Senator Max Baucus on debt commission legislation: "commission is a Social Security-cutting machine

[Better Believe It]

President Plans Own Panel on the Debt
By JACKIE CALMES
January 26, 2010

WASHINGTON — Advocates of more aggressive steps to address the national debt failed Tuesday in their effort to create a bipartisan commission to press for tax increases and spending cuts, but President Obama now plans to establish a similar panel by executive order in his State of the Union address on Wednesday.

The alternative panel to be established by Mr. Obama will also come up with recommendations by December to reduce annual budget deficits and slow or reverse the growth of the national debt. But unlike the commission proposal killed by the Senate, Mr. Obama’s executive order could not force Congress to vote on a commission’s suggestions.

The proposal, co-sponsored by Senator Kent Conrad, Democrat of North Dakota, the chairman of the Budget Committee, and Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, the committee’s senior Republican, called for an 18-member commission — eight lawmakers from each party and two administration officials — to draft a package that Congress would have to vote on in December without amending it.

One of the most vocal opponents was Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He said the bill’s sponsors had “painted a big red bull’s-eye on Social Security,” adding, “Their commission is a Social Security-cutting machine.”

Read the full article at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/us/politics/27budget.html

[Donnachaidh]

1. oh it's ON Baucus you piece of shit!

Pitchforks at the ready! :grr:

[Better Believe It]

2. I don't understand your post. Are you attacking his comment and if so why?

I think in this case he spoke the truth.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. You want Social Security and Medicare cut? Baucus was defending them against the

'commission'.

[tonysam]

4. Baucus is absolutely correct.

They need to leave SS and Medicare alone.

[closeupready]

5. Yeah, it appears on this issue, Baucus is on our side.

n/t

[inna]

6. probably, just lip service. i don't believe a word that comes out of his mouth.

Baucus is an ultimate corporate whore.

(But then again, maybe he does have some remnants of moral consciousness left in him, or he wouldn't have said that... What do you know... :shrug: )

[Dr.Phool]

7. I finally agree with Baucus on something.

That "Commission", was like the mob commission. They were putting a hit on Social Security.
Conrad and Gregg, along with their sponsor, Pete Peterson are scum.

And why was Obama supporting this?