How do you see the super committee concluding its business?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The so-called super committee is turning out to be anything but.
With little more than a week to go before its deadline, things are looking pretty grim for the bipartisan panel tasked with cutting $1.2 trillion from the national debt over the next decade.
For starters, Politico reports the committee has "all but abandoned" its full-panel meetings. Instead, a series of small bipartisan groups now dominate the negotiations.
And the six Democrats on the panel can't even come to a consensus. That makes chances they'll be able to agree with Republicans slim to none.
Plus, key lawmakers are talking about dragging out the process.
They're now talking about a "two-step process" to reform the tax code and entitlements.
The super committee would set a figure for increased tax revenue; but then individual House and Senate committees would have to craft the legislation. In an election year? Yeah, that'll happen.
This is outrageous. If it happens, it would make the super committee just one more group of politicians to kick the can down the road when it comes to our nearly $15 trillion national debt. And we can't afford that.
Oh yeah - and remember that automatic trigger that's supposed to go into effect if the super committee can't agree to cuts? Well, our lawmakers are trying to weasel out of that one too.
One super committee member says it is "very likely" Congress will try to dismantle those across-the-board cuts to defense and entitlement spending.
All the while, both sides are busy trading accusations about who would be to blame if the super committee fails.
Our government is broken, and we are losing the country because of it.
Here’s my question to you: How do you see the super committee concluding its business?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Brandon in Denver:
Failure is inevitable. The job of a politician is not to make good decisions for our country, but to get elected. It speaks volumes when 63% of American voters want to see increased taxes on the wealthy and corporations and six members of the panel will listen to Grover Norquist before their own constituents. They will crash and burn despite the solution being obvious.
Terri on Facebook:
Seriously, did anyone ever expect this microcosm of Congress to do anything the full body couldn't? What a joke. I expect it'll end with a credit downgrade, a Republican cry to change the rules (again), and a big drunken party at taxpayer expense.
Ray in Georgia:
I suspect it will end up just like all the other committees: deadlocked. They will send it back to the Congress where it will linger until after the next election.
Paul:
I actually expect they will reach some kind of agreement close to the deadline in order to avoid those across-the-board cuts. Unfortunately, I also see the results as likely to be watered down, weak, yet lauded as being a 'great achievement' with both sides using it as a prop on the campaign trails. All the while, more credit agencies gather to consider downgrading the country's credit rating.
Frank:
I think they will fail to agree on something. Then they will worm out of the mandatory cuts.
Karl:
I see them dividing the food tab by 12 and putting it on their expense accounts. It's the only thing they can agree on. Other than that, nothing.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
with a verdict as popular as the Casey Anthony verdict
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. In this case, NOTHING Done at all. What a waste.
I'd like to see some version of Simpson-Bowles, but this Congress doesn't have the guts. The Democrats will offer the Republicans 90% of what they want, the Republicans will refuse, and the ball will be punted once again. We've seen this play before, Jack.
I don't Jack. They'll continue the same old rhetoric until time is up and then play the blame game all over again, democrats blaming the republicans and vice versa. Meanwhile our military will be gutted along with several other needed programs. No one wants Obama out of office more than me but there comes a time when they’ll (congress) do more harm than good. It’s like cutting your nose off to spite your face. It seems to me someone has deleted with word “compromise” out of the congressional dictionary.
Declare an impasse and suggest a "Super Duper Committee" address the issue AFTER the next election.
Republicans bullying and Democrats conceding.
Nothing. The shortest answer I've ever posted.
Gridlocked. Even though Democrats are willing to put entitlements on the table for cuts Republicans will absolutely not consider revenue or tax increases. This is not your father's Republican Party. They are like kidnappers holding the country up for ransom. And they just might be doing all this on purpose to create Grover Norquist's dream of a two class society; the rich and the poor, the lords and the serfs, the patricians and the plebians. The middle class is a pain in their butt. It's best to get rid of them if you want total control of a govenment.
The friendly super committee will conclude business one way or the other. It must be a friendly decision or the economical situation will worsen and on a global scale.
I think they will fail to agree on something. Then they will worm out of the mandatory cuts.
I'm predicting the so-called "Super Committee" will end its deliberations in a deadlock just like the rest of the Congress.
The players are the same but just on a maller scale. After weeks of deliberation I'll bet they're still unable to get out of a revolving door with instructions.
Gary in Scottsdale, Arizona
Jack,
Sadly, I see no chance for any meaningful proposals coming from this committee. Timid, tepid, next-to-useless compromises are about all we dare hope for. Someone once said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the rest. We are seeing, with this Congress, democracy at its deadlocked, helpless worst. Until one party or the other gains a sufficient majority to actually govern, we have nothing to look forward to but more of the same.
