source".

[Elyriaohio]

07:43 AM on 07/21/2011

We cannot change GOP/Tea party beliefs by argument. It takes action and results, which we sadly lack after 2 years. It's nice that we have a grocery list of nutty ideas presented by the GOP, but that does nothing for us as a Country.

[chance1946]

10:44 AM on 07/21/2011

The tea party doe not want to spend you childrens money.

[Elyriaohio]

08:08 AM on 07/22/2011

Too late. The GOP raised the debt ceiling (7?) times during Dubya's terms & hid the cost of the wars. Now they want to pay the tab on the backs of the middle-class? Hopefully you agree the tab should be spread equally, and JOBS should be a priority of both houses.

[European1919]

07:40 AM on 07/21/2011

America has always been a good one for cults: KKK, Scientologists, Mormons, Manson Family, GOP, Creationists ... so many nutcases out on the big farm LOL

[evilchihuahua]

08:48 AM on 07/21/2011

IMO, if Jim Jones were still alive, one (or more) of the
current crop of Repub "candidates" would be under his tutelage.

[class of 66]

09:43 AM on 07/21/2011

thus the famed "kool-aid" reference.

[chance1946]

10:45 AM on 07/21/2011

euroopean,


Europeans and democrats are addicted to spending other peoples money.

[European1919]

12:59 AM on 07/22/2011

Not really. We just have a different view of the government's job description. It takes taxes from us and for that it is obliged to render "services" such as taking care of our security (military, police), making sure everyone has access to quality education and health, people are protected in case of unemployment and a guaranteed minimum pension. So in the end we are buying stuff from the government. It is our money which we give to the government. This government revenue is meant to be spent on services to our advantage. Governments misspending will face consequences at the next elections. It is a way of collective bargaining, because it would not make sense to pay a policeman privately to come down my street at least once a day or to equip a soldier and train him just in case the Americans invade my country. Equally q wholesale health system supported by all and available to all is a better system because it spreads costs and makes quality medical care affordable and available to all. Education is a no-brainer (lol - especially in the US) and the PISA study shows the USA to usually be behind most European countries - who admittedly come behind China ... which has an even more "socialist" system LOL

[Electriq]

07:39 AM on 07/21/2011

As with any cult, the only people benefiting are the leaders. Of course, they know the whole thing is a sham perpetrated for their financial benefit.

[et q]

07:32 AM on 07/21/2011

When your constituents are a bunch of bi gots, serving them would make you look like a cult

[Blufftonian]

07:37 AM on 07/21/2011

I wasn't going to say anything about her big gut, but when she can't button a button perhaps it's time to lay off the cheesecake.

[et q]

07:41 AM on 07/21/2011

who?What did Meg Whitman ever do to you?

[chance1946]

10:47 AM on 07/21/2011

When any one wants your check book , you know you have a problem.