Senator Harry Reid for President !

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid was courageous and tough in marshalling Senate forces to stop the Frist-led Republican power grab for one-party rule. Reid exemplified the vision and diligence of our country's forefathers in quashing this bid to undo the delicate system of checks & balances of US democracy.

That's what leadership is supposed to be. Harry Reid for President!
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From Senator Harry Reid today....

Last night, the Senate was on the brink of crisis. The Senate Republican Leadership planned to change the checks and balances of our government that ensure no one party has absolute control. Known as the “nuclear option” because of the damage it would have done to the United States Senate and our system of government, the Republican leadership wanted to change the rules when it comes to the right to filibuster in some cases. I worked for months with the Republican Leader to find a compromise and avert this crisis, but Sen. Frist was not interested in compromise or consensus. Late last night, a group of bipartisan Senators reached an agreement that will protect the right to filibuster and let some of the judges that have been blocked pass the Senate.

There is good news for every American in this agreement. The so-called “nuclear option” is off the table. This is a significant victory for our country, for democracy, and for all Americans. Checks and balances in our government have been preserved.

Abuse of power will not be tolerated, and attempts to trample the Constitution and grab absolute control are over. We are a separate and equal branch of government. That is our founding fathers’ vision, and one we hold dear.

I offered Senator Frist several options similar to this compromise, and while he was not able to agree, I am pleased that some responsible Republicans and my colleagues were able to put aside their differences and work from the center. I do not support several of the judges that have been agreed to because their views and records display judicial activism that jeopardize individual rights and freedoms. But, most importantly, the U.S. Senate retains the checks and balances to ensure all voices are heard in our democracy.

I am grateful to my colleagues who worked so hard to achieve this agreement. I am hopeful that we can quickly turn to work on the people’s business. We need to ensure our troops have the resources they need to fight in Iraq and that Americans are free from terrorism. We need to protect retiree’s pensions and long-term retirement security.

We need to expand health care opportunities for all families. We need to address rising gasoline prices and energy independence. And we need to restore fiscal responsibility and rebuild our economy so that it lifts up all American workers. That is our reform agenda, the people’s reform agenda.

Together, we can get the job done.