Jim
Reno, Nevada
It will conclude in one of two ways. Either it will be hopelessly deadlocked or the Democrats will cave. Republicans absolutely refuse to compromise and, sadly, Democrats usually don't have the spine to defend what is best for the nonwealthy Americans. It's a sorry state of affairs.
Well Jack the Supercommittee is a reflection of Congress and can do no good. Perhaps they'll invent the Traumadary Camel, much like the Dromedary Camel which was obviously invented by committee. Whatever the outcome it will plague Americans for many years.
Steve
Nashville, In
I suspect it will end up just like all the other committees. Deadlocked with no conclusion. That will send it back to the Congress. With little hope of getting anything thru the Senate it will linger until the next Election.
Easiest question ever! Since no one in Congress has the intelligence, courage or integrity to do what's right and necessary, they'll do what they ALWAYS do – pass the buck!
Jack: The Republicans will not let the top 1% pay more in taxes, therefore; the Democrats will not cut anything until there is some give and take on both sides. I believe people making more than a million dollars a year should 4.8% more in income taxes. The Republicans are wrong, and if they do not change an allow taxes for the wealthiest in our nation they will pay for it in November. America is tired of their arrogance.
Jack, I'm still skeptical about a meaningful compromise. The Republican break with Norquist indicates they know that they are in disfavor with most Americans and are in danger of losing their jobs next year. However, their stance so far indicates little change in their stance by still giving tax breaks to the rich, which would cancel out revenue increases wanted by the Democrats and most Americans. Until they face reality, hope for a deal and many of their jobs is small.
It's doing what business?
Matt
Rockford
I see an announcement by both parties at a joint news conference where they announce capitol hill will be closed and moved to the Rio in Las Vegas where Penn and Teller will now provide the smoke and mirrors for the country's business as the house and senate have run out of illusions and horribly failed yet once again.
Not with a bang, but a whimper.
With a whimper. They are politicians and therefore will take the easy way out and do nothing, knowing they will take no blame for allowing the triggers to take effect. Then, to prevent anyone from stepping in all the moose dirt that would result, other politicians will quietly dismantle the triggers and we will be worse off than we are now. We will all have to have to crash into the rocky bottom before anyone jolted awake.
I see the committee doing its business the same way it is done in congress these days: The democracts propose something imperfect yet reasonable, and the Republicans retreat to their Ayn Rand fantasy land and refuse to endorse any part of it. They will then go on Fox News and blame Democrats for being inflexible like its some sort of Orwel novel. Meanwhile, Democrats, knowing their are going to need corporate funding to purchase their "elected" seats will succumb to their corporate masters until we are all eating out of garbage cans.
Since they are all getting money from lobbyists, the meetings will conclude with giving themselves a raise, a pat on the back, and a nice party at taxpayers expense. This whole charade has been a classic case of the fox guarding the hen house, and it would be a massive shock if any actionable plan that could be ageed upon and swiftly put into place would come out of there. And if that miracle happened, you can bet the Republicans will pull every trick in the book to stop it. America needs to wake up to the fact that Congress, and their sponsors, do not have America's best interest at heart.
How I see it is: The "Super Committee" will find that taking salary and Pensions along with Health Care for them and their families along with all members of Congress is unconstitutional and accepting any outside money wrong and immoral, and it will cease immediately. Also they will end all Congressional and Presidential retirees pensions and health benefits, form this point on. No....I'm dreaming....they will stick it to the 99% of us, or Americans who don't have a lobbyist in each of their pockets pocket. So, these "patriots" will try and privatize, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. After-all those hedge funds managers on wall St. will "look" after our money better than any of us can, or these very successful government programs do for all of us everyday.
I initially believed the super committee was a good idea because I thought that one of the main reasons that nothing was getting done by congress as a whole was because there were people who had taken a pledge not to raise taxes. I remember when George H.W. Bush made his, "Read my lips, no new taxes" pledge which ended up being political suicide when he did, in fact, raise taxes. I thought that some of the older more established Republicans who had been in office awhile and who hadn't made the pledge would be able to take one for the team and have a legitimate negotiation with the other side. As it turns out, even if you whittle down congress to a super committee, you still aren't able to find 12 people who are able to put aside their own interests for the good of the nation.
