The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Cognitive Dissonance, Super Committee Edition

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Cognitive Dissonance, Super Committee Edition

By W. James Antle, III on 8.10.11 @ 12:09PM

Just scanning my Twitter feed, I see that conservative are angry about the lack of Tea Party representation on the super committee while liberals seem to believe the Democratic appointees so far are less liberal than the Republican picks are conservative. Liberals are particularly upset by "anti-tax ideologue" Pat Toomey's presence on the committee.

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A. Doer| 8.10.11 @ 1:23PM

What's the complaint? All six signed the "no tax increases" pledge.

The bottom line is that Democrats have said they'd agree to reductions in entitlements only if there are also increases in tax revenue. Republicans have said they want reductions in entitlements but no new tax revenue. The tax revenue is the sticking point, and here you've got six Republicans who have promised not to give in on that point.

"Tea party representation" on the committee would make gridlock even more likely, but as things stand it's hard to imagine the Republicans agreeing to new tax revenue. So unless the Democrats cave completely and give the Republicans what they want without any concessions from the Republicans, infuriating the progressive base and giving the Republicans a huge boost going into the election, the outcome is gridlock and the automatic across the board cuts.

Kyle| 8.10.11 @ 1:28PM

A Republican promise doesn't mean much these days. Go back and see how many parts of the 2010 Republican Pledge at the Hardware Store have been broken already.

Kyle| 8.10.11 @ 1:31PM

Liberals are upset at the picks that the GOP has made, that makes sense. What doesn't make sense is that Boehner picked a few idiots who conservatives are upset with. We can't gauge the success of the GOP by how the left reacts; even if taxes were raised the left would still want more. The left being angry doesn't translate to victory for conservativism.

JimH| 8.10.11 @ 1:51PM

Is there a phone booth big enough where they can all change into their costumes at onece?

aware| 8.10.11 @ 3:37PM

What a boondoggle in the making. This is nothing but can kicking and exactly what you can expect from the career criminal sociopaths that are the political establishment. Both parties.