Harry Reid On Debt Ceiling Talks: GOP Leaders 'Still Refuse To Negotiate In Good Faith' (VIDEO)

Speaking on the Senate floor early Saturday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dismissed a suggestion made just hours earlier by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that Democrats and Republicans were inching closer to striking a deal to raise the deficit limit.

"It's fair to say that the engagement there is not in any meaningful way," Reid said. "Republican leaders still refuse to negotiate in good faith."

Reid said the notion both sides are making progress toward reaching an agreement is "not true."

"The Republican Leader says he’s engaged," Reid said. "Fortunately, members of his caucus, at least as far as I'm concerned, are more engaged than he is. There are meaningful talks going on with some of his members with my senators."

Reid continued, "While the Republican leader is holding meaningless press conferences, his members are reaching out to me and other members, as I've just indicated. They're coming forward with thoughtful ideas to try to move the process forward. I welcome their ideas and ask all members to continue these discussions."

He suggested that delaying tactics being exercised by his Republican colleagues are preventing a measure from advancing in the upper congressional chamber to raise the debt ceiling. The Democratic leader spelled out the word f-i-l-i-b-u-s-t-e-r to make his case.

"You can put lipstick on it, a nice suit, even a skirt on it sometimes, it’s still a filibuster," Reid said in comments directed at McConnell. The Nevada Democrat suggested that it'd be "unconscionable" for Republicans to use the maneuver to prevent a bill from passing to avert default.

McConnell signaled he's more optimistic about the prospect lawmakers in Washington will reach an agreement while speaking on the Senate floor. He said, however, that "the only way that can be done" is through talks with President Barack Obama.

Below, video of Reid's remarks on the Senate floor. Click here for more on the latest developments to unfold in the debt ceiling debate.

WATCH:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Comments

[OlongapoEd]

01:54 PM on 08/02/2011

To paraphrase Shakespeare, Lord what go_ons these bagggers be!

[jghilty]

11:28 AM on 08/02/2011

FAIR AND BALANCED 100 SAID:

"Reid is right. The Republican­­s are holding our country hostage to try to pass bad selfish
plan that would hurt economy , rather than negotiate , like Obama & Reid have.
Raising the debt ceiling used to be a regular routine on a regular basis , until the Republican­­s decided to use it to hold USA hostage.Th­­is could start a nasty precedent on a regular basis & destabiliz­­e our economy."

Nonsense. Reid is pandering to his base that does not understand spending and its consequenc­es. Raising the debt ceiling constantly as a"regular routine" is exactly what got us into this trouble.

As we are finding out, in the real world, you cannot spend more money than you take in. As for us schlubs who can't print more money, (and devalue it at the same time by doing just that) and who do spend more than we take in, we have to file for bankruptcy­.

This spending frenzy must stop, and it took the Republican­s to finally put a foot down on it.
Daily Deficit spending- Bill Clinton...­about 500 million a day
George Bush...abo­ut 1.2 billion a day
*Barack Obama...ab­out 4.1 billion a day
* He has spent more than all other Presidents combined in 3 1/2 years

How can you have a "stable economy" when you are broke?

[smburwick]

07:40 PM on 08/01/2011

Honestly babe, no the moonbats have bought a story and line from the left media and that is really magical thinking.

[dragonlady620]

11:02 AM on 08/02/2011

Critical thinking appears to be a lost art. Your comment is a pretty good example.

[smburwick]

11:10 AM on 08/02/2011

dragon---that's your opinion, which isn't much either.

[henrypapillon]

02:49 AM on 08/01/2011

Well, Harry, this council of 12 BS isn't getting it, this is a corruption of the Constitution.

[Quitcherbichin]

11:30 PM on 07/31/2011

Harry Reid wouldn't know negotiating in good faith if it jumped up and bit him on the behind.

[devildog09]

10:57 PM on 07/31/2011

Harry has the audacity to make that statement? After months of doing nothing but criticize, his "deal" was higher taxes, more spending, and kick the can down the road for 2 years on the debt ceiling. Now that took a lot of careful thought and compromise.

[banp12]

10:23 PM on 07/31/2011

We needed healthcare reform, that wasn't it. Obamacare!!
Repeal- then put the good parts in, allow us to buy at a discount cost. Put a law that says the Insurance Companies can only apply a 1% of inflation to the cost a year. They must apply for a rate increase-like the utility companies have to do. Allow us to buy over the state line. And do legal reform on Malpractice-not stopping someone from suing.

[dragonlady620]

11:35 AM on 08/02/2011

If you repeal the bill instead of modifying it, do you really believe there will be another healthcare reform bill on the table in our lifetime?

[banp12]

02:18 PM on 08/02/2011

Yes, the only thing that was needed was to allow people with existing conditions to be able to apply for insurance at the rates that were reasonable. Help the 14 million people who do not have insurance. The left still wanted the taxpayers to pay for block of protenial voters for their party, the illegal aliens. That increased the cost for Medicaid to go up in all states. The states cannot pay for the lot of people the Democrats have in mind. Neither could the taxpayers within every state. No Doctor takes Medicaid patients to begin with. The nearest clinic for anyone to go to is over 45 to 50 miles from any rural area in this country.The Obamacare/Pelosi Healthcare plans fail. The cost of getting care doesn't go down, the cost has doubled with Doctors, hospital tests, With all the care, they have to give is not free, someone is paying for that freebies. In the Stimulas Bill they built into it a tax and fee to charge people who not have insurance. Which also raised the premium for people with insurance, when they walked into doors. There is more taxes and fees coming in 2013. Repeal and rewrite where changes are needed. We don't need a mouth piece on the end telling our doctor, what to do, what he can't do. Which brings us back to who lives, who dies, who gets the treatment recommended.