I think it's finally time to throw the baby out with the bath water. I think that instead of "raising taxes" and "closing loopholes" congress needs to re-evaluate every single tax deduction currently available in the tax code and determine whether or not that deduction is still in the best interest of the country as a whole. Everyone knows that "loop hole" refers to the tax deduction that someone else is getting, where as any tax deductions which I may be getting are, of course, completely legitimate. At one point in time I'm sure that most of the deductions that big corporations like GE were getting served a legitimate purpose, but times have changed and everyone needs to be paying their fair share based on today's rules, not some "loop hole" that a lobbyist has managed to get congress to hold onto for too many years.
I think that they will cut approximately a trillion dollars worth of items however most of these items are obsolete or the funding was due to run out anyway. They are not really cutting anything it just has the appearance of propriety.
The biggest problem Jack is that these people might make some cuts but as soon as the committee is adjourned they will go back to their constitutes to bring home the bacon. These people in Washington know nothing about managing money. All they know how to do is spend it.
If something does not change soon in D.C. then this shaky economy will be downgraded even farther. America is treading water on credit that will not last forever. The American people are the ones left on the hook for every penny they spend. The politicians will retire go home and write a book about it while blaming everyone else for their mistakes and rake in the cash.
I think they will come up with some new legislation that will get the country further in debt. Perhaps they will figure out a way to tax us three times for the same thing, instead of just twice. ( 2.6 trillion social
security trust funds invested in US Treasury Notes). Doug. Pepperell, MA.
I din't see any future in them meeting in the first palce! It's a horse and pony (phony) show!. It is set in stone that the Tea Party wants more tax breaks for the very wealthy paid for by cuts in medicare and S/S. The democrats want to raise taxes on the rich and not do much of anything to S/S or Medicare! Both say compromise is out of the picture. Why did they think this sharrade would work in the first place!! The only thing they have even come close to agreeing on is some ssort of token cuts in benefits from programs we taxpayers have already paid for!
Dan K Owens Cross roads Alabama
The so-called super committee appears to be the Indianapolis Colts of political effectiveness. Great pre-season expectations and hype, but total ineptitude in the actual committee room. Nothing worthwhile will be offered because cats and dogs (I mean Democrats and Republicans) see the world so differently. A complete waste of time.
By extending its work until next year at some time – possibly December 2012. If the economy improves or the Tea Party so dominates the Senate nomination process that it is obvious that the GOP will lose big, they may wake up and make a deal. If the economy goes south and Obama loses, he can simply veto any extension of the Bush tax cuts and if the Democrats keep the Senate, there is no need for any deal to avoid financial ruin. If there is some deal, the JSC will give instructions to the tax and spending committees to raise revenue, restructure rates and cut entitlements and spending – but the main issue is either mandating $1.5 trillion of additional revenue or agreeing to permanent tax cuts to offset the 2 trillion dollars in spending cuts mandated by the process – allowing Obama to veto any other expiring Bush tax cuts.
Not so super.
IL
it will be the same as always party before country
It'll deadlock.
The Republicans won't raise taxes on the wealthy like the Democrats want, and the Democrats won't gut Social Security and Medicare like the Republicans want.
The trigger cuts that are supposed to happen if the super committee can't agree on a deficit-reduction plan won't go into effect until 2013, though, so Congress will probably end up trimming the cuts so they won't be so painful before then.
And the can would get kicked down the road once again.
Someone saying "we did our best" and nothing getting done because they are all protecting their jobs. The President should have gone with the two men, Simpson and Bowles, and given them power to put it into play under the President's signature and I am certain there was some way for this to be done. Too bad the President is a Lobbyist. Maybe it would have happened then.
A) Unyielding, the six Republicans will argue:
-1) Against tax increases
-2) Against cuts in the military budget
-3) Reluctantly propose cuts in entitlements, but politely call the cuts, "reforms"
-4) Propose tax reform that produces overall tax cuts
B) The six Democrats will argue:
-1) Strongly against cuts in entitlements
-2) Strongly for tax increases
C) There are two likely outcomes:
-1) 30% probability that:
--a) The deadline will pass in stalemate
--b) The U.S. credit rating will be downgraded for the second time in 2011
-2) 70% probability that:
--a) Just before the deadline, the Democrats will cave
--b) Entitlements will be cut, but the Super Committee will insist that it is actually "reform"
--c) The military budget will have a few modest cuts.
--d) Some major tax loop holes will be plugged with tax cuts for the higher categories. This "tax cut" will be called "tax reform"
With republicans refusing to raise taxes. The democrats refusing to cut any more spending or reforming entitlements. With the stock market flailing. People complaining about government not doing enough about creating jobs because they're too embroiled in debt negotiations. The house and senate passing legislation they know won't fly on the other side of congress. Europe panicking even more and the world economy freaking out. You know, the usual.
Oh, yeah, and our credit rating being slashed again. Almost forgot the one.
