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Assessing balance of power in the Senate

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    WA Sen. Patty Murray weighs in

  • Duration 6:16
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Maine senator elect Angus King says he still has not decided whether he will caucus with Democrats or Republicans the former governor.

Ran and won as an independent.

He succeeds retiring Republican Olympia -- however king however king decides rather Democrats maintain their majority.

The current balance of power includes 51 Democrats and two independents who caucus with them.

There are 47 Republicans next year 53 Democrats two independents and 45 Republicans that is not large enough.

To be filibuster proof that would require sixty votes let's talk about all of that way forward with Democrat.

Patty Murray of Washington State she was not on ballot yesterday but she is the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

And a big winner in that role senator congratulations thank you very much for it was a big night if you look at the wins the democratic senate pick ups Elizabeth Warren and Joseph Donnelly of Massachusetts and Indiana.

Claire McCaskill who is facing a really tough race in Missouri -- one time it turned out to be not that -- And then you had -- -- in New Hampshire I mean Nebraska and Angus king and now late today another Africa.

Right -- -- camp.

Know you -- what do you attribute that success to this.

I think one of the things I really -- -- I talk to people about running for the senate as Democrats was real leaders who understand what was happening to people on their states Heidi -- camp is a great example.

Somebody in a very red state.

But really has those down home values Joseph Donnelly same thing just really understands what's happening to the working class today and wants to come -- Washington DC to solve that problem across the board are candidates.

Really said yes at a very tough -- around because they want to come together and work you heard Joseph Donnelly say timing again.

I'm not coming to represent a party I'm coming to work to solve the problems in this country.

I think that characterization goes across the board and gives us the ability to really come together to find some solutions today.

Speaker Boehner talked about trying to forge a bipartisan agreement but he was very specific today take a quick listen to us.

-- for the purposes of forging a bipartisan agreement that begins to solve the problem.

We're willing to accept new revenue under the right conditions shoring up entitlement some reform the tax code pulls -- special interest loopholes and deductions.

Am moving to a fairer simpler system will bring jobs home.

And result in a stronger healthier economy.

So when you hear that what are you here well first about.

I really appreciate that the speaker has said that he understands that revenue needs to be on the table and when you say revenue you mean taxes tax increase that's correct and I think what what is important is how that is structured.

If it is tax new tax revenue that simply falls on the middle class takes away their ability to.

-- take their home mortgage as a tax deduction those kind of things it just follow on middle class Americans.

That's not acceptable I think what Americans have said very loudly is they want us to do this in a fair and balanced way.

Everybody has to participate if that's what the speaker is talking about we can get to a solution very quickly we like that fair and balanced.

Phrase I know you were on the super committee.

And it did not get the job done and you heard me ask governor McDonnell what.

What in your mind changes.

With this kind of status quo situation and -- you've gained a couple of seats but.

It is essentially the same group of folks dealing with the same problem well I I think a couple things I think the governor's right deadlines I do make a difference.

But I think that that deadline is very real at the end of this year all of the bush tax cuts expire.

If we get to that and that happens then I think it puts -- in a new dynamic where we are not voting to.

-- it you know raise taxes on people who are of any kind we can really put together tax package that is fair for everyone.

But I hope we don't -- that actually I don't think we will reach that I think that.

I'm talking to a lot of Republicans already who really know that we can't keep the same lines in the sand that we have to come together and find something and I'm I'm.

Very hopeful that we will be able to do that.

Will Democrats be willing to go up to one million dollars on a cap for tax increase.

You know I'm not going to negotiate and have fun doing fine -- with you today.

But I can tell you again and I'm talking to a number of Republicans a number of them have been working just as they did on the Simpson goals high commission and the guidelines and that.

To find a way to solve this I think -- I frankly that a lot of Republicans themselves are tired of being put in one corner.

And if you don't if you come out of that corner -- -- not part of the Republican Party and I think that -- that some room to really find some common ground.

Republican Jeb hence rulings -- set a lot of nice things about you -- dealing with you and negotiating on the table.

He did right opinion editorial back in November of 2011 why the super committee didn't work saying this.

Republicans were willing to agree to additional tax revenue but only in the context of fundamental pro growth tax reform that would broaden the base lower the rates and maintain.

Current levels of for progressivity.

This is the approach to tax reform -- by as you mentioned the deficit reduction efforts and Bowles Simpson and Rivlin -- you plan.

The Democrats said no they were unwilling to agree to anything less than one trillion dollars in tax hikes and unwilling to offer any structural reforms to put our health care entitlements on -- permanently sustainable basis.

You're saying here.

That that changes in this current and -- I think what we were willing to put on the table.

In that negotiations on the Simpson are on the super committee.

The dynamic was that we in order to put -- -- from our side on the table we needed the revenue.

I think one of the things that this election has offered us is the ability to get past that rhetoric and to really find a solution to this.

You know the president ran on making sure that the wealthiest Americans participate.

In solving this problem.

He won.

A number of our senate candidates in fact all of them ran on the same thing they want I think with that.

I don't put this in a place where we can really move forward I think a lot of the country hopes that.

They can get done before that cliff we don't we all hope that senator Maria thank you so much your time.

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