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Can, Officially Kicked

By Joseph Lawler on 11.21.11 @ 5:08PM

"After months of hard work and intense deliberations, we have come to the conclusion today that it will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreement available to the public before the committee's deadline.

"Despite our inability to bridge the committee's significant differences, we end this process united in our belief that the nation's fiscal crisis must be addressed and that we cannot leave it for the next generation to solve. We remain hopeful that Congress can build on this committee's work and can find a way to tackle this issue in a way that works for the American people and our economy.

"We are deeply disappointed that we have been unable to come to a bipartisan deficit reduction agreement, but as we approach the uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving, we want to express our appreciation to every member of this committee, each of whom came into the process committed to achieving a solution that has eluded many groups before us. Most importantly, we want to thank the American people for sharing thoughts and ideas and for providing support and good will as we worked to accomplish this difficult task.

From the beginning, both sides in the deficit negotiations worked not to find a compromise to lower the debt, but to control the narrative for when the supercommittee failed, in order to pin blame on the other team. Arguably, that's exactly what they should have done: Texans didn't elect Jeb Hensarling to raise taxes, and Washingtonians didn't elect Patty Murray to cut Social Security. So now the games begin, starting with a statement from President Obama to be issued at 5:45.

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tRouble| 11.21.11 @ 7:59PM

Doing nothing isn't so bad:
http://www.offthechartsblog.or.....-trillion/

Seven trillion in deficit reduction over ten years, bringing us close to a balanced budget by 2015, all just for doing nothing. Not a bad starting point!

PattyMor| 11.22.11 @ 9:22AM

This is but a spit in the wind in our budget of Trillions of Dollars. But, it was probably the best outcome. At least they didn't stick us with higher taxes in exchange for phantom cuts.

So the battle field changes to the election. It will determine whether we elect Republicans who will pare down the leviathian or simply raise taxes to pay for it. Game on!!

Timothy L. Pennell| 11.22.11 @ 9:29AM

Was there ever any doubt? We had a precursor to the Super Committee. It was called: The Really Good, But I Wouldn't Call It Super, Committee. Remember? It was Bi-Partisan, with what's his name from Wyoming, and Erskin Bowles. They were gonna come up with ways to Alter the DNA of the TAX and SPEND Democrats, who, after all, Controlled EVERYTHING those days.
I know what you're thinking: "Here we go. Another Committee. Another Dog and Pony Show. Nothing will ever come of it. Nothing ever does."

But, then. Something DID happen. These guys actually put their heads together, and got something done. It was Thoughtful. It was Specific. And, for the 1st time in my lifetime, one of these things had done something that actually had THE PEOPLE in mind.

They presented their findings to President Charlatan, with great fanfare. Whereby, the America Hating, Marxist POS took HIS Committee's Recommendations, and promptly threw them in the trash. All of our instincts were correct. It was a BAIT and SWITCH from the beginning. Enter: Super Bait and Switch.

I am not so Altruistic with these Republicans as you are, Ross. If they had any GUTS? If they had displayed anything even remotely resembling a BACKBONE? There wouldn't have been a Super Committee. The "need" for it, would never had occurred. Like Charlie Brown kicking the football, they were too scared of being blamed for OBAMA'S DEBT. They were afraid that they might upset the Independents. It didn't matter that they had just been given an HISTORIC VICTORY at the Polls. They were afraid. And we got a DOWNGRADE.

What they should have done, was to give the Democrats EVERYTHING THEY WANTED. They should have said: "We can't get a deal with the Democrats. We want Spending Cuts. They want Huge Tax Increases. And, if we fail to reach a compromise, there will be massive cuts to our Country's Defence, and massive cuts to Medicare. So. We have chosen to Protect our Defence Budgets and protect Medicare for our Seniors. I will vote with the Democrats. They will get their massive Tax Increases. And, make no mistake. These are THEIR Tax Increases. We'll try it their way. And when the SH*T HITS THE FAN, one more time, maybe THEN, the American People will wake up and see that TAX and SPEND is not the way to get things done."

But that's Me.