Tom, Rochester, NY
going down in flames !
It is already concluded Jack. They are just waiting for last second hysterics to justify the sorry job they are doing and the shaft they will be giving the American people. I for two, me and anyone smarter than a pile of bricks, should see this for what it really is, a money grab as rewards to the party faithful and party supporters. The more I learn about how Congress does business the more I become an anarchist. Did you see 60 Minuets last night perchance?
I imagine they will call for 2 news conferences, one for each party. The democrats will apologise for not reaching a deal and blame the republicans for not compromising. The republicans will flip us the bird, moon us, and blame the democrats for not compromising by giving the republicans everything they want and expecting nothing in return.
I understand there are Democrats and Republicans on the committee. If one has been aware the capitals congressional punishment of the American people, there you will find the answer to the question.
Success for the Super Committee is already determined by the Two Parties. Nothing is to be agreed. This represents the predetermined Failure of the Two Parties to Perform their duties as agreed upon being voted to office. So Let us put this in perspective. You get what you ask for. The voting public has voted for ages for the Party of choice. They have been apathetic in investigating the the candidates and just pulled one lever for all. The Two Parties are depending on this to continue. Devisiveness is the tool of the current politics. This is the same tool used to move the dust around so we cannot see that nothing is getting done to solve the problems. But the solution is there and the parties are determined to show the public is not intellegent enough to Vote Out Incumbent One and all in Large Numbers for Non Performance.
Hi Jack, your question sure uses the word "business" correctly. Since money is "corporate speach" these days, I see the super committee concluding its business by "just talking 'business" in the language Congress listens to most; U.S. dollars!
Jack, if it's anything unlike the Congress that nominated them to do a job that they didn't want to face, I will be very sureprised. What is their motivation? What are they sacrificing? Do you think they really know what's at stake? While the country is being Flushed, they will still have their jobs, free healthcare, and heffty retirement, all guaranteed. What would be YOUR motivation?
Failure is inevitable. The job of a politician is not to make good decisions for our country, but to get elected. It speaks volumes when 63% of American voters want to see increased taxes on the wealthy and corporations and six members of the panel will listen to Grover Norquist before their own constituents. They will crash and burn despite the solution being obvious.
What business? nothinghappened, is happening, or is going to happen, "WE" all knew that when Obama appointed them. It's was just a postponementt for more time and he's probably got another scheme up his sleeve to get by until after the election – then he won't have to worry about it anymore. Fool! me once shame on you fool! me twice shame on any idiot that would vote for him again.
Getting next to nothing done as it has been for well over a year now. With this 'contract' the Republicans signed to represent just a select group plus corporations ...........Not the American People, like they were elected to do, they
have blocked anything that might help our economy. I see them continuing to do more of the same. I also see them
losing their jobs next election but I'm sure these big corporations will put them to work so they're OK with that.
How do you see the super committee concluding its business?
More of the same from the GOP – the party of NO – nothing will change.. nothing will get done..
Jenna
Roseville CA
Jack,
In complete deadlock, again. The Republicans will not compromise, and the Democrats are tired of being taken for a ride. The only solution is to cut some of the sacred cows the Democrats want to protect AND raise revenues (taxes) across the board to some level which the Republicans will not do.
In essence, the average american is screwed. Again.
I actually expect they will reach some kind of agreement close to the deadline in order to avoid those across the board cuts. Unfortunately, I also see the results as likely to be watered down, weak, yet lauded as being a 'great achievement' with both sides using it as a prop on the campaign trails. All the while more credit agencies gather to consider dropping the country's credit rating.
"A stalemate ending! They can't do anything, it's up to the individual and their input, only you can change things. Waste, is waste, and abuse, is abuse. If you don 't need it then don't buy it is my motto, make things change for yourself and you'll make others do the same! Just don't buy it!!!"
About the same as my children when the were being toilet trained. Child, "Look what I did!" Daddy, "Good job". Then get the toilet paper.
in Gridlock – for Status Quo as it's known in Washington.
They will likely conclude it the way it started – with nothing. Tough decisions need to be made and yet Congress is so interested in keeping their jobs that they cannot put their own jobs on the line to make those tough decisions. In the end, Congress keeps their jobs while the rest of the country loses theirs. Surprise! Apparently, I'm in the wrong business if I want to remain employed.
Jack – it will be like a hung jury. Not everyone will agree ! and it will be thrown out, or start all over, at another time, or they will procrastinate, as usual.
I see them dividing the food tab by 12 and putting it on their expense accounts. It's the only thing they can agree on. Other then that, nothing.
