Destined For Deadlock Or Worse
In the next couple of months a committee of 12 people will get together in a room in our nation’s Capitol, put pen to paper, and look to cut our Federal budget. Let me put this as bluntly as I can: this “Super” Congressional Committee is a farce and nothing but a tax increase trap.
In my opinion, this “Super Committee” is un-Constitutional at best and the mere presence of it is a testament to our elected officials inability to lead. It is also designed not to solve the problem. If this group does not come to an agreement to cut, then an automatic minimum of $1.2 trillion of cuts occur which will be split equally between defense spending and “all other spending”. Don’t get me wrong. There is plenty of fat in our defense budget and I think nothing should be held immune to cuts but assigning half of the spending “blame” to defense spending? Anyone who pays attention know that the real culprit of our long term malaise is underfunded and over-promised entitlement spending.
To understand why the chances this committee will NOT do anything substantial let’s handicap its members:
Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash): Chairperson of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and is the Senate Democrats leading fundraiser. Her home state of Washington is where Boeing, a defense contractor, is located. In my opinion she is there for one reason: to ensure that any deal will protect incumbent Senate Democrats to ensure the majority. (National Taxpayers Union Rank: F)
Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont): Chairperson of the Senate Finance Committee. He helped to craft the new health care boondoggle. He was vehemently opposed to any Social Security privatization proposed under President Bush. He voted against the Bowles/Simpson plan because it cut Medicare. (NTU Rank: F)
Senator John Kerry (D-Mass): Chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Viewed as a defense cutter. (NTU Rank: F)
Senator Patrick Toomey (R-Pa): Voted against the raising of the debt ceiling. Former President of the Club for Growth. Against raising taxes. (NTU Rank: NR)
Senator John Kyle (R-Az): A staunch advocate for the military. Opposes tax increases. (NTU Rank: A)
Senator Rob Portman (R-Oh): Former Office of Management and Budget director under President Bush. Considered a “moderate” Republican. (NTU Rank: NR)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex): Chairperson of the Republican Conference. He was on President Obama’s debt commission and voted no on the measure. Against tax increases. (NTU Rank: A)
Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich): Chairperson of the House Ways and Means Committee (think IRS). He was on President Obama’s debt commission. Against tax increases. (NTU Rank: B+)
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich): Chairperson of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Viewed by most as a moderate Republican. During the Bush administration argued for decreasing tax cuts. (NTU Rank: B)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md): Ranking member on the House Budget Committee. Former head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. (NTU Rank: F)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Ca): Vice Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. Voted against the debt deal and was quoted as saying “…it does not ask for shared sacrifice”. (NTU Rank: F)
Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC): Third ranking House Democrat. He was recently quoted as saying he would use his seat to social engineer and “close the wealth gap”. (NTU Rank: F)
Looking at this committee as a whole the big picture starts to form. It will all come down to the prospect of raising taxes. One of the basic tenets of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” is that “every battle is won before it is ever fought”. It seems to me that battle lines have already been drawn and on one side will be potential 6 tax raisers and on the other side 6…err make that 4 “friends of the tax payer”. The big unknown here is the presence of 2 “moderate” Republicans who have the potential to say ”yes” to a tax increase and possibly put Congress in the unenviable position of voting on it which will have only two possible outcomes:
1) Both chambers vote “yes” and will be blamed for raising taxes on people in a crushing recession putting good, small government advocates at re-election risk, or
2) At least one chamber votes “no” and leftists will hit the airwaves blaming them for stalling the deficit reduction process in an election year putting good, small government advocates at re-election risk.
The only way this committee finds a majority and forwards a recommendation it will be with a tax increase and then, as usual, “we the people” lose. If they don’t find a majority the automatic cuts imposed will not solve the problem and, as usual, “we the people” lose. With an even number of committee members the outcome of this battle is already predetermined. This committee was designed for, and is destined for deadlock…or worse.
