Posted on 11/03/2011 6:17:17 AM PDT by harpu
Members to Super Committee: GO BIG
Washington, Nov 2 -
Congressmen Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Heath Shuler (D-NC) are leading a 100-Member strong bipartisan effort to send a simple but important message to the Joint Select Committee on the Deficit Reduction, known as the Super Committee: Go Big. The 100 bipartisan Members of Congress sent a letter to the Super Committee with the simple and direct message that everything should be on the table and the goal should be closer to $4 trillion rather than the $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction required under the Budget Control Act.
“This letter is signed by conservative, moderate, and liberal members of the House, and while their political philosophies may differ, they all understand the urgency that our national debt crisis represents. They understand that the Super Committee represents our best, and possibly only, chance to make the real reforms needed to return our country to fiscal health,” said Simpson. “I commend Representative Shuler for his tireless efforts to gather support for this letter. Heath understands that this is the time to act, and the respect he has among his colleagues and his ability to build consensus have made him a crucial partner in this important effort.”
“I am so proud of all of my colleagues who signed this letter for their courage to put country before political parties and do what is right for the fiscal future of our nation,” said Rep. Shuler (D-NC). “Many believed the House could never come together to provide the real solutions and leadership our nation needs to get on a fiscally sustainable path. We are here today to show that we can. I applaud Representative Simpson for his hard work and steadfast determination to make this bipartisan effort successful. He is a visionary leader and true statesman, and we need more people like him in Congress.”
The text of the letter is as follows:
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Honorable Jeb Hensarling The Honorable Patty Murray
Co-Chair, Joint Select Committee on Co-Chair, Joint Select Committee on
Deficit Reduction Deficit Reduction
129 Cannon House Office Building 448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Congressman Hensarling, Senator Murray, and Members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction,
We write to you as a bipartisan group of representatives from across the political spectrum in the belief that the success of your committee is vital to our country’s future. We know that many in Washington and around the country do not believe we in the Congress and those within your committee can successfully meet this challenge. We believe that we can and we must.
To succeed, all options for mandatory and discretionary spending and revenues must be on the table. In addition, we know from other bipartisan frameworks that a target of some $4 trillion in deficit reduction is necessary to stabilize our debt as a share of the economy and assure America’s fiscal well-being.
Our country needs our honest, bipartisan judgment and our political courage. Your committee has been given a unique opportunity and authority to act. We are prepared to support you in this effort.
Sincerely,
1. Andrews (D-NJ)
2. Barrow (D-GA)
3. Bass (R-NH)
4. Bishop, Tim (D-NY)
5. Boren (D-OK)
6. Boswell (D-IA)
7. Cardoza (D-CA)
8. Carney (D-DE)
9. Carter, John (R-TX)
10. Castor (D-FL)
11. Chandler (D-KY)
12. Cleaver (D-MO)
13. Coble (R-NC)
14. Cole (R-OK)
15. Connolly (D-VA)
16. Cooper (D-TN)
17. Costa (D-CA)
18. Crenshaw (R-FL)
19. Cuellar (D-TX)
20. Davis (D-IL)
21. DeFazio (D-OR)
22. DeGette (D-CO)
23. Dent (R-PA)
24. Dicks (D-WA)
25. Dold (R-IL)
26. Duncan (R-TN)
27. Emerson (R-MO)
28. Fattah (D-PA)
29. Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
30. Fortenberry (R-NE)
31. Garamendi (D-CA)
32. Gosar (R-AZ)
33. Grimm (R-NY)
34. Hanna (R-NY)
35. Harper (R-MS)
36. Higgins (D-NY)
37. Himes (D-CT)
38. Hoyer (D-MD)
39. Kelly, Mike (R-PA)
40. Kildee (D-MI)
41. Kind (D-WI)
42. King, Peter (R-NY)
43. Kingston (R-GA)
44. Larsen (D-WA)
45. Larson (D-CT)
46. LaTourette (R-OH)