Well Jack you've heard of the "Three Blind Mice' now you have 12 Blind men. I'm 74 years old and never have
I had less confidence in all the people in Congress. What they are probably thinking about rigth now where can I
get more money for my re-election.
The supercommittee will conclude with NO plan. Everyperson on the committee needs to have this on their resume when running for reelection. Voters should vote out these failures. Now is the time for leaders and not politicians.
Probably with an "Ahhhh shoot!" moment. That is to say, "We can't agree on anything!"
Whatever happens, Obama and CNN will blame the Tea-Party.
Wellllllll . . . if they're really concerned that some people have money and don't seem to do too much while others have plenty of weariness and don't have much money . . . and then combine that with so much paper flying out the country for oil and toys . . . then they might consider closing the ports. But they better bring the troops home to maintain law & order because not too many people are used to going without. There might be a problem with having the troops maintaining law & order in fiscal matters because they are rather used to getting a free ride also. Who's minding the mint? And the propaganda machine? . . . a machine that is more self-serving to the capitalists who are swift to accuse 'government' of being the sinner. We have to remember that a Federal Reserve Note is in fact a contract - a contract that guarantees that the possesser of 'the note' is participating in a lawful transaction that promises labor for labor. THE 'government is the source of 'contracts' viability.
They'll do nothing. 68% of Americans say they want taxes raised on the rich, be they $250K, $500k or a million. And over 60% of THOSE people want taxes raised on THEMSELVES. But the committee is paid off by the Koch brothers, the poisonous Karl Rove and the thieving supposedly innocent-sounding United States Chamber of Congress, and the congress is bought and paid for by those anti-Americans, so nothing positive happens with the economy until after the elections. No wonder people are starting to take to the streets.
Super committee.
Super farce.
How foolish a nation we have become.
Beyond sad.
I see the outcome of the super committee much the way I see washington in general, totally useless and very expensive
for the country. I would love to be a fly on the wall during their meetings. I'm willing to bet the last thing you'd hear is anything that would benefit the country and solve our growing crisis that congress has put us in. What's that saying absolute power corrupts absolutly!
Dave from NH.
Congress will create the illusion of making cuts on the very last day, but they will just be accounting gimmicks. Under the rules they will be allowed to increase defense spending by any amount after two years. We found out on 60 minutes last night that congress is exempt from the insider trading rules, allowing themselves to make millions of dollars from the stock market. Congress is a rigged game, playing with loaded dice, and a marked deck. They all need to go and must be replaced with honest, hard working, non-millionaires
I see the 2 party monopolized special interest congress capitulating integrity and morality for voting blocks that keep them in power as our country is devoured by the Debts that dictate unsustainable trade policies that continue to empower the 3rd world while Dems insure poor have enough to pay the fuedal landlord and Republicans subsidizing fossil fuel industries to our demise...god bless the true democracy revolution..Purge the seniority of deplority..
The Dirty Dozen. Twelve people who couln't deploy 2 car funeral. Twelve examples of 2big2fail. Sending marshfellows to fire is a great anology
tampa, fl with all of the layoffs, firings, outsourcing, it is time we did the same with our govt. since too many people giving themselves too much salaries, benefits, perks, retirement packages, they can't get anything done. it is time for an immediate 50% reduction in the house and senate. this will save $9 billion. term limits. stop all wars. stop all borrowing to give to countries that don't like us and stop all freebies to illegal aliens and i bet we start to balance our budget without raising taxes. . i bet we also get our politicians attention.
Congress is so inept that I think a third or even a fourth party needs to be formed to garner political candidates who are able to do the business of running the country.
Just more smoke and mirrors. This committee is a joke, just like Congress has become a very sick joke at the expense of taxpayers, especially middle class taxpayers. The result will be more of the same old crap. I can't wait for the 2012 election to vote against all incumbents. None of our representatives seem to understand what the last 2 elections were about - winning an election is not a mandate to play games, promote party ideology, and ignore the real problems of this country. Thank goodness the so-called Super Committee participants are headed out the door; otherwise, they, too, would be voted out of office next election.
I am positive that the super-committee will come out with a novel method of concurrence that will provide our Republic with a plan disguised as bi-partisan progress but will be plainly (and painfully) obvious as more of the samo-samo! You can't write a screen play with a plot like this. Amazing, simply (expletive deleted*) amazing. *I learned this from a previous Republican president.
The Super Committee will finish their business with some lame excuse and turn the job of fixing our economy back over to the 535. Since our representatives can't get anything meaningful done, maybe they would like some everyday American citizens to come in and look at the money this country is squandering. I, for one, would be on the next plane to Washington to volunteer my time. There are other people who have retired or unemployed that have the time and are tired of what Congress is doing. They would jump at the chance to go over the books. Let's take back our country and make the choices these elected people can't because of fear of not being re-elected.
