Deal Very Close. Be Very Afraid.

[Derechos]

The headline now atop the New York Times webpage says "Amid New Talks, Some Optimism on Debt Crisis." I assume they are talking about people who think about the world differently than I do, because optimistic is pretty much the opposite of I am feeling this Sunday morning.



snip

(The proposed deal)

- A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).
- They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years.
- The formation of a special Congressional committee to recommend further deficit reduction of up to $1.6 trillion (whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase). This deficit reduction could take the form of spending cuts, tax increases or both.
- The special committee must make recommendations by late November (before Congress' Thanksgiving recess).
- If Congress does not approve those cuts by December 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare. This "trigger" is designed to force action on the deficit reduction committee's recommendations by making the alternative painful to both Democrats and Republicans.
- A vote, in both the House and Senate, on a balanced budget amendment.

Again, it's not clear how final this is. Huffington Post's Sam Stein and Elise Foley report that progressives and some congressional Democrats are seriously unhappy with the deal, particularly the terms of the trigger.

http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-cohn/92975/debt-ceiling-deal-trigger-medicare-defense-obama

[Faygo Kid]

1. Yep. Be VERY afraid, because of what's in the crosshairs.

You and your friends and family.

[leveymg]

2. I particularly do not like the suicidal dead-man trigger on the automatic Catfood Commish 2 cuts.

This whole thing strikes me as creating a dictatorial central committee like the Supreme Soviet of the Old USSR.

What the f-ck have we allowed ourselves to become?

No Deal.

[Mojorabbit]

14. I know. What happened to an honest debate on the cuts to be made?

When politicians start giving themselves cover this way, it doesn't bode well for the average JOe.

[Lifelong Protester]

3. I say 'no deal' either, especially this shadow congress crap.

I don't care if having committees is business as usual, it sounds Soviet to me.
And this whole pie in the sky balanced budget amendment? Shows how little the Teahadists know about how government works.

[KittyWampus]

6. Special/Select Committees is how Congress has worked for over 100 years.

It isn't "Shadow Congress" or "Super Congress".

[lonestarlib]

4. So, if Super Congress advises gutting SS, Medicare, Medicade,

and Congress does not approve this, they get cut any way.

[KittyWampus]

7. That is just ignorant. If Congress doesn't vote for it, it doesn't get passed just because a Committ

Committee recommends it.

[Skink]

5. Obama now will focus on reelection as the Country falls off a cliff.

[gateley]

8. The Deficit Reduction Committee should be made to use the CBO for

their facts and info. The findings prove that "our" approach is right, "theirs" adds more to the deficit.

[BattyDem]

9. "If Congress does not approve those cuts by Dec 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect"

Does anyone honestly believe the Republicans WON'T pull the trigger?? They'll get cuts to SS/Medicare/Medicaid, along with plenty of other cuts that will further destroy our way of life. The fact that the Defense budget will be cut is meaningless! Let's face it ... if the safety net goes down, Obama and the Dems will be blamed. It doesn't matter what the details are ... the media will broadcast it 24/7! By the time the 2012 election rolls around, the GOP will have the advantage and when they win, defense funding will be fully restored.

Why are the Dems even considering this bill??

[KittyWampus]

10. Why? Because a new member of DU with no Profile tells me too? LOL!

[Derechos]

11. I am not new. I have been here for several years.

I just don't post all the time.

But these kinds of comments are why I am thinking of leaving this sight. Why not argue the facts instead of personal attacks?

[Derechos]

12. And I really don't see how one's time at DU

corresponds to the legitimacy of their opinions or statements.

[GreenArrow]

13. It doesn't,

nor does an active or inactive profile.