Blaise Ingoglia, Founder
Government Gone Wild
National Taxpayer Union Rankings HERE
the government can’t fix the problem because they ARE the problem. the government has their hands in everything, & the scope of mismanagement is incomprehensible, & all they can do is give us lip-service. voters tend to vote for their own best interest – ‘the person who robs peter to pay paul can always expect the support of paul’ … with so many competing agendas, i don’t how anything is ever going to be fixed – the government sure as hell isn’t going to make a move – it might offend a group of key voters! the way i see it, the problem is multifactoral – to fix one problem, you have to fix another, and another and another & so on. you’re not going to be able to put a band-aid over it & call it good. to really fix the problems you’re going to have to get right down to the roots. this group of 12 is a farce … what makes them any smarter than the others? what can these 12 do that the rest of the whole worthless lot can’t?? nothing. it’s a scham like everything else & as per usual, the ordinary tax-payin’ citizens will be the ones who have to shoulder the burden. correct me if i’m wrong, but isn’t it written in the constitution that it’s the right/responsibility of the citizens to overthrow a corrupt government? … hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm …..
Perhaps they should start with Congress taking salary cuts!
I have been a tax professional for 44 years, many of them as an enrolled agent. My take on loopholes is this: Anything that allows any income to go untaxed is a loophole. There are loopholes for both rich and poor. Exemptions for the taxpayer(s) and dependents are loopholes and primarily benefit the poor. A few thousand for personal exemptions means little to someone making millions. Itemized deductions are a loophole and the tax benefit to a lower income person is worth more than a rich person. Look at your tax return and see how many “loopholes” you have. Capital gains tax is a loophole for the wealthier. The annual tax-free gifts are a loophole for the rich. You get the point now? The tax code provides generous loopholes for everyone. Don’t make the mistake of saying your loopholes are good loopholes and someone else’s are bad loopholes. There’s something for everyione.
This was a coup by Obama to make him the dictator. IWe must demand that congres repeal this group of 12.
This act was illegal and it nullifies the constitution. This was the same thing that happened in Germany to put Hitler in power. Americans need to wake up and learn what is in the constitution. Obama has been shredding our constitution and he needs to be removed from office immediately and Congress must reinstate the Glass-Steagall act that would curb the big internation banksters of Wall Street and London who have robbed us dry. The British Empiere is the evil empire and Obama is their puppet. He is dismanateling America on orders from the Queen. He should be told to leave or go to jail for all the crimes he has committed. The Democratic congress and some Republicans have aided and Abetted this man. Every time he did something illegal against the constitution, they just let it go by and all it did was empore the empire more.
Everyone must call their Senators and demand that they pass the Glass Steagall immediately it’s our only hope and it’s “Glass-Steagall or die” Do it now. Get rid of Hitler’Obama
I can’t help but wonder is it time to return to 1776 and stop the ternary. The current Tea Party will not get enough done because as long as they are talking the Politicians know that control is still in there hands.
It is time to tell the American Aristoracy ( the Politicians) that we no longer need them and do it by force if needed.
I would not feel bad about being a casuty of the next America Revolution if it gives the country back to the people for the people and by the people.
[...] by Blaise Ingoglia and published at Government Gone Wild, August 17, [...]