Simple Nothing. SSDD same stuff different day.
Nothing because Congress in general doesn't want to do their job because it threatens their chances of re-election.
Cut the pay and the benefits of these people. Ban lobbyists, install term limits and publicly finance campaigns and then
something can be done.
I see it ending badly, Jack. It is perfectly obvious to anyone with a milligram of intelligence that there is no solution to our debt problems without some sort of revenue increase. But the Grover Norquist, formerly Republican, Party won't consider it under any circumstances. The fact that every Republican in Congress who has signed that pact with the devil has violated their oath of office doesn't seem to concern them in the least. Neither does the fact that they are undermining what once was the greatest country in the world..
Same old stuff, different day. The credit rating for the US will probably be downgraded another notch or two and most Americans will suffer. How sad that Congress cannot get out of its own way.
Jack, they will probably adjourn, go on vacation for six weeks, then come back to take a much anticipated vote on the issues at hand and of course, be deadlocked in a tie vote. Nice.
I think the problem involves elements over which the US has no control. We are so tied to the global economy that we need a solution that fits in with the rest of the world. The minds of the super committee members are too small to actually embrace the problem (as is my mind) and there will be no agreement on a solution. We need people who are willing to listen to each other and actually consider proposals that may not fit party ideology. We need people who think outside the box. I don't see anyone in congress capable of that kind of thinking.
The end result will be cuts to social programs and lower taxes for the rich.
Not. Anyone who thinks the supercommittee will come to any agreement is nuts. 1 trillion over 10 years is chump change anyway. We need to cut 10 trillion over 10 years.
When they can't solve this, they will pass it on to the Super-'Duper' Committee. And it definitely will work there.....because the Super "Duper" committee is better.
A few meaningless gestures, a lot of deferrals for "further study",temporary extensions,very little consensus,and no real "bang-for-the-buck" (OUR buck!). In other words, business as usual.
Whatever they do come up with, be careful and don't step it or you will have to throw those shoes away.
The Democrats will try to bargain to get something done for the middle class without killing Social Security and Medicare. The Republicans will say "No' and we can never raise taxes on the rich. The Democrats will make a counter proposal and the Republicans will again say "No" and we absolutely can not raise taxes on the rich. Tthe Republicans will then go on Fox News and say it is impossible for them to work with the Democrats. Remember this when the 2012 election rolls around – remember who is trying to help this county!
At the very last second (after they give the public a big show) they will act as if they had no choice but to continue the tax cuts and cut social programs for everybody else. The same song and dance the poor and middle class get all the time. Was there any doubt when they deliberately put the weakest democrats in congress on the committee?
Since the Super committee is unable to get things done it is time for the States to bring them home and replace them. We the people elect them and they ignore us. How much lobbyist money are they collecting by doing nothing. After all it's corporate America that will gain or lose and are stopping this from succeeding ... Inquiring minds would like to know...
I see them punching the entire nation in the nose with their incompetance. one Word Jack RECALL!!!!!!!
If you are willing to keep voting for these clowns then we get what we deserve. We need to fire everyone in office right now and vote new Congress. These folks do not have a clue!
No it's pointless Jack. Thack god I live in Canada
President Obama will tell them their pay is withheld one week for every day they do not resolve the issue. It's down to the wire, and these folks who are playing with lives need to know what it feels like to have THEIR funds withheld.
Jack,
We saw this before when we had budget problems. After it was passed it was business as usual. After what I saw, I now see the super committee concluding its business as usual.
Jack they should have let the Democrat's pick the Republican's for the committee and let the Republicans pick the Democrats... Then maybe they would have had a chance!
There will be a last minute deal that cuts just $1.2T – which will save the military and medicare benefits both sides want to keep. Alot of the $1.2T will be fluff such as expected growth due to loophole closures. This is way too small a deal to do the job on our debt.
I doubt the Republicans will be willing or able to make any compromises.
$600 Billion slashed from the Military Budget and the Temporary Bush Tax Cuts expire because they failed to generate the massive Job Growth promised by the supporters of the Temporary Bush Tax Cuts.
Tinkle Down economics failed to generate jobs for American Workers!
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre comes to mind. We could sell tickets to the event with the first door prize being the opportunity to use a machine gun. We could apply the proceeds to the national debt..
It's time to join the ocupy wall street movement or waive the white flag.
No brainer, Jack. Republicans NEED to allow bush tax cuts to disappear. They will Not. More of the same failure. Obama will win because of their fight for the 1%.