47. Lipinski (D-IL)
48. Loebsack (D-IA)
49. Long (R-MO)
50. Lummis (R-WY)
51. Maloney (D-NY)
52. Marino (R-PA)
53. Matheson (D-UT)
54. McIntyre (D-NC)
55. McKinley (R-WV)
56. Meehan (R-PA)
57. Meeks (D-NY)
58. Moran (D-VA)
59. Nunes (R-CA)
60. Owens (D-NY)
61. Pascrell (D-NJ)
62. Paul, Ron (R-TX)
63. Perlmutter (D-CO)
64. Peters (D-MI)
65. Peterson (D-MN)
66. Petri (R-WI)
67. Pingree (D-ME)
68. Platts (R-PA)
69. Polis (D-CO)
70. Price, David (D-NC)
71. Quigley (D-IL)
72. Rahall (D-WV)
73. Reed, Tom (R-NY)
74. Ribble (R-WI)
75. Roe (R-TN)
76. Rooney (R-FL)
77. Ross, Mike (D-AR)
78. Rothman (D-NJ)
79. Ruppersberger (D-MD)
80. Schiff (D-CA)
81. Schrader (D-OR)
82. Schwartz (D-PA)
83. Sewell (D-AL)
84. Shuler (D-NC)
85. Simpson (R-ID)
86. Smith, Adam (D-WA)
87. Stutzman (R-IN)
88. Sullivan (R-OK)
89. Terry (R-NE)
90. Thompson, Mike (D-CA)
91. Tsongas (D-MA)
92. Turner, Bob (R-NY)
93. Visclosky (D-IN)
94. Walz (D-MN)
95. Watt (D-NC)
96. Welch (D-VT)
97. Whitfield (R-KY)
98. Wolf (R-VA)
99. Yarmuth (D-KY)
100. Young (R-AK)
###
I knew something was coming.
Frank Wolf (RINO-VA) was on the house floor railing against Norquist and the tax pledge a couple weeks ago.
You misspelled "scumbucket".
I still like Buffet’s solution for deficit reduction the best: Any year in which there is a budget deficit, all of the members of the current House and Senate may not run for reelection.
How long do you think it would take to fix the deficit with this in place?
Notice Buffet has no mention of a President being able to run for reelection after the ruination of the economy by a 1.5 trillion dollar deficit directly from his policies and spending.
Yep...must be Congress. Our new House is taking the bruising for four years of Democratic catastrophe, and I cringe every time I hear someone bagging on ‘congress’. This is the new meme to take out our new majority and many of the recently elected tea party inspired members.
We the people are NOT willing to bail out our failed politicians and their hair brained schemes...I say sell off Washington to chip away at the debt..and block the federal G from raising any money, state balanced budget requirements would give DC surplus for specific programs...tie the beast up tight
Smokescreen for raising taxes and fair share mental mentality.
When Dems sign a cost cutting pledge, it is only to effect higher taxes to “spread the pain”.
Perhaps the SuperCommittee of American Citizens needs to “Occupy the Capitol” if these birdbrains don’t get the job done.
Occupation can work two ways.
I would add a rider - “Elected and appointed officials get paid out of what’s left over after the other bills are paid.”
Guess I’m not seeing the problem here, other than the fact the SuperDuper Central Committee exists because the RINOs caved.
$4T of the right types of cuts will save the country. If, IF the republicans can continue to expound upon their tiny spurt of spinal growth and take a lesson from the last election cycle, we may just get the cuts we want.
Washington was sold off decades ago. That's what got us into the debt problem to begin with.
Given to us by both parties. Crazy given the amount of waste and stealing in the stimulus bill, the devaluation of the dollar.
Good idea!
To succeed, all options for mandatory and discretionary spending and revenues must be on the table.
Revenues = increase in taxes. A Democrat on cable news this morning, was very excited about the willingness of the Republicans to raise revenue. Said it was a big break through.
Pubbies couldn’t even come up with $100 Billion in cuts they promised pre-election, so where are they intending on finding $4 Trillion?
Or how far across the decades will they kick that can?
2) If Chaka Fattah is a signer it's likely a bad idea.
The biggest concern is that they do nothing and Defense gets whacked for another 600 Billion. That should be the most important thing to avoid!
In other words: more/higher taxes.
Wonder who will be called upon to "pay their fair share?"
Somehow, they will soon have a national sales tax - in addition to the income tax. That way they will get everybody - a fair tax!
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