Question by ANNIE: What about Reid Compares Opponents of Health Care Reform to Supporters of Slavery is he playing the race card?
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took his GOP-blasting rhetoric to a new level Monday, comparing Republicans who oppose health care reform to lawmakers who clung to the institution of slavery more than a century ago.
The Nevada Democrat, in a sweeping set of accusations on the Senate floor, also compared health care foes to those who opposed women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement — even though it was Sen. Strom Thurmond, then a Democrat, who unsuccessfully tried to filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and it was Republicans who led the charge against slavery.
Senate Republicans on Monday called Reid’s comments “offensive” and “unbelievable.”
But Reid argued that Republicans are using the same stalling tactics employed in the pre-Civil War era.
“Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all the Republicans can come up with is, ‘slow down, stop everything, let’s start over.’ If you think you’ve heard these same excuses before, you’re right,” Reid said Monday. “When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said ‘slow down, it’s too early, things aren’t bad enough.'”
He continued: “When women spoke up for the right to speak up, they wanted to vote, some insisted they simply, slow down, there will be a better day to do that, today isn’t quite right.
“When this body was on the verge of guaranteeing equal civil rights to everyone regardless of the color of their skin, some senators resorted to the same filibuster threats that we hear today.”
That seemed to be a reference to Thurmond’s famous 1957 filibuster — the late senator switched parties several years later.
Reid’s office stood by the remarks, with spokesman Jim Manley saying Republicans have “done nothing but obstruct health care” in the Senate.
“Today’s feigned outrage is nothing but a ploy to distract from the fact they have no plan to lower the cost of health care, stop insurance company abuses or protect Medicare,” Manley said.
But Republicans said they were genuinely appalled. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Reid’s remarks were over the top.
“That is extremely offensive,” he told Fox News. “It’s language that should never be used, never be used. … Those days are not here now.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who on the Senate floor read from this FoxNews.com article and asked that it be placed in the record, called on Reid to return to the floor and, if not apologize, at least explain what he meant.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., suggested Reid was starting to “crack” under the pressure of the health care reform debate.
“I think it’s beneath the dignity of the majority leader,” Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said. “I personally am insulted
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/07/reid-compares-health-care-reform-foes-slavery-supporters/
Best answer:
Answer by Reality has a Liberal Bias
No, he’s not. He’s saying that Conservatives are once again on the wrong side of history, just like when they opposed abolish slavery and give women the right to vote, and that their stalling now is similar to those periods in history.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
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The truth is that these grand democrat plans will reintroduce slavery to the United States.
He has the right argument, but wrong issue. I think someday the abortion issue will be seen in the same way as we see the slavery issue now. People thought blacks were not human either. In the 3/5 Compromise, they were counted as 3/5 of a person. The Pro-Life cause will be seen in the same way to the Abolitionist movement. People often ask, how could good people have supported slavery? They will ask someday, how could good people have supported abortion?
He’s just being a democrat.
Those insulted should spend more time solving a problem than whining about their supposed hurt feelings. People need health insurance, jobs,credit relief, mortgage help and all these wealthy characters care about is their next campaign booster.
Reality has a liberal bias obviously knows nothing about history.
The Republican party was opposed to slavery from the very beginning It was founded on those principles.
The Republicans supported the civil rights act by a far larger margin then the Democrats.
and, forcing people to count on a large powerful entity such as our government for even basic needs such as healthcare is slavery by definition.
Each side of this is accusing the other of being hitler. This seems to be the way people react in congress when they run out of pertinent things to say. Its like about a year after 9-11, if a politician ran out of pertinent things to say, they would shout,”9-11!” or “Support our troops!” and imply the opposition was a suicide bomber or wanted to see the muslim insurgents win.
Heathcare reform is going nowhere.I believe the Senators have like 56 in approval right this minute but I don’t think we’ll see the conservative/moderate Dems give up their Senate seats for this legislation.