There is nothing in the constitution that allows for a Super Comity with special powers in the first place. Even so, now that they are going to fail and the self imposed regulations are going to start in 2013 we find out that... oh wait, we can re write our self imposed regulations so they don't happen or at the very least get pushed off even farther. So what was the point of all this since congress makes up the rules as they go? By the way, this is all on Congress. The President has nothing to do with this. It is upon Congress to deal with the deficit, not the President.

What we really need are term limits for Congressmen.

Four terms for the House and two terms for the Senate. We're poorly served by a professional class of politicians who cater to special interest groups in a narcissistic and vain attempt to gain reelection. If it's OK for the President, it should be OK for Congress.

.

The Republicans are right. We have a spending problem. According to Factcheck.org "Federal spending is expected to equal 24.1% of the nation's gross domestic product in the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The figure was 25% in fiscal year 2009, highest since 1945."

The Democrats are right. We have a revenue problem. According to Factcheck.org "Federal revenues are expected to drop to 14.8 percent of GDP this year, lower even than the 14.9 percent attained in both 2009 and 2010. There has been only one year since World War II when revenues have been as low as in any of these years: 1950, when the figure was 14.4 percent.

Both problems need to be addressed. The highest spending plus the lowest revenue in nearly 3 generations is a sure recipe for economic disaster. We need to fix the spending problem AND we need to fix the revenue problem. I know that most posters on this site prefer party line dogma to facts, but for those few who don't, see: http://factcheck.org/2011/07/fiscal-factcheck/ for more details.

the failure of this super committee means little. What we really have is a failure of congress as a whole. We citizens haVE ALLOWED THIS GROUP TO BECOME SELF SERVING.. I can only hope that they are all turned out. There should be limits on how long each politican should be able to stay in any office...nor should they be able to write their own checks for whatever suits them..nor should funding their redo of their private offices in washington..which..I see little uses for since they suppose to be in their home states more than they really are. Everything should be brought before the voters..and that will have to happen before honesty in washington comes about.

Yeah term limits would be great, but then we'd have to pay for how many more golden parachutes for these worthless bums? You know each one of them would vote themselves a nice hefty severence package.

Unfortunately this is not news as it was fairly obvious from the onset that this committee was setup to FAIL. Having said that and as both sides give their preview of what went wrong, I feel it was somewhat disinguine of Senator Kyl this morning to state "...even President Obama said raising taxes now is a bad idea..." and "...this is why he extended the Bush tax cuts...". 1.) President Obama has been clear since his first day in office that he wanted the tax cuts for folks making over $250K a year to end. There is also evidence that the only erason Obama signed an extension for the Bush tax cuts into law and prevent the bottom of the economy from falling out, is because Repuyblicans held the nation hostage.

According to Senator Kerry this morning the stalemate is because Republicans want to make the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy permanent. This is where I (and hopefully most Americans) should draw the line. We should not repeat what happened in December last year, and if need be let all the taxz xuts expire. Americans need to send "not in my backyard', 'throw grandma and grandpa under the bus', 'we need more funds for defense spending', 'Grover Norquist pledging' Teapubs a loud message, and that is, "WE DO NOT NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS".

Who's the "terrorist"? When you have people on the committee like Sen. Patty Murray, who is unwilling to cut anything out of Medicare (except perhaps to screw doctors on their fees), someone needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Every time the government raises taxes, it just uses the money to increase spending rather than to cut the deficit. I don't trust for one minute that any tax increase will actually be used for deficit reduction. After they get done raising taxes on the the "millionaires", they will then discover it doesn't raise enough revenue. Then they will come after everyone else and raise their taxes to pay for the unsustainable entitlements like Obamacare, which was "balanced" by comparing 6 years of benefits against 10 years of increased taxes.

Procrustes-797831 - Right on!

Both are problems that need addressing. Lets compromise and let the Bush tax cuts expire completely - this should satisfy Democrats in congress, Cut total spending to 2009 levels (less TARP spending) - this should satisfy Republicans in congress.

Implementing both of these would result in a surplus next year.

John - Term limits? Are you and yours saying the voters don't have a right to elect the person they want to have represent them. What's wrong with the Constitution? There is nothing in that document that stipulates anyone should be term limited, aside from an amendment that restricts the President to two terms(a Republican amendment put in place after FDR's 4 terms). Repubs(cornservatives) always howl like stuck pigs that the Constitution is sacrosanct, except of course when they want to change it. Hypocritical much! Term limits would just mean politicians would be even more beholden to special interests because they will be out work and hewing the line of special interest will guarantee a job with that interest after they vacate their office. Same old, same old, not a real fix, just another repuke gimmick! Stop spewing the Faux news talking point.

