Harry Reid: Tea Party Ruining Budget Negotiations

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says Democrats are ready to negotiate a budget deal, but that the Republicans can’t get their house in order, with the tea party faction derailing the ability to move forward.  (h/t TPM)

“For the sake of our economy, it’s time for mainstream Republicans to stand up to the Tea Party and rejoin Democrats at the table to negotiate a responsible solution that cuts spending while protecting jobs,” he said…”The division between the Tea Party and mainstream Republicans is preventing us from reaching a responsible solution on a long-term budget that will make smart cuts while protecting American jobs, and prevented negotiations from taking place over the weekend even as the clock ticks toward a government shutdown,” he added.

Other Democrats agree.

“After days of positive negotiations, with significant flexibility shown by the Speaker, the House Republican leadership is back to agonizing over whether to give in to right-wing demands that they abandon any compromise on their extreme cuts,” [New York Senator Charles] Schumer said. “The Speaker knows that when it comes to avoiding a shutdown, his problem is with the Tea Party, not Democrats.”

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), ranking member on the House Budget Committee, chimed in Monday, telling ABCNews.com’s Top Line that “instead of the Speaker and the Whip whipping” the party, “the Tea Party caucus is whipping the Speaker.”

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.