The Majority Lament

The Democrats' get-out-of-town rally Friday was as much about Republican trouble-making as Democratic legislating during their first six months in power.

At the outset, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) declared the assembled brass would discuss what the fledgling majority could and could not accomplish by the Fourth of July, pointing plenty of fingers at minority Republicans for blocking consideration of multiple measures throughout the year.

The Nevada Democrat also issued an explicit threat to Republican leaders in the Senate who have blocked consideration of legislation updating lobbying rules and implementing the remaining recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, threatening to keep members in Washington during the August recess if they fail to complete work on both bills.

"We're going to complete these two pieces of legislation," Reid told a large group of reporters Friday morning. "The Culture of Corruption was here, and it appears Republicans don't want it to go away."