FYI everybody. The Bush Tax cuts no longer exist. They are the Obama tax cuts, remember?

Svenolafson - They would be the POTUS's if the tax cuts for the rich would have been allowed to expire. Let me refresh your faulty memory. Wasn't it the repubs that insisted the Bush tax cuts for the rich remain in place. The status quo stayed the same and thus the Bush tax cuts remained. Understand?

Amused, you are 100% correct, Obama wanted to retain the cuts for the Lower and Middle Class only, but Boehner and the boys would not agree unless the Upper class got to get theirs as well, i.e., they held the Middle Class cuts hostage, showing us whom they really support (they must really love the taste of Grover's butt). This is just one of the reasons that I am now an ex-GOPer.

Sven the troll comes out from under his bridge once in a while to spread his misleading brand of flatulence, best to just ignore him.

Exactly. The Obama Tax Cuts.

Roadhouse - Thanks for the advice re: Svenolafson, but even a troll needs to eat humble pie now and then. I too was a GOPher, shrub cured me of that nasty habit, ain't going back! Obama "Four more Years" 2012!

Sven - Your just a one trick pony and pol-parroting isn't even worth mentioning, really! Back to your bridge.

Amused I will again remind you that only 22% of the Bush tax cuts (you know, those tax cuts for the wealthy) went to the top 2%, the group that pays over 50% of individual federal income taxes!! I say let them ALL expire. You and your kind state that they are tax cuts for the wealthy but then say you want them to expire only on the wealthy! If they were truly tax cuts for the wealthy, then letting them all expire won't harm anyone else! How do you reconcile this??!! Even Obama when he allowed them to be extended, called it the largest tax cut for the middle class in history. Yet you continue to refer to them as tax cuts for the wealthy!! Why would you decrease taxes on virtually everyone aand then increase them only on the group that already pays the majority?? Remember the bottom rate went from 15% to 10%, a decrease of 50% and the # paying no federal income tax increased from 25% to 47%. Do you still insist that these were "tax breaks for the rich"!!?? Raising taxes may be a part of the solution but everyone must participate. You cannot raise taxes enough to solve this problem!! There isn't that much money out there!

Tes - How about this? All Bush tax cuts expire and a return to 39% for highest tax bracket. That works for me.

TES - we did fine before the bush tax cuts when Clinton was in office and had a ballanced budget to boot. Goes to show the Nation does not need the Bush tax cuts. Get rid of them.

Amused, see you and I can agree on something!! I believe eliminating all of the Bush tax cuts would be much fairer than just eliminating them for some but this will not be seen as fair (by some) to the middle class even though they are still called "tax breaks for the wealthy!!

brenda Look at the spending under Clinton and compare it to one year's spending now. You don't think we have a spending problem!!??

That is an interesting statement from John Kerry, the richest man in congress, and the same pompous ass that took possession of a $7+ million dollar yacht in Rhode Island instead of his home state so he could avoid paying a six-figure state tax bill to the state he supposedly represents in congress.

Yes, that is the attitude. Raise taxes but on someone else or shared sacrifice as long as someone else is doing the sacrificing!!!

John Kerry is a hypocrite!

ssmike- care to elaborate. This forum is for discussion, not one line insults. From what i remember he is a war hero and has served our country for decades. What have you done for the country that permits you to judge. Thats what i thought.

Amazed I am not a war hero. I did my military service in peacetime! You? Also I live in Ma and know that Mr Kerry never met a tax he did not like, As long as it was imposed on someone else. He had his yacht built overseas and docked it in Rhode Island to avoid paying taxes. Not illegal! But certainly a hipocrite! Oh and trading stocks with insider knowledge, sorry thats wrong in my book. And probably illegal unless you are a senator or congressman. I think you have selective memory nit wit!

Rep. Michael McCaul (R), Texas is the richest man in Congress. If your going to criticize at least know your facts.. Just saying..

Exactly, LeavingBB. In today's political scene, the worse democrat is better than any republican. I'm curious, does anyone know what happened to the news concerning the lobbying firm and the Bankers' Association? The long memo detailing how the lobbying firm is working with the R's to create legislation aimed toward helping the wealthy / banks. It specifically mentioned the ties with Boehner. It also stated about finding dirt on any supporter of the OWS and all dems. It was on once the other day then taken down and then off again in the same day. Never to be seen.

