This post originally appeared at Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture. I am a Fellow with CAF.
If you saw this morning’s Progressive Breakfast, you know that Senator Kent Conrad has an op-ed in Politico, “Priority no. 1: Pass long-term budget plan,” in which he proposes steps to do something about the borrowing caused by the tax cuts for the rich that he just voted for. (And if you didn’t see this morning’s Progressive Breakfast you really ought to sign up to receive it every day. Click here and scroll to the bottom to sign up.)
In his op-ed Sen. Conrad claims that the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform — the “deficit commission” — released “a plan.” This is surprising, because the deficit commission did not release a plan. The commission was assigned the task of coming up with an overall package that, taken as a whole, could receive 14 votes from the commission’s members. Instead co-chairs Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, a conservative Republican and a Wall Street representative (a Director of Morgan Stanley) — released a plan of their own that did not get the required support of the commission. Just two guys, not the commission.
Tag Archives: deficit commission
Hidden Agendas Killed The Deficit Commission
This post originally appeared at Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture. I am a Fellow with CAF.
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (“Deficit Commission”) was charged with coming up with a plan to reduce the budget deficits and accumulated debt caused by tax cuts for the rich and military spending increases. It was supposed to come up with a bipartisan package that, taken as a whole, would get votes from both sides of the aisle. It was supposed to vote by Dec. 1, and it was only supposed to issue recommendations if they got 14 votes.
It didn’t work out that way. Dec. 1 has passed and the out-of-business commission apparently can’t get the required 14 votes. The commission has failed.
What happened? Two hidden agendas were brought to the table, undermining the commission’s work. Both come from longstanding campaigns by corporate-backed conservatives to undermine trust in, and ultimately defund democratic government. The first was an attack on Social Security. The second was a demand for even more tax cuts for the rich. It is no surprise that these undermined the deficit commission; the well-funded corporate-conservative anti-government agenda now undermines every effort to govern our country, solve our problems and help our people.
SS On The Table, But BS Not?
This post originally appeared at Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture. I am a Fellow with CAF.
The President has a commission looking at ways to reduce the budget deficits which were caused by tax cuts for the rich and military spending increases. Social Security – which has no legal authority to borrow money, so it can’t contribute to deficits – is on the table for cuts, at least as far as We, the People are allowed to know. (The commission meets in secret.) That’s BS.
Another reason we know SS is on the table is that almost all of the members of the commission have spoken in the past of their inclination to cut or privatize the program. That’s BS.
Republican members of the commission have said in advance that taxes will not be on the table. That’s BS.
In fact, conservatives of both parties are arguing to extend the expiring Bush tax cuts for the rich! That’s BS.
The country spends up to $1.2 trillion a year on wasteful, bloated military and related programs, more than all the rest of the countries on earth combined, but the commission isn’t talking about cutting that down to, say, only three times our nearest possible competitor? That’s BS.
Social Security being involved with this commission at all is BS. If they want to cut something they should cut the BS.
If you want to fix the deficits, fix the problems that caused the deficits, not things that can’t. Speaker Pelosi said in July that talking about SS and the deficits are like apples and oranges. With this in mind Rep. Raul Grijalva says Congress should preempt this, and demand that Social Security be left alone.
Ask the candidates in your district and state to sign the Hands Off Social Security pledge, and check the list to see who else is on board.
Also, please visit Strengthen Social Security where you can sign up for information, and to follow them on Twitter and/or Facebook.
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Dear Deficit Commission, It’s Not Hard
Dear Deficit Commission,
It’s not hard to figure out why we have a huge deficit. It’s so easy I don’t have to use words. Here are some pictures:
Bill Clinton raised taxes on the rich. Bush cut them.
Now, about that huge national debt…
That second chart kind of explains itself.
The third chart can help you find a place to get some money:
(Note: There is no more Soviet Union.)
In case that isn’t clear enough, try this:
Let me know if you still have any questions.
This post originally appeared at Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture. I am a Fellow with CAF.
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