Why Democrats Lose: The Super Committee Appointees

[daa]

If you care about Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid, be very worried. Consider the stated positions of the Senate leaders on appointees:

Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell says that the super committee will “certainly deal with major entitlement reforms,” even as he reassured conservatives that they should not worry about tax hikes, telling a Fox News reporter that the likelihood of tax hikes coming out of the committee is “pretty low.”

“What I can pretty certainly say to the American people, the chances of any kind of tax increase passing with this, with the appointees of John Boehner and I, are going to put in there are pretty low,” said McConnell. He added: “I’m comfortable we aren’t going to raise taxes coming out of this joint committee.”He contrasts wth negotiating with the president, because the president insisted that entitlement reform be accompanied by “big taxes. That was a price we were not willing to pay.”

Meanwhile the Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid wants representatives who are open to all ideas. Reid told reporters Monday that he would select people who are willing to make hard choices but aren’t locked in. “One of my friends asked me, he said, Harry, I'd like to be on that committee,” Reid said. ”But I think it doesn't bode well for me to choose someone who the world knows how they feel about it before they go in there. I think we better look at other avenues.”

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2011083102/why-democrats-lose-super-commitee-appointees

[Dawgs]

1. Yep. Boehner/McConnell appointies = radical right corporatists, Reid appointies = blue dogs

Of course, why should anyone be surprised?

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. There are three parties in congress...

....but only two labels.
Democrats who are Democrats,
Democrats who are Republicans.
Republicans who are Republicans.

(There used to be quite a few Republicans who are Democrats when I was a lad, but they're extinct.)

Welcome to the joys of coalition government. Coalition, or permanent minority, your call.

[Armstead]

5. Very astute description. Sums it up.

[Unvanguard]

2. Obviously. This was the whole point of the Boehner plan.

Now brought about in a "bipartisan" way by Democratic capitulation.

[Owlet]

4. Reid is the classc limp noodle

For the life of me, I can't understand how he got elected to his 'leadership' position, unless it's because he is completely non-threatening to the egos in his party.

[democrat_patriot]

6. Each side votes party lines - stalemate.

Trigger goes off - bullet hit us in the groin.

[vroomvroom]

7. All Repubz need is 1 Blue Dog on that Committee and its SS cuts EASILY!

We all know there will be NO Progressives on that committee. THIS IS WHY this deal is a disaster. It isnt what is happening now it is what is going to happen down the road.

[DrToast]

9. It still have to pass Congress

The trigger is going to be pulled. There will be no deal from this Super Congress.

[harun]

12. +1, they won't let any Progressives near that committee.

It will be people like Baucus.

[chill_wind]

8. Let's be very clear. Reid wants to own this as his own baby.

That's right. Democrat leadership wants this as much as any R.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid touted the joint committee on Monday afternoon and told reporters, "Everyone knows that a joint committee was my proposal. I'm glad that Senator McConnell has put his arms around this. I hope that we can get something done.


http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/aug/2/picket-lawmakers-remain-leery-super-congress/

[ClarkUSA]

10. Chill out. Any GOP Senator who voted against the debt deal will not be allowed on the committee.

That should weed out all of the uber right wing whackos like Rand Paul.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/08/02/litmus_test_for_gop_senators.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalWire+%28Political+Wire%29

[chill_wind]

13. He or his office are backtracking on that

(as usual)

Both Reid and he are denying that the vote itself will be a litmus test. The litmus test is how much they badmouthed in particular the formation of the super committee, regardless of their vote.

A spokesman for Senator McConnell reportedly said the Kentucky Republican would also not look at whether or not a Republican Senator voted for the bill as a criteria for an appointment on the joint committee.

"I was referring to people who said the committee was a waste of time--nothing will happen there. I just think we have to go into this with people who have eyes wide open willing to make difficult choices but yet understand the political reality of the world we are in," he said.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/aug/2/picket-lawmakers-remain-leery-super-congress/

Update at your link:

UPDATE: McConnell spokesman Don Stewart says all senators will be considered. "No one is stronger in his opposition to tax hikes than Sen. McConnell. He will have serious discussions with all those who are interested in serving prior to making any appointments."

They both have lots of time yet to play politics with this.

[KoKo]

11. Jay Carney in his Presser today said Entitlements will have to be cut by the Super Committees...

and everything is on the table. Remember how Repugs have gone after the EPA and Department of Human Services? Watch and see if the EPA/FDA/DHS and FAA aren't cut by these Super Committees.