Most politicians in DC are rich...trying to make that at partisan issue is just deflecting from the real problems facing our country.

Ron Agreed!

"As John Kerry observed, the Super Committee was charged with deficit reduction, not tax reduction." Perhaps Mr. Kerry should also realize that raising taxes isn't deficit reduction. This committee was put together to cut spending, not raise taxes or give tax breaks.

It's time for campaign finance reform and possibly term limits. Make it so our politicians cant be bought.

Michael2424 - Well excuse me! I was incorrect, it appears John Kerry is only the 3rd richest member of congress with $193 Million in assets, so it must be OK for him to avoid paying the $437k in sales tax and the annual $70k excise tax to the state he represents.

Oh and by the way, it appears you don't know the facts either as Darrel Issa is only the 2nd richest member of congress. Rep Michael McCaul is now the richest member of congress.

No need for you to apologize.

Therein lies the problem. As a previous blogger stated we have both a spending problem and a revenue problem. The real problem is the Republicans pledge to Grover babe. What happens is if you take one part of the equation off the table the other part is not enough. The fact that we have a spending problem is not new we've had it for a long time, but the tax problem has always been holding us back because it has been built on patent unfairness. When we can make a fair system with adequate funds to handle a lean government then we will be able to move forward as a powerful country again.

Ya'll can't see the trees because of the forest. First things first. Deficits and Debt are two different things. First the deficit needs to be eliminated and a surplus created. Once that's done we can start paying down our debt. The way that is done is by cutting spending. In my household when we find that we are spending more than we are receiving in pay we reduce our spending. We don't go to our bosses and ask them to give us more money because we have a spending problem. We sure don't go to our credit card companies and ask them to raise the limit on our credit cards so we can borrow more than we can pay back. I will not support any increase in tax on anyone until Congress can reduce spending to where we have a surplus and only then will I support tax increases and only for the reason of paying off our debt. I sometimes feel like I'm in the twilight zone. It's almost as if we have a nation of immature children who think that mom and dad have an endless supply of money and to get it all they need to do is whine enough. Grow the ef up!

Svenolafson

Ya'll can't see the trees because of the forest

========

I believe the correct old adage is "you can't see the forest for (because of all) the trees", but then again, you are Sven.

These idiots have only a few jobs they really need to do and this is one they have been failing at for years. Regardless of party affiliation, there's no excuse for not having struck a reasonable compromise that doesn't require this kind of action .... resulting in all of this inaction. Can we have layoffs for Congress, not recalls - I'm talking about true cost reductions by getting rid of these do-nothing gasbags. Do we really need to be paying for 535 of these nitwits, and their staffs, to just give speeches to each other - Lord knows, nobody else is listening. My congressional reps could be replaced with a random number generator driving a cache of talking points; no reason to pay their salary for that.

i hope we can bye all those votes back from big biz

Jimmy it's not just big biz that buys votes. There is also unions and special interest groups. Anyone that can put together a good chunk of money can get the ear of someone in congress.

thats funny as hell do you do standup?

Nerm,

It's a sad statement, but I agree with your sentiment.

Ahh... but for republicans it's

"Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country club"

You were close though...

k12ooRS,

The Dems had 2 years to do largely what they wanted, and they didn't act on the issues they now claim are critical. I'm not a fan of the Reps either - they screwed up big time the last 10 years also. Both parties are the problem - and making everything a partisan issue is just enabling the politicians to continue focusing on their careers instead of the country.

Jackie- I would like to know why this blatant and public refusal to uphold the oath of office to serve the people and the constitution is not a criminal offense. Grover and his lackey politicians should be in chains and face the judiciary. Dont you think?

Amazed Has there ever been a Democrat who has not caved to a lobby? Or a Union or some other political pressure? or perhaps been tempted to trade on insider knowledge?

Yes, ssmikw, of course there has, but never all at one time and swearing an oath to a lobbiest. Any elected official taking an oath other than to the United States should be kicked out, Dem or GOP/TP.

Jackie,

No member of congress signed anything that they would not "raise taxes on the wealthy". They pledged not to raise taxes (which I agree with in principle), but nowhere was a specific group singled out.

