How much confidence do you have in the super committee to do anything meaningful about the national debt in the next four weeks?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's been nearly three months since the so-called super committee was created.
We've had months of closed-door, secret meetings - and only a few public appearances - as the panel's deadline rapidly approaches.
The public has been shut out of the negotiations while the lobbyists have had continuous access to committee members. How's that transparency-thingy President Obama promised us working out for you? Sort of reminds me of the health care legislation.
So far there are no signs the committee has agreed to any meaningful cuts.
Democrats proposed a plan for cutting up to $3 trillion... but Republicans quickly rejected it because it addition to the cuts, the Democrats plan also called for tax increases. $1.2 trillion in tax increases - to which the Republicans said, "no chance."
They called the plan "outrageously absurd" and a "non-starter," and some are accusing Democrats of leaking the plan because they think the panel will fail.
The super committee has until November 23. If no agreement is reached, across-the-board "trigger" spending cuts would go into effect in 2013.
House Speaker John Boehner says the trigger cuts are unacceptable, and that it's important for the super committee to meet its goals. A lot of people don't think that's going to happen.
And while the politicians fiddle, our country's $14 trillion national debt keeps growing.
Here’s my question to you: How much confidence do you have in the super committee to do anything meaningful about the national debt in the next four weeks?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 4pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
How can the Obama administration justify killing U.S. citizens overseas without due process?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The U.S. government has killed three American citizens with drone strikes in Yemen over the past month. Three.
They include the al Qaeda leader Anwar Al-Awlaki, another al Qaeda member and Al-Awlaki's 16-year-old son, Abdulrahman.
The teenager born in Colorado was killed in a drone strike that targeted and killed a prominent militant along with several others. It's unclear if the youngster was a militant himself.
But whether he was or not, the silence coming from the U.S. government regarding his death is deafening.
U.S. officials will only say they didn't know the teen was hit with that al Qaeda member. Otherwise, they have not commented on the drone strike. No one is taking responsibility for his death.
The U.S. drone campaign is becoming an increasingly controversial part of its national security policy. The secretive airstrikes have killed hundreds of foreigners in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen and Libya.
But this case is different, it includes an American teenager killed by the United States in a country that we're not even at war with.
The Obama administration has justified attacks against al Qaeda members anywhere in the world. In the case of Anwar Al-Awlaki, officials say it was a legal strike because he was planning attacks against Americans.
But not everyone is convinced that killing American citizens anywhere without due process is a good idea. The ACLU has asked for classified documents justifying the killing of the senior Al-Awlaki.
Some, including Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, have even suggested the targeted killing of an American could be an impeachable offense for President Obama.
Here’s my question to you: How can the Obama administration justify killing U.S. citizens overseas without due process?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
Recent Comments