Deficit Panel Leader Tweaks White House

[highplainsdem]

Source: Wall Street Journal

The Democratic co-chairman of a deficit-reduction panel convened by the White House said that the blueprint he unveiled Wednesday was the product of lengthy discussions with Republicans, and he appeared to question past efforts by the administration to engage with the GOP on fiscal matters.

"I told people in the White House I had spent more time listening to people in the opposition party than they had done as a whole group," said Erskine Bowles, in an interview the day after he and Republican co-chairman Alan K. Simpson released a proposal for deep spending cuts and broad tax changes touching almost every aspect of the federal budget.

-snip-

"I think the problem can be solved without any tax increases, but I'll do what's best for the country in the long term," said Sen. Tom Coburn (R., Okla.). "If all I can get is 90% spending cuts and 10% revenue increases…I'll go for that." He added: "The point is that no one's going to get it all their way."

-snip-

In the interview, Mr. Bowles said he was pleasantly surprised by his experience with the panel's Republicans. Through the work of the commission, he said, "you get to know a guy like Tom Coburn, who's nothing like the caricature that's painted."

-snip-

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704756804575608944154277532.html

---

Wow, the Republicans are willing to settle for getting it only 90% their way, and Erskine Bowles is thrilled about that.

This is NOT bipartisanship.

[DontTreadOnMe]

1. The Middle Class is getting thrown under the bus

but at least we have bipartisanship :)

[Citizen Worker]

6. The middle class was thrown under the bus at the conclusion of the trade negotiations when Carter

was president and has continued ever since. Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama. All the same when it comes to the working class.

[pattmarty]

14. You have to go back to Nixon for a President with any kind of .............

............."liberal" programs. I am not being facetious either when I say that. I realize that Nixon was one of the worst presidents, but some of his domestic policies would be considered liberal today. The last true liberal President was LBJ. We in this country will never again see great programs passed like Medicare, voting rights act, Civil rights act or Medicaid. Them days are done.

[Javaman]

16. We've been under the bus for a long time. So long in fact that I now coordinate my clothes to the

tread marks on my face.

[eridani]

2. FUCK that useless parasite

When are tumbrils going to come back in style?

[ncdemclt]

4. Parasite?

I hope you are referring Coburn. Bowles has little leverage in these negotiations until Obama gets involved. Let’s be honest, the final decision on compromise will be made by Obama. The current information doesn’t sound good, but Bowles has little to no power.

[eridani]

5. Bowles is just another class warrior bent on destroying his inferiors

And with the exception of Schakowski, Berrerra, and possibly a couple of others, so is everyone else on the commission.

[SpiralHawk]

11. Sounds like he was down on his knees kissing RepubliCorp butt

Stand up for the people.

[Democat]

3. Obama acts weak, so everyone is willing to slam him.

Seems like Obama's weak leadership style is making him an easy target for both friends and enemies.

No one respects a leader who is willing to "compromise" every principle.

[Citizen Worker]

7. First, it was Obama is playing three dimensional chess while the opposition was playing

checkers. Now, it's Obama is a weak leader. I disagree with both assertions. Obama is doing exactly what our overlords selected and hired him to do. Our mistake was in buying Brand Obama without ever questioning him.

[Democat]

8. The "overlords" must want him to look weak.

Regardless of why he's doing what he's doing, he looks very weak with his willingness to "compromise" on every single issue, no matter how important it is to the voters who elected him.

[dreamnightwind]

9. No, they just don't care

how Obama looks to the electorate. They only care if they get their way or not. If Obama isn't re-elected they will make real sure that whoever is elected is playing their game, not ours.

Some things are more easily achieved with the cover of a Democrat in charge, such as Clinton's welfare reform, Clinton's financial deregulation, Obama enabled the Romney health care plan that Democrats fought when offered by Republicans, now they're working on continuing tax cuts for the wealthy, weaseling their way out of their obligations to repay the trillions that were "borrowed" from the Social Security fund, and moving public education towards privatization, all of which will encounter less resistance when shepherded by a Democrat.

They generally work from the frog boiling approach: boil us slow enough so we don't hit the streets, all good ripoffs in all good time.

Obama looks weak because he got elected about 50 - 50 by the corporations and by the individual donors (like me) who bought into his phony change message. He'll try to revive his street cred for the 2012 election, but mostly he doesn't want to offend the overlords too much or they'll make sure a Republican gets elected.

Besides, after Citizen's United, the math has changed. The overlords will be much bigger players in 2012 than they were in 2008. Obama's policy priorities will be adjusted accordingly (not that he was making much policy for us anyway).

[Demeter]

10. ESAD, Bowles

[Enthusiast]

12. Gee, Republicans are great

if you just listen to them more. Wonderful.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. I think Republicans are cooperative, easy to work with

and will give-and-take fairly on legislative language.

Then they will vote "no" as a bloc.

So bipartisan efforts with these morons is a complete waste of time.

:hi:

[fasttense]

15. Sure RepubliCONS are easy to deal with, as long as your giving them everything they want. n/t

[mazzarro]

17. This Guy Must Be A Lieberman Incarnate

He is the most corporate sounding DINO I have seen beside Lieberman! Oh - I forgot democrats have an in-house DINO breeding outfit - the DLC - my bad!