Posted on 08/10/2011 7:49:30 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The prospect that Congress's proposed 12-member super committee might not do its budget-cutting job properly has provoked anxiety among the defenders of discretionary spending programs in the federal budget. The new budget deal provides that if this so-called "Super Congress" can't agree on some combination of entitlement cuts, tax increases and program reductions to slow the growth of the federal deficit, then spending cuts will kick in automatically, with half the cuts coming from non-defense discretionary spending.
I've already read newspaper accounts about how these mandatory cuts in discretionary spending may gut a host of programs, from job training initiatives to Head Start to federal education spending, and you can expect more such stories in coming months. It's a local media specialty: send out reporters to visit programs targeted for cuts and hear them tell us just how essential they are to the community. Some of these stories typically contain a good deal of hyperbole, as when a few years back the former mayor of Baltimore compared the impact on cities of proposed cuts in urban block grants with the Sept. 11 attacks.
But what many of these media accounts will inevitably fail to do is ask fundamental questions about these programs: What were they designed to do? And is there any evidence they accomplish their purpose? Those questions are significant because much of discretionary spending that our government introduces is speculative in nature. That is, there is little or no evidence when we begin this spending that the money will actually accomplish what we want it to. That's why we wind up funding anti-poverty programs that don't reduce poverty, and job training initiatives that don't get people jobs. We justify tax expenditures to make homes more affordable or to reduce our energy dependence, when there's little evidence they accomplish either. And yet, once begun, we often can't get rid of this spending, even when the evidence against its effectiveness is substantial.
It's true that we won't be able to make a significant dent in the deficit with discretionary cuts alone. We need to cut the growth in entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare, and we could use a serious tax overhaul that simplifies our code and raises revenues more efficiently. But it will say a lot about our political culture at this crucial moment if we can't eliminate discretionary spending that can't be justified by the evidence merely because that spending is protected by some powerful interest group.
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Question: Why will the SuperCommittee be a waste of time?
Answer: Patty Murray, John Kerry and Max Baucus.
It’s just a super con.
Programs that don’t work?
That would be all of them, would it not?
Let’s have gridlock, and then the automatic triggers.
The mere fact that Reid made the dem choices for the committee was an indication it would fail.
Not only that, but they are only looking at a 1.5 trillion reduction over 10 years. This year’s deficit is 1.7 trillion, alone.
More boehner nonsense.
Smuggling in, through the back, changes that Liberals want, and that they were not able to get UP FRONT while everyone was WATCHING!!
Well for now I’m just waiting to see who the GOP comes up with!
I assume Bonehead has three “qualified” “senior” (it’s my turn) candidates in mind.
Anyone got a clue when he’s going to announce? Another day go buy and Harry’s going to start singing a tune that the GOP is dragging it’s feet to get the problem solved.
JMHO
The committee will recommend a new government agency in charge of appointing future committees to oversee budget research panels.
“Let’s have gridlock, and then the automatic triggers.”
I agree. This is the ONLY way we will see “meaningful” cuts that reach across-the-board. Remove “the human choice” completely and cut everything.
Just sayin’...
If everything goes right, the automatic cuts will be triggered.
The only possibility for failure is if a Republican agrees to tax hikes.
Delete the following Departments:
Education
Agriculture
Commerce
NEA
PBS / NPR
EPA
See if anyone notices.
Patty Murray is renowed as the stupidest elected official in Washington.
RE: If everything goes right, the automatic cuts will be triggered.
Not sure if this is a good thing, DEFENSE WILL BE GUTTED.
Yes folks - DEFENSE, the one main responsibility the constitution assigns to the Federal Government will be gutted even as the Chinese are building up their military in a huge spending frenzy.
You forgot the Department of Energy, a Carter era anachronism that was tasked to wean American off dependence on foreign oil.
FauX NewZ alert —
Boehner picks Hensarling, Camp and Upton (the light bulb doof)
Yes. Government couldn’t run a 2-car funeral.
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