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When I heard that a committee was to be formed, I knew we were in trouble. The deck has been stacked and as usual this committees is destined not to produce good results. Is it that they will decide who’s programs and voter constituents get cut out because they realize that cutting the size of government is what the people are demanding? Or is it simply a ploy to buy time for the people to fall asleep on the debt issue? I’ve read several congressmen think revamping the tax code is the way to fix the problem. We all must recognize that this is simply another way of raising taxes (eliminating loopholes). I am so tired of both sides unwillingness to do the right for this country because of selfish reasons. All this continues to add fuel to the term limit idea and of capping or eliminating the amounts of special interest payoffs they can accept directly or indirectly. Greed reigns on both sides of the aisle and this so called bipartisan committee is simply a stall tactic to make us think the crooks are really going to solve the problem. I totally agree it’s a waste of time. Sad as it is, it’s all about playing politics to allow a very apathetic populace snooze and let the waters settle from the surging sunami of recent debt ceiling discussions. I encourage all not to vote for any elected official that has been in office over two years. That’s on both sides of the aisle. Cut or be cut will be their only salvation in my book. We must keep pressure on them to make cuts first and shrink the size of government. Leave the tax code alone or do what Reagan did to stimulate growth and lower taxes to create growth in the private sector. The real problem lies in the fact that most if not all of them have sold out to special interests and now they are faced with having to decide whose programs get cut or in otherwords, whose pay gets cut. Our founding fathers would have prevented the selling of votes had they had the foresight to do so. God save our country and guide them back to the correct path to make the right decisions.
The committee is a complete farce including the Republicans.
I still cannot believe the the people we elect cannot hear the voices. It’s time to let the government shut down and maybe then, they’ll know that we’re serious. I think that our government should be all volunteer, so there is no incentive but good government. No lobbys, no salaries, no perks and no pention. And most of all, No Lifetime Polititions.
I do not believe that anything good for our country will come out of the committee. Someone needs to rise up and stop this mess before we totally collapse as a country.
I totally agree! This committee is a cowardly farce. We elected 535 officials to lead and administer our government. Who authorized them to sub-contract this out to 12 individuals while the other 523 to do a Pontius Pilate routine? The Constitution sure didn’t authorize this! Remember, most of these folks are lawyers. Every word is couched in double entendre. Of the 535, is there not ONE who is “man” enough, brave enough and honorable enough to take a clear position without double-speak? Half the country doesn’t pay a dime of federal tax and with the earned income tax credit, some of these even get a tax return check! Everyone should pay something, even if it’s only few dollars. Aren’t we ALL Americans? Leave the tax RATES alone or lower them. Just cut the loop holes and subsides. Grandfather Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. (I just started collecting Social Security). Increase the retirement age for those under 45 and or increase the amount that is subject to the tax…or both. I am sure there are better ideas than mine but is there anyone who will step up for our country? Do I sound frustrated….I SURE AM!
Fire whomever thought this up. Who in the world figured that 12 can settle things when 545 can not ? For starters, it is the Democrat side that has claimed that the Socialist & Communist Party & Liberals (Progressives) rull the Democrat Party now, which actually makes it ILLEGAL & Unconstitutional ! Any Senator or Congressman that has been an affiliate or associate member of the Socialist, Progressive, or Communist Parties should be fired immediatly & stripped of all bennifits & retirement pay ! Automatic back ground checks should always be preformed on any individual seeking an elected office starting at State levels all the way to President !
There is also a new name for Obama, he runs his mouth for 2-3 weeks & gets cotton mouth, then goes on another VACATION ! Barack VACATION Hussein Obama.
Message by: Father of a Fallen Hero,
Uncle of a Fallen Hero,
28 year Veteran !
Thank you for your service and the ultimate sacrifice your son and family have made for our country. If only our politicians had an ounce of the guts and honor of you and your family.
God Bless,
Semper Fi
(1)”All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives”- US Constitution Article 1.7..1
(2) “No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census” US Constitution Article 1.9.4
Per above (1), only the house can approve the super committee’s recommendations. Therefore, based on previous rejections, I don’t think a tax increase will get through.
Per above (2), our progressive capitation is functionally illegal and could be questioned. Surely, someone will raise this point.
Therefore, the only way that the super committee will achieve anything is to rewrite our tax code, thus raising taxes, but making it fairer without so many special exemptions. For example, Congressmen pay no taxes on their $25,000/ yr health care plan due to these exemptions. but a person making $30,000/yr first pays taxes on his catastrophic coverage. So, you see, this committee can make a difference.
Will it? No! It will opt for the easy way out and take an across the board cut of #1.2T. Maybe something good will come out of this draconian result.
