Posted on 08/10/2011 4:50:16 PM PDT by SmithL
Republicans named a mix of partisans and pragmatists on Wednesday to the new congressional committee charged with striking a debt-cutting compromise. While members of both parties expressed urgency over controlling surging budget shortfalls, others were pessimistic that the bipartisan panel would overcome deep political divides.
With nine of the committee's 12 members selected, Washington began calculating whether the faltering economy and chaotic financial markets could spur the panel to produce a bipartisan plan trimming $1.5 trillion from the government's debt over the coming decade. Failure — a real possibility, considering GOP opposition to tax increases and Democratic hostility to cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits — would trigger automatic spending cuts in hundreds of defense and domestic programs.
"You wouldn't want to be in there while the `Dirty Dozen' are up to their work, because, boy, I tell you, the hair and eyeballs will fly all over the floor," said former Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo.,
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
He!!, if THATS what it takes to get some positive movement out of Washington, we could save a whole bunch of money and have a panel of 6 replace the House and the Senate!
This special committee is a joke and a waste of more tax dollars.
Can anyone spell Politboro? (sp)
It brings back old memories of the Peanut Gallery.
Just pessimism? Not abject and total disgust?
Why would I worry? Just because Upton - the guy who doesn’t want us to buy light bulbs we like, and who has never seen spending that wasn’t worthwhile, or a tax that shouldn’t be raised - is part of the Gang of Twelve, why should I worry?
The “panel” won’t agree to anything, and when faced with debilitating cuts in defense, and deep (politically damaging) cuts in medicare, Boehner and McConnell will “reluctantly” go along with take hikes. They’ve been 0bama’s butt boys all along.
You know the entire article is a waste of time when the author has to go and get a quote from the useless former Senator Alan Simpleton.
BUMP what you said.
That’s been the objective of this ridiculous commission from the beginning - - give GOP political hacks the cover they need to raise taxes by shrugging, palms up, that they HAD to agree to more taxes so the military wouldn’t be gutted.
I’ll say it right now - - no sale.
If these scumbags even think about raising taxes, they’re through.
John Kerry is worst appointment of all, as he just using the “talking points” of Obama or whoever is running the WH.
The rats don’t matter - - we know they’re a pack of scumbags.
It’s the Republicans we need to keep our eye on.
tammany hall
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