Reid Tags GOP Majority As Fearful Of Tea Party

By Rachel Whitt

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday the time has come for Republicans to choose the lesser of two evils, angering their Tea-Party base or shutting down the government. 

“[Republicans] seem to be afraid to anger a small, extreme minority in their party that’s willing to shut down the government, and put the economy at the risk of killing at least 700,000 jobs,” Reid said. “The recovery right now is fragile, and a shut down would make it really bad.”  

Congress is currently being funded by a stop-gap spending measure that will expire on April 8. As the expiration date looms closer, Congress can either pass fourth temporary extension, or pass a measure to fund the government through the rest of the fiscal year. 

“Why are Republicans afraid to negotiate this agreement on this CR?” Reid said. “Are they afraid to tell the extreme Tea Party members of their caucus that they’re trying to find common ground with Democrats?”

Reid said the Democrats are willing to find common ground, but need cooperation from the other side of the aisle. After coming to the table with two proposals to cut billions of dollars in spending, Reid said Democrats cannot keep negotiating with themselves.