I agree with Rick Shafer. WE are responsible for the mess our country is in and We are the only ones that can change the direction of our government. WE have Term Limits already, it’s called Election Day…… VOTE THEM OUT!
The “Super Committee” is an admission of failure of our elected representatives to govern. An exercise in futility that will result in cuts and tax increases that satisfy only a few. Those who have nothing to lose- the 48% who pay no taxes- agree the rich should pay more. Everyone should pay taxes so they have an interest in reduction of government. If it’s fair to tax social security payments why wouldn’t it be fair to tax other recipients of government hand outs?The Flat Tax would simplify our tax system and require that everyone pay a fair share,including those rich enough to hire lawyers to find loopholes to pay no taxes.Tax relief is only a form of buying votes for the politicians whether it’s granting tax exemptions for the “rich”or handouts for the “poor”.It’s “what’s in it for me” that is what’s behind a politician’s support for legislation,not “what’s in the best interest for the people”.Committees solve nothing but to self perpetuate themselves.
My answer to the legislative issue… TERM LIMITS!
Two for senators and six for representatives.
How many of the above would even be here IF such were in effect?
I agree whole heartedly… Give them all terms of serves. The president can only do 2 terms.. Why do the others get to hang around for ever… Wake up people we need some new ideas… And if they want the military to wait until they are in their 60′s to get retirement , so should they.. Why do we pay them after they finally leave office.. I can’t really see where any of them have earned any of it…They tell us lies so we will vote them in.. Then they do what’s best for them… If they couldn’t run for office for ever, they would probably do better.. As they wouldn’t be rubbing someones back all the time to stay in…
Cut the budget across the board! Every Federal government project, employee (including all you over paid politicians), everything you send a check to. Cut them ALL the same percentage. That should cut a lot from the budget. Simple!
Please refer to the article posted on Government Gone Wild called “The Video Congress Does Not
Want You to See”. The content of the article is people elected to congress and how their net worth is skyrocketing! It will make you sick and disgusted! We can’t trust congress anymore!
Shout out to all Christians! A powerful type of prayer! Merciful God, Please Spare America! Please go to my Facebook profile and copy and distribute it to all that you can. My profile is listed as Nancy Reisiger Rice.
This sort of prayer moved the Merciful God to save a sinful race from utter ruin on three outstanding occasions: Prayers of Daniel, Mordecai and Judith.
Looky here. If twelve (12) apostles were enough for Jesus, they’re good enough for any Nobel Prize Winner.
The numbers don’t lie. Congress consumes too much. It’s belly is full of pork, and now it’s in a barrel, going over like a death defining Niagra Fall stunt. Keep the twelve competent hard working members of Congress, and fire the rest. That one action will reduce what Congress spends by 97.24%, all things being equal, and statistically factual.
Blaise, Looks like an accurte analysis to me! Lets kick the can down the road a little bit further. The message is clear: dump the dollar and buy gold and silver!
Keep the messages coming Blaise… I am forwarding this message to all my political and personal emails alike… this message will go to:
Grassfire Nation
912 coalition
Tea Party
AFA Family Association
We all need to stand up against the tyranny that is befalling this nation. I am 62 years old and in my lifetime have never seen the devastation we are currently facing and it must stop and STOP NOW!
This may be a critical time to put a huge amount of pressure on the members of the “Super Committee” to find a real bipartisan solution, with everything, including a atx increase, on the table. A modest tax increase at the upper end of the income scale would be a good trade for meaningfull changes in government spending. We should not be telling both sides to stick to their guns, at all costs. We should be telling them that if they fail, their days in Washington are numbered.