As usual with these "bi-partisan" deals, one side becomes intransigent and the whole process goes down in flames. This is yet another game in which the political parties play brinkmanship before letting the whole economy go to hell in a hand basket. We former middle class Americans will pay through the nose for whatever these CLOWNS do to support their rich private and corporate benefactors. OWS was a small light at the end of the tunnel, but the gestapo tactics of local police and government (egged on by corporate America) have turned that light into an oncoming freight train.
I think we need to clean house and NOT vote for any Republican in 2012 who has blocked progress – especially on the Super Committee. Our Senator Patti Murray is the Chairperson of the committee and I know for a fact she's fair and willing to work with the other side but she can't do it alone! My bumper sticker will read: Dump the GOP in 2012.
With a whimper Jack... with a whimper
Let the cuts take effect. Congress has become a waste of time and money. It seems the only requirements for Reps and Sens are being sanctimonious and pig-headed.
BMO-Harris Bank has great commercials about teaching kids the value of money. Perhaps the parents of the super committee need to bring in their piggy banks from when they were kids to remind them money does not grow on trees and parents don't print their own money. Oh, wait, the super committee inherited all of their money and have not worked a day in their life. Never mind about teaching them the value of money.
Congress has shown that they can only act at the last minute and given that the consequences of not acting wont happen until 2013, nothing will happen until 2013.
Politics as usual (the "super": committee) will solve no pro blems and present no paths toward resolution.
The assumption is wrong, the premise is wrong. The function of congrefs is NOT to cut the needs and wants of Americans to fit the needs of the budget, but to manage the income to meet the needs and wants of the people. Until this backwards assumption is erased there will be no solution. The people WILL have the last word, eventually, and it will not serve the elite 1% well, nor will it bless the overspenders such as bushites and reaganites.
I don't see it concluding its business at all. This is all political theater. Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey's Congress. In my imagination, I see them concluding with a food fight. The whole thing is a joke. We might as get some laughs out of it, because there will be a lot of crying and sadness as we continue to watch that can travel down the road.
Pitiful stretch to create bi-partisan decisions at cutting an amount of funding that is like throwing a deck chair off the Queen Mary.
If it plays out the same as everything else lately,null and void.Mabe they should be given the option to get it done,or get fired.My feelings for congress as well 🙂 I was getting close to middle class at one point.Now Im middle of the road!
The Left blows the smoke, the Right holds the mirror.Lights, cameras, no action, cut! Time for a recess.
When the Super Committee was announced it rang of a classic farce. Now that the deadline for action approaches it has morphed into a classic tragedy.
Let them fail. The answer is the same as it was 4 years ago. Ron Paul still has the way cut a trillion to start to save this country.
I remember back when 18yr olds could first vote for the party of choice back in the 70's & what i said to my history teacher about OUR choices of Dems or Repubs.
I said it does not matter 1 bit as THEY ALL are worthless & have the same end game of Government control of the people & only present supposed freedom of choice, OPPS!
I still say this & with all the revealed news of how Obama is kin to almost every past President thru the Samuel Hinckley of Cape Cod Family tree beyond 1662 when Hinckley died, that Lynne Cheney reported in her book called Blue Skies, No Fences, which showed that Dick was Obama's cousin along with the Bush, Clinton, Carter, Ford, Nixon & on & on it goes.
Its all a smoke screen Jack as they work for the End Game of their Super Union of One & we are not following Scotty of Star Trek's rules of, FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU, FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME, we are into the FOOLED THOUSANDS OF TIME.
Oop's!
I don't see any member of Congress on both sides trying to resolve the issue of concluding it's buisness. All they care about is what benefits them and their rich cronies, not when it comes to those of us who've put them where they are in the first place. Once they got where they, they purposefully threw us aside and truthfully, every member of Congress needs to fired and put out of a job so they can see what it's like too be without.
Mr. Cafferty:
You already predicted one sure outcome. They will postpone it, delay it, smoke and mirror it until we pay more taxes and more of their family members get in the business. Elected positions are, after all, fantastic businesses. Then no doubt many of them have Penn State seasons tickets and will vote themselves a raise and catch a football game while they still can. We're screwed.
Not withstanding that the Super Committee is a result of political procrastination, that should not even exist, they have shown themselves to be just as worthless and gutless as the rest of the House, Senate and President. Sad part is there is no fix. How is it " We The People" that governs when all we can do is to vote for the biggest liar and cheating crook, that has the most money, to get on the ballot. Our choices are limited to that. This applies to both parties, at all elected levels. I call them the "Stupid Committee"...............And you can give them all my name and email
Once again the politicians have failed us in our time of need, not to mention lied to us, cheated and stole from us through insider stock trading. It is absolutely imperative for us to vote every single one out of office in the next election. If we fail to do so then we get exactly what we deserve.
