Senators Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, and Chuck Schumer just gave an sharp press conference where they hammered Republicans for being intransigent and irresponsible obstructionists. I saw this in on MSNBC just minutes ago, and give you this account from live-blogging and memory.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the Republicans need to face facts.
That the Senate bill offers $2.5 trillion in cuts. He also says the CBO scoring has essentially verified but may require some tweaking that can easily be done. An underbar reported that the Reid bill was scored at $2.2 trillion
'The bottom line is this. There is only one bill available which is a compromise.' says Reid.
Senator Dick Durbin followed with a sharp criticism of the Boehner plan and says the Senate has a responsible bill available and asks the Republicans to put the interests of the country ahead of Grover Norquist
SenatorChuck Schumer says the GOP plan is on life support.
The Boehner bill was scored by the CBO at only $850 billion so it was pulled.
Earlier Barbara Boxer angrily suggested that if the Boehner bill is the best the GOP can do President Obama should use the 14th Amendment.
And, earlier Senator Barbara Milkulski (D-MD) called the GOP plan cruel, and dangerous.
It sounds like the Democrats have decided to take the gloves off.
Good, it's about time.
Zenbassoon just added the best line from Senator Chuck Schumer see updates.
I invite everyone to use this diary as a live blog and open thread on this battle between the Republicans and Democrats.
I hope Democratic leaders keep coming to the cameras and hitting back at these Republican extremists. I feel better already, even though nothing of substance has changed.
But, I can't find the words to say how depressing it has been to see the negativist GOP to take the media advantage of the last days. Those of you who find it easy to call our Democratic leaders should tell them to keep ramping this up and call out these skunks for what they are.
At this point, I don't even think it matters what we say. As long as we see Democrats showing the fire in the belly to fight back, with anger and indignation that these simple minded weasel thug Republicans would jeapardize our nation, our economy, and terrify our elderly and disabled Social Security recipients.
Senator Schumer did the exact right thing to highlight that the GOP is holding up the criminal thugs from The Town movie who want to 'hurt somebody' as their role models.
Go Team Democrats.
9:24 AM PT: Zenbassoon caught the best line of the show from Chuck Schumer.
And then Schumer laid into the GOP for (5+ / 0-) showing that clip.
He said "then they showed a clip from a cops and robbers movie where one of the robbers gives a pep talk right before they put on hockey masks and start shooting people. The line was 'people are going to get hurt'. Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS is your Republican caucus".
9:34 AM PT: Barbara Morrill has a post with a video clip of the The Town which Schumer was referring to.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
9:37 AM PT: Senator Barbara Milkulski (D-MD) is on MSNBC giving the GOP hell. Saying we have to stop acting as Republicans and Democrats and start acting as Americans.
10:15 AM PT: Representative James Clyburn (D-SC)Jamej is saying on Andrea Mitchell that if the Republicans do not present the our President with a bill that truly solves our nations problems that he should invoke the 14th Amendment.
This is great. Andrea seems to be asking every guest about the 14 Amendment. I think this would be the the best option if we could convince the President, that at this point the fine point of the final argument before the SCOTUS is not as important as showing the American people we are have the fighting spirit and courage to stand up to these dang skunk Republicans.
Like Samual Jacksons, enough is enough speech in Snakes on a Plane.
10:38 AM PT: The Huffington Post is reporting the James Clyburn call for the President to use the 14th Amenement
House Democratic Leaders To Obama: Use The 14th Amendment
WASHINGTON -- House Democratic leaders emerged from a Wednesday Caucus meeting with a message for President Barack Obama: Invoke the Constitution to resolve the debt standoff.
If Congress can't reach a deal on a long-term debt limit increase by August 2, Obama should "sign an executive order invoking the 14th Amendment," said Assistant Minority Leader James Cyburn (D-S.C.).
"I am convinced that whatever discussions about the legality of that can continue," Clyburn said. "But I believe that something like this will bring calm to the American people and will bring needed stability to our financial markets."
House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) acknowledged that Obama has previously expressed doubts about his legal authority to unilaterally raise the debt limit. But circumstances have changed, Larson said, and "we just want to let him know that his Caucus is prepared to stand behind him" if Congress fails to pass a long-term deal.
"We have to have a fail-safe mechanism," Larson said. "We believe that fail-safe mechanism is the 14th Amendment and the president of the United States."
Section 4 of the 14th Amendment states: “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payments of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.”
11:42 AM PT: Here's a link to a diary I did a few days ago on Robbert Kuttner's advice that President Obama reconsider using the 14th Amendment.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
12:08 PM PT: Poll added with extra pie