[banp12]

10:17 PM on 07/31/2011

What we should be doing is helping the people we work for and stop all the new taxes and the penalties that they will get if they don't carry out the first two years of Obama. Starting with Obamacare. If you think about it, Obamacare is causing Businesses the most trouble. They do not know what the bill (taxes are) to do. And what their Accountants are figuring out, they can't afford the taxes from the state or federal system. Leaves them only one choice in the matter- Close Shop!!

[BocaMom]

09:46 PM on 07/31/2011

It's time for Harry and Nancy to go! They're worthless.

[Carl Hoff]

08:24 PM on 07/31/2011

Harry Reid On Debt Ceiling Talks: GOP Leaders 'Still Refuse To Negotiate In Good Faith' . Hey Harry just because GOP refuse to negotiate in good faith doesn't mean they need to agree with you. This is why we have a variety in congress not a one way street! Harry spend head is going to lose big time this round.

[mrose001]

06:16 PM on 07/31/2011

Regardless of President Obama losing Twitter fans I'm happy he did what he did. American's are finally waking up and talking back. Every American that can, should Tweet, Face book, text, call, and write Washington politicians tell them, we are fed up, we are sick of your theatrics, we are sick of being economically raped, we are sick of your irresponsibility, we are sick of you cowering to Big Business pressure. Tax them and take the money and create NEW jobs, NEW industry with NEW companies that with start up loans will commit to keep jobs in the USA. Demand we end the wars and take care of our own borders while rebuilding our country that you our elected officials have all but completely destroyed. WE THE PEOPLE have the ONE thing you really want, OUR VOTES and you are not going to get them again! Come on 2012 it is time for a big change in Washington.

[mrose001]

05:52 PM on 07/31/2011

Total Cost of Wars Since 2001 $1,228,639,270,942.00 Total estimated cost for Foreign Aid since 2001 is: $2,353,500,000,000.00.... NOT paid for.

At the same time as we entered the wars the Republicans started with tax rebates for average American's, we do love to get money back and tend to love those who give it. Then came tax credits and breaks for Big Business. Tax loop holes and trade agreements which encouraged business to begin sending our jobs overseas. Farm subsidies came into play, ignorant grants for non-productive research. Most of this was buried in other Bills passed so Americans were unaware unless they were the recipients.

You can't cut revenue, and continue to spend without a way to pay for it. Going after SSI and Medicare paid for by American's the past 10 years is not, and should not be on the table. We can't keep borrowing to support the World when our country is crumbling, and starving. Congress do you the job you were hired by election to do, cut where it should be cut regardless of what kind of pressure big business puts on you. Lets bring our military home to guard our own borders, and help rebuild our own country.

[James Ezell]

05:03 PM on 07/31/2011

Ok, here's my torpedo of truth coming at you. Repub Dem makes no difference. All of you regardless of what party you came from were sent to Washington to work for the American people. So far what we have seen is plans from both sides of the aisle that didn't have a hope or a prayer of getting anywhere. How much time and money have you people wasted just to strut? Do the job and work together or get out. Lets get rid of the party politics that creates this garbage. Time to fire all of them and hire people who want to work for us.

[DigESource]

11:17 PM on 07/31/2011

Sounds like a great plan. The only problem is the hiring process is controlled by those with money, and the supreme Court just wiped out The American People's ability to fight Corporate Support of Campaigns. We are Effn doomed if we don't get something done in this administration.

[TYRANNASAURUS]

04:28 PM on 07/31/2011

Reid: GOP Leaders 'Still Refuse To Negotiate In Good Faith'.....DUH??????????

Because they're faith based doesn't mean they believe or negotiate with it.

[devildog09]

11:02 PM on 07/31/2011

Being a person of faith does not mean having to agree to irresponsible fiscal policy. And, if you read actual news (instead of political commentary) you will see that the GOP came back to the table repeatedly, while Obama kept changing demands that were already agreed.

[DigESource]

11:31 PM on 07/31/2011

What did the GOP bring to the table?

1) No taxes for the super rich

2) Cuts of SS, Disability, and other benefits

What were the changed demands of the President?

Only one: NO on the above two!

Obama tried to compromise by giving a little at first to what the GOP wanted, but the GOP did not want to give back from the other side, so Obama firmed up and said, FINE then no deal on our end either.

This is the Republican's doing sir. This whole entire greedy mess!

[banp12]

03:35 PM on 07/31/2011

Guest what Folks, if the business you work for today, finally figures out they can't afford to pay their debts on what they owe. They also can't pay the fees on their leases on their offices or warehouse space is going up. And they can't move anywhere. You will lose your job anyway. Eventually, no one will be able to get a Unemployment check if all taxes from federal to state to local all come down. Since inflation has been built into the higher prices on food and gas. Even that is going to higher not for the demand, just the cost of making it or producing it.
We all will be facing job loss or our job hours being cut back so far it doesn't help pay our bills and there are no second jobs to get to make the difference. What is your solution, and the democrats on this? Spend more, invent more programs, which will require us to eventually to hand over every thing in our wallets.