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Harry Reid: 'I Had Nothing To Do' With Unemployment, Foreclosures
Republicans are hammering Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for comments he made to ABC News saying he bears no responsibility for Nevada's current economic crisis.
"You know that I had nothing to do with the massive foreclosures here. You know that I had nothing to do with these unemployment figures," Reid told ABC's Jonathan Karl in an interview that airs on the network Tuesday. "In fact, I've worked hard to change them. My job is to create jobs. My opponent says that is not her job to create jobs. And I think that is really wrong. I think it is my job to create jobs and I've done my best. Is there more that needs to take place? Of course, there is."
Reid added that he understands the pain that Nevadans are going through, but said he and his fellow Democrats have only helped Nevada grow over the past two decades.
"We have, as you know, the president has created, with Congress, three and a half million jobs. We have, because of what took place in the Bush years, lost eight million. So we have a long ways to go. But I think it would take a real stretch to think that I caused the problems with the economy."
Republicans pounced on Reid's comments moments after they were made public Tuesday afternoon.
"If he's going to brag about how 'no one can do more,' then Harry Reid should be judged on his record as Senate Majority Leader and he should be fired for incompetence as his state leads the nation in unemployment," said Brian Walsh, communications director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "Clearly, Harry Reid has spent so much time at his Ritz-Carlton home in Washington that he appears literally incapable of being honest with the voters of Nevada."
Reid will face GOP nominee Sharron Angle in November, a Tea Party favorite who has alarmed some inside-the-beltway Republicans with several comments in the press, including her proposal to phase out Social Security and Medicare and a suggestion that Congress could reined in with "Second Amendment remedies."
Reid told ABC that Angle is "extreme" and offered a sort of warning for Nevada voters. "If you have a baseball game and you decide you want to substitute, you better make sure that substitute is better than the guy you're taking out," Reid said.
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It is rather comical for Harry Reid to say he had nothing to do with the problems of today. He is the Majority Leader! That would be like Nick Saban saying he had nothing to do with an ALABAMA loss, certainly Reid has responsibility for some of the problems as well as Pelosi. Congress has been an pitiful excuse for representation of the people, they only spend their time filling their personal coffers. We must do something about that in November.
September 10 2010 at 11:16 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyApparently, Reid isn't responsible for anything. So why is he majority leader...it's easy to understand why we are in the state we are in...
September 09 2010 at 11:43 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down ReplyReid is counting on you forgetting that he and fellow democrats pushed the bad Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac loans that kicked off the whole mess.
September 07 2010 at 8:32 PM Report abuse Permalink +35 rate up rate down ReplyReid, Dodd, Frank and Geitner are the biggest examples of why our economy is in the toilet. Add Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to that list too.....
September 07 2010 at 7:54 PM Report abuse Permalink +38 rate up rate down ReplyHarry - did you support Freddie and Fannie bad loans? Did you step in to stop Barney Frank from pushing these bad loans on unqualified buyers? Sounds to me like you DID play a big part in foreclosures.
September 07 2010 at 6:45 PM Report abuse Permalink +53 rate up rate down ReplyIt was wallstreet that did the bad loans. All politicians turn a blind eye to them, the results is this mess. The blame game doesn't change a thing. It won't be the 20% on the left or the 20% on the right but the 60% down the middle that will claim our independence back. We The People are diversified and hold dignity and honor as a creditable value. None of the bought politicians possess that quality. It doesn't matter what party starts to go down first both will be held accountable in the end.
September 08 2010 at 8:27 AM Report abuse Permalink -5 rate up rate down ReplyYou can see that Reed has been ariond Washington to long. He does not even know what is going on in his so called Home State. If you believe him then you deserve what you will get from him, Nothing. Geelast year he did not care about you Nevadians. Didn't he shove the Obama care down your throats. He did not care that 80% of you did not want this Insurance Crap. If he gets relected then I feel sorry for you. Unemployment will go sky High in your state. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR DECISION.
September 07 2010 at 6:02 PM Report abuse Permalink +39 rate up rate down ReplyYou can't "phase out" Social Security or Medicare because too many retirees and disabled depend on the pittance they get. Government can, however, keep its paws out of the kitty and stop raiding it for other entitlement programs. The raiding commenced long ago with no forethought to the ramifications. Stricter controls over entitlements and elimination of many of them are what's needed. We have generational welfare recipients who know no other way of life and are quite content to leech off the rest of the population because they don't view it that way. They view it as the government owes them and they're going to get all they can. Time to stop that garbage. As far as reid is concerned, he needs to go. They haven't created 3.5 million jobs or any jobs, unless you work for a union. I for one am tired of the mantra of "blame Bush". own up to your creation of problems and fix them or get out.
September 07 2010 at 5:29 PM Report abuse Permalink +59 rate up rate down Replygjones1052,I couldn't have stated it better that you did,Thank You.
September 07 2010 at 6:01 PM Report abuse Permalink +31 rate up rate down ReplyGjones1052 - Excellently said! Also, as one who worked over 30 years andnow recieves that "pittance" of Social Security Disability I now survive on, I thank you for speaking out for those of us who stuggle every day to live on what is not only being "raided" for those other programs, but also our raise was taken from us for two years for those same "entitlement programs" given to the generations of welfare families. Harry Reid indeed HAS to go!
September 07 2010 at 7:52 PM Report abuse Permalink +24 rate up rate down ReplyReid needs to move along
September 07 2010 at 5:14 PM Report abuse Permalink +52 rate up rate down Reply
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