Super Committee Dems Decide Against Extending Deadline

WASHINGTON -- Congressional Democrats on the super committee tasked with finding $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction have ruled out supporting a measure that would have extended their deadline for making recommendations.

Multiple Democratic aides tell The Huffington Post that committee members held a private discussion last week during which they decided against the idea of pushing the November 23rd requirement to report to a later date.

The committee does have the power to grant itself more time. If seven of its 12 members were to pass a resolution extending its deadline, it would be sent to Congress and would be immune to amendments and filibusters -- the same privileges that the committee's final set of recommendations will receive. But Democrats decided against taking advantage of that option, figuring that it would send a poor message about lawmakers' capacity to act on weighty matters and increase the opportunity for Republicans to push and sell a deficit reduction plan that included no revenue increases.

"It has been dismissed by both sides," an aide said of the idea, noting that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had also raised objections to pushing back the deadline.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), first floated the idea last week that Congress could pass an extension on the committee's behalf giving it more time. Some have expressed concern that there isn't enough time for members to reach a majority-backed agreement and have it scored by the Congressional Budget Office before the deadline.

Aides familiar with the committee's machinations say members were fully aware that they had the option to grant themselves an extension but were not inclined to use it. It remained more likely that the committee would miss its deadline than extend it.

“I don’t think the super committee is going to succeed because our Republican colleagues have said 'no net revenues,'" Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on MSNBC Monday morning. “When Democrats move too far left, we lose. We’re now -- the basic mainstream of Democrats … we’re willing to move to the middle ... They are not willing to do any revenues.”

Comments

[Kritikos]

11:59 AM on 11/13/2011

Since Washington can't get over gridlock; let's just let the law decide. That means allowing the auto triggers to take effect and the Bush tax cuts to end.

[AZreb]

07:54 AM on 11/08/2011

Want to know what the Gang of Twelve agrees on? Go to http://news.yahoo.com/formula-reduce-social-security-increases 201418202.html to find out. Found this on my Yahoo home page, but you will not find it on WaPo, NYT, HP.

Sure - cut Social Security and they can all agree on that - but I see no cuts to the salaries and benefits for the Congress or the Administration.

[calloy]

07:37 AM on 11/08/2011

good move. put up the recommendations with new revenues and let the gop scuttle it like everyone knows they'll do.

yet another nail in their republican political coffin. ironic that they have dug their own grave and they'll be in it after the election next year.

[Skidooo]

04:43 AM on 11/08/2011

They should worry with Baccus on this Committee!! Remember how long he screwed with health care for approx. 6 months? It's sad when our duly eleected represenatives need to push their responsibilities off on another committee of their peers. This committee should be dissolved and the entire Congress be made to do their job. The debt ceiling should have been raised as it was in other years or the POTUS should have used the 14th Amendment and dared the irresponsible Republicans to sue him!

[hetrose]

02:41 AM on 11/08/2011

"...we’re willing to move to the middle..."

That's good Senator Shumer, but in case you lost sight of it (and from your statement you apparently did), the middle is now way over to your left. You and your Democrat allies on the this committee need to check each others pants, find your balls, and use them to stand firm against Republican insanity. Do Not agree to unnecessary cuts of Social Programs that are not even the Problem! Look for waste and cut the crap out of the War Budget and Corporate Welfare. The rest Must come from the Rich and corporations being taxed at the proper rates. Go against this principle now and you are going to lose your support from all quarters in the near future. Why vote for your if you are simply delivering the Republican agenda anyway? Now get right!

[AZreb]

07:58 AM on 11/08/2011

Go to http://yahoo.com/formula-reduce-social-security-increases-201418202.html to find out what ALL of the Gang of Twelve agree on.

[SisterAnn]

11:20 AM on 11/08/2011

Thank you hetrose, I agree. You saved me a lot of thinking and typing.

[whirlybird]

01:46 AM on 11/08/2011

“When Democrats move too far left, we lose. We’re now -- the basic mainstream of Democrats … we’re willing to move to the middle ... They are not willing to do any revenues.”

You sure about that, Chuck?

