Here is more from Leader Reid yesterday on the Senate floor:

While we disagree at times, let us at least agree that doing nothing is not an option. While each of us may not say yes to each word of this bill as it currently reads, let us at least agree that simply saying no isn’t enough.

I disagree with this because I have the following ranking:

  1. Good bill
  2. Current law (e.g., nothing new enacted)
  3. Bad bill

I think Leader Reid’s bill falls into category three, so I believe blocking it would be better than enacting it. My preferred good bill probably won’t happen this year. I would hope, however, that if this bill were blocked, that Democrats would then reach out to Republicans and begin to enact incremental reforms that might push in what I believe to be the right policy direction.

You may differ with me on whether the Reid bill is better or worse than nothing. My point here is simply to debunk the “simply saying no isn’t enough” argument. Sometimes, nothing is better than something (bad).