May 24, 2005

House and Senate Democrats Stand United Against Republican Abuse of Power

Washington, DC – Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, joined by Senate and House Democratic Leadership, made the following remarks today.

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

We are here today not to declare victory for Democrats but to declare victory for our Constitution and our country.

This week threatened to be one that would undermine our democratic traditions. But instead of demonstrating how fragile our basic rules are, it ended up showing the depth of Americans' commitment to liberty and limited government.

Our Republic stands strong. Our Constitution is solid. Our flag flies over a nation that has reaffirmed its faith in freedom.

When blind justice – whose statue guards our Supreme Court – weighs our efforts today, she can know that the defenders of the Constitution have won out over those who would corrupt our American values to advance their own extreme ends.

As we said from the very beginning of this struggle, our fight wasn’t over some obscure rules of the Senate or even about extreme judges. It was a fight for Americans’ basic rights and against the Republicans' abuse of power.

And that fight doesn’t end today. It is only beginning.

I hope that George Bush, Dick Cheney, and the Washington Republican leaders stop to learn some lessons from the American people’s rejection of their extreme tactics.

Americans have said “no” to Republicans limiting our freedoms. They want more freedom: freedom from the fear of terrorist attack. Freedom from the threat of runaway health care costs. Freedom from the burden of a back-breaking national debt.

Americans have said “no” to Republicans silencing our voices. They want leaders who will listen the voices of all our people – even when they disagree with the Republican party line.

And, most of all, the American people have said “no” to the abuse of power. They want leaders who will use their power to help everyday families.

The Washington Republicans have wasted months by trying to pay off the far right instead of doing what’s right.

They are on a quest for absolute power…and we all know what that brings. Their corruption and abuse of power has been laid bare for all Americans to see.

Americans have seen George Bush try to break down the separation of powers and overturn our checks and balances so that he and his far right allies could have all the say and the power over our country and our courts.

Americans have seen House Leader Tom Delay use his position to advance his own extreme agenda and feather his own nest.

Americans have seen the Republican-controlled Congress spend weeks doing the bidding of a powerful few instead of looking out for the many hard working Americans who deserve a voice.

Rebuilding our economy. Strengthening our national defense. Providing families with affordable health care. Making America energy independent. Securing our retirement. All this and more has been put on hold while Republican leaders bow down to the far right's extreme agenda. I hope that now we can finally turn to the people's business.

There have been too many precious days wasted for any sense of triumph. But there have been heroes.

I want to say a special word of thanks to the Senators – Democrats and Republicans alike – who had the courage to stand up to the political strong arm tactics of George Bush, Dick Cheney, Bill Frist, and Tom Delay.

When the waves of outside pressure groups crashed against the marble walls of our Capitol, they stood their ground.

Fifty years ago, John Kennedy wrote the book "Profiles in Courage" about Senators who did what was right even when it wasn't easy. Today, that book has some new chapters.

As an old man, shortly before he died, James Madison – the Father of our Constitution – warned that "In Republics, the great danger is that the majority may not sufficiently respect the rights of the minority."

Today, we have won an important victory for the idea that here in America all the people rule. That all our people count. That all the people have a say – not just George Bush's cronies.

And because of this, Mr. Madison is smiling.

In the months to come, men and women of goodwill can and will disagree about the merits of a particular policy and judge, but I hope that today we can say together that never again should our constitutional principles be put at risk for one party's thirst for power.

The nuclear option could have been another long, sad stride down an ever more slippery slope toward partisan crossfire and a loss of our liberties.

Instead, I hope its defeat can mark the moment we turned around and began to climb up the hill towards common politics of national purpose and a rebuilding of America's promise.

That journey is our cause – and reaching the top of that hill will mark our real victory.

Thank you.

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