[MarieB]

09:41 PM on 11/07/2011

Obstruct and delay, obstruct and delay, obstruct and delay in one form or another for 3 frickin' years! And they wonder why people are in the streets. Why do we need a super committee? Do your jobs!

[MarieB]

09:34 PM on 11/07/2011

Aha! Our badges are back!!!!!

[notwithmycash]

08:49 PM on 11/07/2011

Move the deadline up and let's get this over with.

[Imagine 39]

08:36 PM on 11/07/2011

Here's my idea for helping to cut the debt.
Any private sector CEO, contractor or executive of a corporation can make no more than 10 times the income of their lowest paid employee if they choose to do business withe U.S. Government.
Savings?- billions.
Money in the pockets of working class folk? -billions.

[majorwiblit]

07:40 PM on 11/07/2011

Can you see it,,,soon,,,the drama,,,,the headlines,,,,,the endless talking pundits,,,,
the comments,,here and on other blogs!!!

[AZreb]

08:01 AM on 11/08/2011

Interesting to me is that there is no "Reply to Comments" section on the right hand side of HP any more. It was informative to me when folks would reply to my comments and I would get their viewpoints - some valid - on various matters.

[SisterAnn]

11:23 AM on 11/08/2011

You can click your name at the top of this webpage. It will take you to your page. Click the comments tab and it will show your comments and answers.

I used to click on the answers and reply but that hasn't worked for awhile.

[Demitasse]

07:40 PM on 11/07/2011

Sixty-six former aides to lawmakers serving on a congressional panel charged with finding ways to slash the federal deficit have represented powerful defense and health care industries that face colossal cuts in government spending, a new analysis shows.

Thirty-four former aides to members of the deficit-cutting "supercommittee" have lobbied on behalf of hospitals, drugmakers and other health care industries, according to a tally of congressional lobbying data through June prepared for USA TODAY by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics. Four have worked as registered lobbyists on behalf of defense companies, and 28 have lobbied for both sectors.

That adds up to about 60% of the 109 current and former federal lobbyists who have worked for panel members.

As the 12-member panel weighs how to cut at least $1.2 trillion from the deficit over 10 years, "it's not clear who's advocating for the citizens' interests," Allison said.
http://www.usatoday.com/NEWS/usaedition/2011-10-10-Deficit-Lobbying_ST_U.htm

[whirlybird]

01:49 AM on 11/08/2011

Who is advocating for citizens' interests? Seems pretty clear to me...no one.

[AZreb]

08:04 AM on 11/08/2011

Aren't most of them millionaires or in the high six-figure income bracket? Do they face any of the problems that an average American faces? Do they have secure retirement packages, medical care, perks, plus the knowledge that they can always go to work for one of their corporation buddies after being in office?

[SisterAnn]

11:24 AM on 11/08/2011

Bush's tax cuts will add up to 2 trillion over 10 years. Dumping the tax cuts would be the better way to go.

[GimmeShelter69]

07:33 PM on 11/07/2011

So at the same time they're talking about extending their own deadline to reach consensus I'm also reading that certain lawmakers are taking steps to head off the large cuts in Pentagon spending that would automatically result from the panel's failure to come to an agreement. This is mind boggling proof that the U.S. Congress is mondo dysfunctional. They are panicking weeks before the deadline of Nov 23 and beginning to undermine the very foundation of the deficit reduction agreement that was so painfully agreed to last August. At some point this ceases to be humorous! Gotta feeling that a very bad moon is rising over America...

[The Mask]

07:18 PM on 11/07/2011

The pragmatic side of me, which some might call _cynical, says that even if they fail to meet the deadline, the cuts will not be actually made based on the across the board philosophy set forth in the law, but will be manipulated to where it will be business as usual, the MIC portion of the government will go unscathed, the operations portion of the Congress will not be touched, and those who can least afford it will get the heft of the burden of the cuts. It's how the game is played.

The Central Committee is still questionable constitutionally, even if the Constitution allows the two houses to set their own rules. How can 38 of the states of the union feel that a decision being made has been done so with them having any representation at all? Isn't this what got us started back in the 1770s?

[dontplaymisty]

07:15 PM on 11/07/2011

Is that Tom Petty on the left?