This super committee will do what many posters have said - NOTHING. That will cause the blackest of Fridays and unmerriest of holidays.
Peter
Langley B.C.
Scotty,we need more power.Im givin ya all I got captain....ya right.
Jack the super committee is just smoke an mirrors. You have Republicans that can't commit to tax increases because of their signed oath that Grover Norquist is holding over their heads and Democrats are unwilling to cut entitlements so we are in the same boat of disagreement that drives this government. Maybe we should look at investigating and ousting the people who have made oaths that go against the oath they took when they chose to represent their states.
The committee will fail to agree on a solution. Then Congress has next year to rescind the mandatory cuts that are due to be implemented in 2013. And hopefully to come up with a solution. Hey! How about a Super-Duper Commitee?
Well Jack, it's two wolfes & a sheep voting on whats for supper, oops ! Just in case your readers don't know, we are the sheep.
Super Committee nothing accomplished,NO PAY!!!!!!!!
The committee will fail to come forward with a plan and this is not a bit surprising. Why did we expect that members of congress, who could not get anything done for the last 2 years would all of a sudden come up with a bipartisan solution? It's election time and all Republicans and Democrats care for are their political careers. Until 2012, nothing will get done in the USA. We are heading straight into the abyss and nobody on capitol hill seems to care. If they would work in the private sector, they would all bi fired for being incompetent by now. Only in DC doing nothing gets you a big paycheck.
DAVE FROM MICHIGAN. they will just kick the ball down the road. the problem is entitements. these programs by the way are still operating in the black and have nothing to do with the current deficit! what most people don't know is the suplus in these accounts has all been borrowed over the years and spent on other things leaving IOUs left in the account in the amount of $2.4 trillion dollars which congress will most likely never pay back leaving the committee with a bookeeping problem they need to deal with which will bring to light why social sucurity really is not going broke at all!
They will not agree to anything, as Democrats don't want Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid cut and Republicans refuse to ever to raise taxes even though taxes are at 60 year lows. So, the "automatic cuts" for the military will activate, which will quickly be undone by Congress since it is political suicide to do nothing but grow the military industrial complex every year. The Republicans will hold America hostage on some essential piece of legislation and the Democrats will cave and viciously cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and call it a "compromise."
Seriously, does anyone in this country believe that politicians will really solve problems. The spineless Democrats will give in to the Republicans. The middle class will continue to die its death of a thousand cuts, The top 1% will continue its domination of the country, and next year, no matter who we elect, this trend will continue. All politicians are only concerned with keeping themselves in power. To do this, it takes money, and they know who has it and who's willing to give it. It's the system thats the problem and until we are truely fed up, it will never change.
Jack, I think the super committee will accomplish a great deal. They will finally vanquish the middle class because the Democrats, having no spine, will cave completely to each Republican demand and will not ask anything in return. Remember that "compromise" has become a four-letter word to Republicans. The Republicans will win. They will get no tax increases on the wealthy, corporate taxes dropped to below zero, complete deregulation so corporations may pollute as they wish and not be required to provide safe workplaces nor even pay a minimum wage or benefits. The estate tax will be repealed, and the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy will become permanent. The military will get everything it wants–unlimited funding. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will be abolished. Government support for all programs that help the middle class and poor will be eliminated, but there will be corporate welfare and kickbacks for the wealthy. The Republicans will take over the Senate, keep control of the House, and win the White House in 2012. All that remains is for them to start handing out titles such as "Lord", "Earl", "Duke", "Marquis", and "King" to a select few. The rest will be living in poverty, as deserved.
The super committee and Congress won't do anything to help the country, nor will they put the country ahead of the interests of their corporate masters. And we continue to vote them back into office, term after term, so they can continue to harm us. So who is stupid? Not Congress, but the people.
First where in the constitution dose it say that a super committee is to handle the purse strings on this nation! No place
My answer Is Not a damn thing they are just as inept as the congress as a whole . can any one say Clean house and the senate !!
No – They will grade: Inconclusive, Incomplete , Failure ....and The Super Committee should not be called "Super". It's disrespectful to those that actually deserve the title such as SuperMan and denotes an heir of greatness. We cannot call "Do nothing politicians" anything but "Pathetic"
Super Dooper Pooper
With John Boehner not being on the Super Committee, he had the audacity to publiicly state that there would be no tax increases by the Super Committee. This guy is simply refusing to pay his fair share of taxes and that's why he's so against taxing the wealthy.