From NRO’s The Corner:
Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.), who found out this morning that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) had selected him to serve on the congressional “super-committee,” said he “very strongly hopes” the panel can reach an agreement to avoid triggering the fallback measure that includes deep cuts to defense spending. In order for that to happen, Toomey told reporters on a conference call Wednesday, both parties will have to compromise. “If this committee is going to be successful, it absolutely has to have bipartisan support,” he said. “That’s how it was set up. This has to be done in a cooperative fashion.”
The freshman senator and former Club for Growth president said his “guiding principles” on the committee will be “the twin goals of reducing the deficit and continuing to promote economic growth.” To that end, he hopes to reform the tax code in order to broaden the base while lowering rates and growing the economy. “That will also generate more revenue,” he said. “A stronger economy always does.”…
Toomey is an excellent choice and, also, a pledge to the TEA Party and conservatism in general that they have a voice in this committee. Do read the whole linked article as Toomey lays out an excellent vision of what this committee can and should accomplish. If good will and public spirit can accomplish anything, then Toomey will do it.
On the other hand, the purpose of the committee – as far as Democrats are concerned – is to cut defense and ratify tax hikes (especially on those “millionaires and billionaires” who make $200,000.00 a year). Failing that, the Democrats’ hope that a smash up of the committee can be blamed on the Republicans and be used as part of the overall “smear and fear” campaign they are planning for 2012 (very telling is Reid’s selection of Sen. Murray for the committee – she is chair of the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee…in other words, the Democrat Senator with the most vested interest in playing pure politics on the committee). In short, while Toomey wants to do what is right, Democrats want to claw on to power…it’ll make for an interesting battle.
At the end of it, either Toomey’s spirit of patriotic compromise will prevail, or the whole thing will blow up…but if the Republicans on the committee hang tough on core principals (genuine spending reduction and tax reform which doesn’t punish the middle class nor destroy wealth creation), then the blow up will be right in the Democrats’ face. Fundamentally, the American people are on the side of reasonable compromise to reduce spending and grow the economy…that is what they want, and that is what the GOP must stand for. If Democrats sabotage it then the people will see right through that…and only if the GOP caves in and goes along will we be blamed for any failure.
We are at a crossroads for our nation – between now and November of 2012 we will decide if we remain a great, free and prosperous nation, or if we are to sink in to decline and eventual destruction. Each step we take must be informed by a genuinely patriotic desire to do what is best for America…in this, there is a time to fight it out in the trenches, and a time to seek reasonable compromise. The opening of the debt committee is the time for reasonable compromise. The Democrats will, I am certain, reject this course…but let them do it, first…then we’ll have the approval of the American people to get down and dirty with them.
Blogs For Victory 
both parties will
have to compromise.
“If this committee is going to be successful,
it absolutely has to have bipartisan support
,” he said. “That’s how it was set up. This has to be
done in a cooperative fashion.
were screwed
his “guiding principles” on the committee will be “the twin goals of reducing the deficit
No No No No…………..E-L-I-M-I-N-A-T-E * any and ALL deficit* by CUTTING SPENDING.
where do we get these morons from the short buss of economics?
or the baldork/stalin university of economic fools?
Hellloooooooo McFly ever hear of BANKRUPTCY ???????
it comes when YOU spend MORE than you earn ?????
how hard is that to understand??
Looks like your frontrunner is ok with higher taxes, too. This REALLY looks like the S&P is trying to bake the election in favor of Mittens. Slamming the Tea Party and Obama means he’s the only real candidate left unhurt.
Fishy.
blowz0
mittens = mcLame light.
IF he is the nominee, we will have 4 more years of the marxist muslim usurper.
Good to know the Tea Party has a member along with John Kerry on an UNCONSTITUTIONAL super-committee. There’s no authority to have a super-Congress who takes over for what the House and Senate are supposed to do. Let’s undo the entire process of checks and balances the founding fathers intended.
What’s important of course in that there is someone on the illegal super-committee who is committed to stopping “deep” cuts in the DOD budget. With the USA playing world police officer we can’t have any questioning about building up other nation’s infrastructure.
It’s CRISIS TIME. TIme to worry about lone wolves and get rid of those pesky checks and balances. Seems like both parties believe that one shouldn’t let a crisis go to waste.
I am not a supporter of nation building either, and do believe it’s time to leave the ME, BUT the DOD is one of the primary duties the federal government is charged with. So let’s please stop whining about that. I also do not support this ridiculous “super congress” – all of our long term representatives need to be out, and we need some new blood.
bozo,
here’s a little secret for you – conservatives have no problem with increasing “revenues” to the government, we just believe in doing it through expanding the tax base via a flat tax and no loop holes, and/or through increased economic output. Dividing the country and demonizing the productive people of our society is not the proper way to do it.
Incidentally, I would interested in hearing from you about the troubles in London. What gives? Those young folks have free health care, and cradle to grave entitlements – so why are they rioting?
Again, the Post Office is a charge of the government. Is there a member of the SUPERCONGRESS trying to stop DEEP cuts to the USPS?
Nope and rightfully so. The USPS is proposing to close 3,700 post office locations across the country, as mail volume falls and the agency is losing billions of dollars.
My point is any Tea Party candidate who is part of an unconstitutional super-committee is a hypocrite.
baldork
My point is any Tea Party candidate who is part of an unconstitutional super-committee is a hypocrite.
absolutely 100% correct, plus what you stated two links above.
We are so boned.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/11/us-usa-debt-camp-idUSTRE77A4HI20110811?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&rpc=22&sp=true
Filthy litle piece of rino garbage.
GMB
yup
My point is any Tea Party candidate who is part of an unconstitutional super-committee is a hypocrite. – barstool
Most everything our government is doing is unconstitutional so it becomes pretty hard to determine where to draw the line if you want to get something done, right?
And please don’t equate the USPS with the military. Providing for the defense of this country is job 1 of the federal government. Incidentally, we spent a hell of lot more on the military under JFK in terms of percentages of the budget than we do now. Just saying.
Utter BS. What kind of mentality is everyone is a looter so I should be a looter too pork barrel politics. That’s working out well according to Wall Street and the BLS.
While the USPS dates back to the constitution the DOD only dates to 1949. Before that there was the properly named Department of War. A Department of War has the job of fighting wars. A DOD has 1000 jobs in addition to fighting wars. Career opportunities for the young. Contracts for airplanes that will never be used for Boeing … A DOD needs to have daycare centers for its workers. A Department of War doesn’t. The US spends more on its military than the next 20 countries combined. Finally, going back to the founding fathers. The continental army was disbanded because of the American distrust of standing armies (the burden of ever expanding standing armies). There was not the same concern for the USPS which was enlarged continually in scope because of its economical relevance.
Hmm, JFK and military spending, hmmm yeah I forgot the cold war with a rival superpower.
baldork
to stupid to even to reply to
try the fork, you would be more relevant there.
how do you corrupt an honest man…give him the opportunity…
shut tooney up in a room full of wolves and see who jumps on opportunity