Please show me where I am wrong.

ssmike well we know one that sure CAVED to the UNIONS - President Obama..... He gave the unions parts of GM & Chrysler even though they are the primary reason both companies went Bankrupt..... That was after he shafted the investors in both..... Now we are stuck with this worthless stock in both.....

Joanne- Pay attention please. The republicans are blocking progress. They racked up the debt (Tax cuts, Two wars, Unfunded prescription drug benefit, no banking oversite) Now they want the poorest people in the country to pay for it. The want to make the tax cuts permanent and "broaden the base" Code for single moms and elderly and people in the poverty level to pay income tax who right now rely on tax refunds to survive. Then they want to lower the top rate to something like 23%. I dont think the democrats refusal to go along with this is their failure. I think the president had a very good package of 4 trillion that would have had really hurtful cuts to the social safety net but was a comprimise but the republicans rejected it because of Grover and his anti-american pledge to the rich. If you pay attention it is easy to see who is the problem. Please list for me the grievances you have with democrats? I pay attention every day and would be interested in what exactly you have a problem with

Amazed - the Title says it all... Lawmakers trade blame as deficit talks crumble Both sides are to blame for this. They haven't met face-to-face since November 1st. Neither side is trying to fix the economy, they are all waiting to act until AFTER the elections... They ALL could give a rat's a$$ about the American people, they are only concerned with themselves and their jobs... They are all quite wealthy, so whatever happens because of thier failure will have little impact on them... Wake up, it's ALL politicians, not just one side or the other!!!

Are you aware that the CBO baseline budget projection is that the deficit will be reduced from $1.48 trillion today to $533 billion by 2014?

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/120xx/doc12039/SummaryforWeb.pdf

The baseline budget numbers are based on legislation that is already in place. If we simply sent Congress home - so they could not interfere - the deficit will be reduced by 64% automatically.

The summer's fantasy crisis about the debt limit and now the fake SuperCommittee is just soap opera acting to avoid the deficit reductions that are already set to take place.

We can only wish that this was a 'do nothing' Congress ...

You did not read properly. I demonstrated HARD NUMBERS not statistics or percentages that can be massaged to make any point of view look good. And if anyone can honestly say that paying $500,000 or so in taxes is not a fair share, well then, God bless them. I don't have the exact figure but something like 2% of the population pays 40% of the taxes but do not user near that amount in services. And as for the poor, well while it's polictically impolite to state it, that just how it goes. I grew up in a working class family, worked and put myself through college. Also helped my mother pay my sisters' tuitions so they could go to catholic school rather than the crappy NYC public school system. I paid my way and I'm glad of it. Grew up in the Bronx with no silver spoon so I get tired of hearing the poor me crap. I got off my ass and worked for what I wanted. One more thing, I loathe Fox News and Bill O'Reilly. don't talk like you know me.

You are wrong Joanne! It is even worse. The top 2% pay over 50% of individual federal income taxes and the top 1% pays about 38% of them!! We have reached a tipping point wher mor peole receive aid than there are to pay for it!! Do you think the takers will bite the hand that feeds them (ie vote out the Dems)!!??

Texas- What proposals are you talking about. Did you pay a war tax to pay for the wars, didnt think so. Did you pay a tax for the prescription drug benefit, didnt think so. Did you pay taxes for TARP, didnt think so. Did you support the Bush tax cuts, I am sure you did. So much for conservatives proposals, Your party is the reason we are in this mess. Now you say you dont want to pay for it. Let single moms and the elderly and the poor pay, right, (code name "broaden the base"). Give me a break. Its a good thing that most of America can see thru your Faux news talking points. Absolutly UN-american and pathetic. Go lick Grovers boots

It shouldn't surprise anyone this committee failed. You can not govern when one side the (GOP) insists on cutting taxes instead of raising taxes, and the (DEMs) cannot agree on what to cut themselves. But this more so the GOP's fault. It was a stupid idea when they lowered taxes when we were fighting two wars, (meaning we had no money to pay for it) and it is even dumber now when you keep insisting on lower taxes for especially for the wealthiest (when they are telling you themselves they should be paying more). The GOP has one thing in mind since Obama became President and that is say no to everything and make it look like he can't govern. This was their strategy and still is. I hope they The GOP suffer big losses in 2012.

It takes 2 to gridlock. Even since the dems lower taxes during reagan then walshed on their promise to cut spending, the GOP hasnt trusted anything the dems say and its gone downhill since then. All of this is from the fact nobody has credibility up there. Only Nixon could go to china. Only a spending cutter can then raise taxes. Only someone who secures the border can make a deal with illegals already here. People need to see strength before they see leniency.

