Reid: "Legislation is the Art of Compromise"
Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, who clung to his seat in Congress in Tuesday's election and will return to Washington as the Senate Majority Leader according to CBS News poll projections, told "The Early Show" Wednesday he has always played the role of "consensus builder," and looks forward to continuing that work.
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And he'll have his work cut out for him. Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives, and the presumed Majority leader in the House has already vowed to fight for a repeal of President Obama's hallmark health reform law.
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Reid told "The Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith bluntly that it was not a mistake to pass the law.
"The insurance industry was breaking America. We had no choice," he told Smith, claiming the law would save the American public $1.3 trillion dollars over the coming years.
Though the Democrats held their control of the Senate, Reid will have to rely more on his skills as a negotiator to fend off challenges emerging from the Republican House and his own, more evenly-divided chamber.
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"We don't need to be lectured on how to balance the budget, how to create jobs," Reid said on the economy.
When Smith pointed out the seemingly rising sentiments of the Tea Party, and suggested that the socially conservative, anti-spending movement seemed to be "the ones who are pulling the wagon," Reid shot the notion down.
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"They're not pulling it in Nevada," he said, boasting his own nail-biting victory over Tea Party darling Sharon Angle.
"I'm going to Washington again. We're going to finish this lame duck and then we're going to start a new Congress and work together to move this country along."
"I'm a consensus builder, that's what my reputation is, I'm going to continue to do that," he said, suggesting compromise was an art cherished more dearly in the Senate than the House - by design.
"The founding fathers set up two different programs. Our program is you've got to work together. We have rules that require that. I know Mitch McConnell, we've worked together for many, many years. I've worked with John Boehner. He and I are friends. And I see no reason in the world that we should not work together," he said of the new Republican leadership.
"This doesn't mean we have to capitulate on any of our strong beliefs, but legislation is the art of compromise, consensus building."
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. Harry Reid on Hard Fought Win
Harry Reid Wins: How He Did It
And he'll have his work cut out for him. Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives, and the presumed Majority leader in the House has already vowed to fight for a repeal of President Obama's hallmark health reform law.
What's Next for Obama and Congress?
Boehner Calls for "Smaller, Less Costly" Gov't
Boehner Claims Mandate to Nix Health Care Bill
John Dickerson: The Elephant in the Room
Keeping Score: Obama Support Yields Mixed Results
Reid told "The Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith bluntly that it was not a mistake to pass the law.
"The insurance industry was breaking America. We had no choice," he told Smith, claiming the law would save the American public $1.3 trillion dollars over the coming years.
Though the Democrats held their control of the Senate, Reid will have to rely more on his skills as a negotiator to fend off challenges emerging from the Republican House and his own, more evenly-divided chamber.
Election 2010: Winners and Losers
The New House Leaders
The New Senators on the Block
"We don't need to be lectured on how to balance the budget, how to create jobs," Reid said on the economy.
When Smith pointed out the seemingly rising sentiments of the Tea Party, and suggested that the socially conservative, anti-spending movement seemed to be "the ones who are pulling the wagon," Reid shot the notion down.
What's Next for the Tea Party?
"They're not pulling it in Nevada," he said, boasting his own nail-biting victory over Tea Party darling Sharon Angle.
"I'm going to Washington again. We're going to finish this lame duck and then we're going to start a new Congress and work together to move this country along."
"I'm a consensus builder, that's what my reputation is, I'm going to continue to do that," he said, suggesting compromise was an art cherished more dearly in the Senate than the House - by design.
"The founding fathers set up two different programs. Our program is you've got to work together. We have rules that require that. I know Mitch McConnell, we've worked together for many, many years. I've worked with John Boehner. He and I are friends. And I see no reason in the world that we should not work together," he said of the new Republican leadership.
"This doesn't mean we have to capitulate on any of our strong beliefs, but legislation is the art of compromise, consensus building."
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Hey harry, if you want compromise, you ought to move to North Korea or Venezuela. Here, americans have no use for compromise with the criminally insane Leftist goons.
One thing we won't comprise on is our freedom. This is a free country, free enterprize is a must. Socialism is for Europe, not the USA. Medicine is a business. It should be treated like one. Let the doctors, hospitals and all medical professional compete for business like all others. Prices will adjust when they have no one to cheat and fraud will dissappear when the doctors themselves are the ones being ripped off. No government in healthcare. Obama, you are still on your way out!! Your back door sleezy tactics are unaccecptable! GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE .. AND the people are not the illegal aliens invading our country!! Build the FENCE!!!
The People have spoken...
I have been a resident of Las Vegas since 1961. I was 7 yrs. old when my Republican family came to Vegas.
Las Vegas (NV) had always been a proud Republican state. I was a Republican most of my adult life, today Iam a proud Indepenent, who voted for Harry Reid.
Tea Party people are cut bait, with good intentions. Good intentions are no excuse to be so desperate as to give Palin and Angles a soap box to vent on, as they fill their bank accounts on the fear of the middle class backs. Why are so many of these wack jobs women? I am embarassed for all women when they speak...
Why did NV vote for Reid,even though he is a Democrat?
If you had lived in NV for the past 20-30 yrs., you could not miss what he has done for our state. Too much to list.
But a very big No #1 is without him, we would have a toxic dump site in our back-yards FOREVER!
You don't have to like the Democrats to have voted for Harry, just look at all the old die hard NV Republicans that gave it up for Harry, they are not stipid, they know the right hates him, BUT we love him because HE TRULY LOVES NV, and his actions show it.
Yes, many, many Republicans in NV said they would vote for Reid, because the GOP gave them nothing but Angles,and that was unacceptable.
Loretta J. Whitehead
i am glad that my district kept its newly elected dem congressman. my district had been republican until obama. at least some good of it has come my hometown/county.