Sorry Blaise, on this one I cannot jump up and down with joy and rage. Example: Warren Buffet said yesterday that his tax rate was 17%, the LOWEST in his whole egg-nest full of companies. I am Disabled SSA (there was a war some 40 years ago that in many ways we are still fighting only elsewhere), my wife 2 years unemployed. No COLA for all the Bush and Obama years and yet our tax rate is 21%. In our tax laws and loops I do not see ANY equality nor do I see any shared sacrifice. If ALL of the bailed-out companies plus the bankrupt Wall Street ones, still PAID THEIR CEO AN AVERAGE OF $42 MILLION salary + bonus from bail-out funds, that is not only the height of GREED in America but the perfect picture of the corruption of our government. Trust me, the “elites” don’t even know what is going on with people “on Main Street” and THEY DON’T EVEN CARE! They simply do not live in OUR world; they never go to the food market, never buy gas, the clothing line comes to them, their homes are bigger than some hotels. It just is not the same world. It has been like that since the Robber Barons. And why? Simple_BECAUSE THAT IS THE WAY WE WANT IT! Now everybody is shouting WE and I say again, yes WE! It is WE who vote, it is WE who put Obama in, it is WE who let the Republicans go nuts in spending under Bush 2; it is WE who keep electing the same people; it is WE who do not hold Congress accountable simply because WE do not want to know WHY because we would just shrug the shoulders and say “well, there is nothing I can really do about it”. Folks, everybody here is talking to the choir and that is what happens every place on the net and in politics, but when it comes to the VOTE, suddenly for some reason WE get stupid again and THEY win again.
Jefferson once said that every once and awhile, Democracy must have some blood shed to keep it pure.
It is time to stop the talk, start the plan, get the weapons, and start the marching. For those of you younger, go research how we did it from 1968-1973. We can take one million well armed people to DC; of course, we will all die from our own military, but maybe just maybe SOMEBODY in this Country will finally understand, stand up and continue the fight for REAL not just words and fight for those inalienable rights once again. For we have truly lost it.
Don – I appreciate your candid and to the point comments concerning this country and where we, like a heard of sheep, are being lead by this foolish administration.
This election I will vote for no IMCUMBENT! I’m done with all of them.
It’s a shame that the members of congress have forgotten for whom they work. And can any of them work a calculator? (Just as a reminder, a “-” is bad, you have run out of money)
They need a 12-step program. Any time they speak to a crowd they should say: “My name is So in So, and I am a Politician…”
That way everyone has a chance to put their BS waders on.
Any committee appointed with equal numbers of repub and demo, in todays world, sucks. Hussian obama has succeeded in his plan to completely divide our country to left and right; they have proven that they cannot agree on anything now. I firmly believe that the only answer to our country’s problem is in one word, IMPEACHMENT, and I cannot believe that I have not heard one congressman memtion this word.
1) THIS COMMISSION IS AN ADMISSION BY THE ENTIRE CONGRESS THAT THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF DOING THEIR JOB. 2012 IS COMING AND EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM SHOULD BE GOING!
2) THE COMMISSION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
This entire budget crisis has not just happened overnight. The deadlines imposed by the Obama administration really held no weight, thousg Congress believed it did. In the end the result they tried to avoid remained the same. The credit worthiness of the United States was questioned and the downgrade occurred and rightfully so.
Now we have a Super Committee which at best is a secret meeting to determine the courses of action that should be determined openly on the floors of the House. They have pitted enemies against each other and mandated they work together to accomplish a goal which this socialistic administration does not want. And they will get their way. The automatic cuts will take place or the tax increases.
Either way you slice it, the Obama administration has succeeded in their obvious goal of destroying the ability of the United States Government to function by creating chaos and spreading fear and discontent. And why haven’t our conservative republican representatives taken up the cry to impeach(indict) Obama for his crimes against this nation?
Simply put, we no longer have an effective to house system as they are afraid of something. But what is that something? If anyone knows pleas tell me. Send the answer via http://awsht.com.
Why do we need 12 more people to go over what has been through the house and senate. Jus let congress do their job.
Like what was said it is for some people who think they have more brains than anyone else just to raise taxes.
*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*
1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office
and receives no pay when they are out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security
system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,
and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for
any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans
do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the
same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen
made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor,
not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours
should serve their term’s), then go home and back to work.