Blue Dogs push for fiscal commission in stimulus

[babylonsister]

Blue Dogs push for fiscal commission in stimulus
By Jared Allen
Posted: 12/15/08 08:26 PM


Armed with a new Treasury Department report, conservative Democrats on Monday said they want the economic stimulus package to call for the creation of a new commission on the nation’s long-term fiscal health.

Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) a leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, and Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), the vice chairman of New Democrats Coalition, seized on the release of the 2008 Financial Report of the United States Government to make their case that action is needed immediately. They called the “shocking” report -- which showed that the government's unfunded liabilities are roughly $56 trillion, a $3 trillion increase from last year ­-- underscored the need for a long-term plan to be included in any short-term stimulus package enacted early next year.

“This is what we're hoping to raise as part of the discussions about putting together the second stimulus bill,” Kind said, adding that policymakers need to focus on the short-term economic needs of the country as well as long-term reforms.

Cooper, a long-time budget hawk and senior Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said a “fiscal cancer” is eating away at the country, and that a commission or summit to address the nation's long-term insolvency problems would be “chemotherapy.”

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/blue-dogs-push-for-fiscal-commission-in-stimulus-2008-12-15.html

[blueclown]

1. This is a good idea.

Although I would stress, the worst thing to do at this point would be to cut spending and try to balance the budget.

[babylonsister]

2. I don't recall a commission ever doing anything constructive. Seems

like the blue dogs want to drag their feet instead of passing a stimulus package that will help Americans.

[OHdem10]

3. Commissions are the way our brave Democrats get out of taking

a stand as a party or as individuals. You can make the country take
their "castor oil" and say--"The Commission made me do it.