Of those 3 items my money is on St. Nick.

aarp was for Obomocare and cut a deal so they could sell more insurance!!!!

they are in on the scam! all the demos are making money on Obomocare!

Good one!

funny thanks i feel better!

Mark Why not force the Government to spend our money responsibly before raising taxes?

ssmike, the should absolutely spend money responsibly, but until they figure how to do that, go with the spending cuts already on the table and terminate the Bush tax cuts.

Right now we have nothing. And if GOP continues to refuse to compromise, we will continue to have nothing.

The issue right now is compromise to get the ball rolling.

From the news I hear neither side is compomising Mark. That doesn't suit your talking points of blaming the republicans though, so you choose not to mention it.

It might help if the government recovers the 2 trillion + dollars reported missing from the Dept of Defense on 9/10/01- the day before the 9-11 mass murders. It dropped off the radar when the attacks happened. Thats 2 TRILLION $$$$$ FOLKS! Funny thing is, that 2 trillion $$$$ wasn't recieved from congressional budgeting - WHERE DID IT COME FROM? (ahem , black program drug smuggling, weapons smuggling etc...). Next- WHERE DID IT DISAPPEAR TO? I suggest that Congress demand that the Dept of Defense turn it over to the Treasury or refuse to fund them for a few years so they use that 2 trillion $$$ to maintain itself. 2 trillion $$$$ would take a hell of a nice chunk out of our debt people!!!! That this has been ignored is nothing but criminal negligence on the part of Congress and other governmental investigating agencies. And where the hell have the so-called "watchdog" organizations been? We haven't heard word one from any of them on this subject. Some watchdogs! Every Citizen should be screaming at their people in DC over this. A moment of practice...AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! FIND THAT 2 TRILLION GODDAMNED DOLLARS YOU WORTHLESS LUMPS OF CAMEL DUNG! Just like that.

if it is whats taking so long?

Hope that is so... 200% import tax on all imports. Any one that argues this is making $ off imports.

msaint

That could work but are you willing to pay a few thousand rather than a few hundred dollars for your television?

Idiot response! If you find yourself in financial trouble you do both. Cut spending and find new revenue you fool!

mind boggling is watching that dept clock

more revenue is easy lower politicians pay start taxing big buisness instead of giving them tax breaks when you make 14 billion in profit you dont need 6 billion given back to you in a rebate payed for bye us thats what killing our country

So you find another 8 hours in the day to add a 4th job. Thats like giving a soldier a weapon and no ammo.......then telling him to shoot the first thing he sees coming at him.

That is working for the people of this country..........to not raise taxes. People have a right to keep some of their hard earned money.

Raising taxes is not the answer because the federal government will just keep spending more and more and more! The spending is out of control and needs to get back to some sort of decency. Too many people rely on the government for that check instead of working hard and achieving on their own. The federal government has their fingers in too many things and it is such a waste. They need to get out of the way and let companies survive and thrive or fail......making room for a smarter company to take its place.

its not just thr republicans its the dems to. if we get rid of the two party system just one party the american party then thay cant blame the outher party anaymore thay set this system in place just so thay can play the blam or lame game

Your Opinion. Your entitled to it!

When in debt you need to cut spending and raise revenue or are you too dumb to know that! Republicans are traitors to their county when they give their loyalty to Norquist over their country!

clwyd

Being in debt is a lot like being in a hole, the first thing you must do is stop digging (spending).

Once you do that you can address the problem with another job (increased revenue) or permanent spending changes or whatever, but first stop digging (spending)

Did I say anything different than what you said? But to deny raising revenue as an options is criminal on the republicans part! Then to have more loyalty to Norquist is likewise criminal!

Dahly, it's a bit more complicated than that. Bumper sticker solutions just don't cut it.

Mark, Please "ignore me" your opinions are worthless. You have no leadership or executive experience, never meet a payroll..... nevermind, you bore me.

Actually I do Dahly, but stick with your one-line solutions to multi-trillion dollar problems: if that's all you can offer up, stick with it.

That's why we're always so depressed.

What reality? They want to let the tax cuts expire and raise taxes on everyone even the poor .... so you Dems with kids your tax cut will go from 1000 dollars a child to 500 doesnt sound like Dems like the poor.