Harry Reid to GOP Senators: ''Quit Whining and Get to Work, Start Working As Most Americans Do

[Tx4obama]

Run time: 03:09 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMErGxU6zFg   Posted on YouTube: December 15, 2010 By YouTube Member: SenateDemocrats Views on YouTube: 325   Posted on DU: December 16, 2010 By DU Member: Tx4obama Views on DU: 1071

 
Senator Reid:

In just a few minutes we're going to proceed to the START treaty. I'm told the Republicans are going to make us read the entire treaty in an effort to stall us from passing it. Isn't that wonderful? That piece of -- that treaty has been here since April or May

{14:10:49} (Mr. Reid) { not an official transcript } of this year. Plenty of time to read it. These are additional days of wasted time we could be using to pass legislation to get home for the holidays. Yet some of my Republican colleagues have the nerve to whine about having to stay and actually do the work of the American people. We make large salaries, madam president. We could work as most Americans do during the holidays. Perhaps Senators Kyl and DeMint have been in

{14:11:22} (Mr. Reid) { not an official transcript } Washington too long because in my state, Nevadans employed in casinos and hotels and throughout the state of Nevada and on ranches, basically every place have to work hard on holidays, including Christmas, to support their families. The mines don't shut down in Nevada on Christmas. People work. They get paid double time a lot of times when they have good contracts, but they work on Christmas holidays. Most people don't get two weeks off on any time, let alone Christmas week. And these

{14:11:54} (Mr. Reid { not an official transcript } people who are lucky enough to have a job in these trying times need to work extra hours to make ends meet. So it's offensive to me and millions of working Americans across this country for any senator to suggest that working through the Christmas holidays is somehow sacrilegious. They decide to work with us, we can all have a

{14:12:30} (Mr. Reid) { not an official transcript } happy holiday. If they don't, we're going to continue until we finish the people's business. Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to calendar number 7, the START treaty. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Note: Text of unofficial transcript copy & pasted from on the internet, it's pretty close.

[AlbertCat]

1. Will anyone see this on the news?

Will they see Kyle's and Demint's "sanctimonious lecture" on the meaning of Christmas?

Let's see.

Notice the Chamber seems empty. Did they sneak home during this speech?

[Tx4obama]

2. The chamber 'always' seems empty while senators are talking

they need a rule change that makes them all sit in there to hear everything ;)

In the 'old' days before senators had offices, all the senators had were the desks in the senate chamber and they were in there all day listening to the other senators speaking while they were doing their work at their desks. I think the 'old' days were probably better than the 'new' days ;)

[ProgressOnTheMove]

3. WTG Harry !

[MrModerate]

4. I'm glad he said it, but holy moly, he's a terrible speaker! n/t

[lumpy]

6. His fire in the belly needs stoking. However he means what he

says. With reasonable patriotic congressmen his words would make a difference, but people like Kyle, DeMint have little respect for integrity, let alone respect for the Amrican people.

[MrModerate]

7. Sadly, I think it's just his personal style, which isn't very compelling or "leaderly" . . .

He must be more impressive face-to-face in smaller groups, or he could never have taken over the leadership.

[travelingtypist]

5. Give 'em hell, Harry.

Good start, naming names.

[BuelahWitch]

8. If they don't want to work Xmas, let them find another job!

Rotten bastards, lots of people work on the holidays. People who need to, like hospital staff, and those who don't like the people in the CVS next door to me. Suck it up Republicans!