What happens if deficit super committee fails? Maybe nothing.

[gateley]

The latest rumor in Congress is that the massive $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts – designed to take effect if the deficit super committee fails to come up with its own plan – might never happen.

WASHINGTON
If the super committee fails, will there be any real consequences? Or will a future Congress take one look at the draconian automatic cuts set to take hold in 2013 – $600 billion to defense, $600 billion to entitlements – and say, no way.

That’s the latest rumor in Washington this week, as the 12-member joint deficit reduction committee struggles to find a $1.2 trillion package of cuts that can pass the panel and the Congress.

What if they fail – and nothing happens? After all, the automatic cuts kick in after the 2012 elections – when a new Congress will be in Washington. Will that Congress feel bound by the decisions of the previous Congress? / snip

More ~ including Boehner's comment that he would feel "bound by it".

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/1103/What-happens-if-deficit-super-committee-fails-Maybe-nothing

[jtown1123]

1. They'll just overturn the automated defense cuts. JOhn McCain said that the other day n/t

[gateley]

4. Sigh. Not even trying to be sneaky about it. Another Fuck You, America. nt

[jtown1123]

5. Yeah this whole thing was front to cut entitlements. We can't do deficit reduction now

Republicans are bat shit insane and are unemployment is way too high. We're not going to get revenues in this climate, only draconian cuts that will be impossible to reverse. This was such a stupid idea all around.

[gateley]

6. Although I'm not a Geithner fan and shudder that Obama

chose him, I truly believe that if it weren't for the Republican obstructionism, we'd be way better off, at the very least well on the way to a stronger recovery. If Obama were able to do it all ALONE (I know :7) I think we, the Left, would be pretty happy with how things were turning out. :shrug:

[jtown1123]

10. Yeah. The stimulus was way too small and hadtoo many tax breaks.

I really hate that the Obama administration think extending the payroll tax cut for workers and then adding the employers side is stimulative...I honestly think they are so desperate to get reelected they aren't thinking longterm, which sucks.

[leveymg]

2. Why not put that to a vote - let the people decide in a referendum. Or, would that be unAmerican?

[gateley]

3. I've often wondered why (or wished we could) the public doesn't

vote on EVERYTHING that's up for consideration? Makes sense to me. These representatives aren't doing what their "bosses" want them to, so we take over the voting.

[leveymg]

7. There is a place for the Senate, if it truly were a body of eminent citizens with

proven worth and wisdom as a check on popular passions. The House is now obsolete and has largely turned into a porkbelly barrel of monkeys and corruption with a 4-Sale Sign on it.

The actions of the President should be subject to 90-day referendums - the President has 90 days to execute a law or act as Commander-In-Chief, after which a quorum vote can mandate a popular referendum 30 days later. Strict limits on political advertising.

That's how the system can work, and should work, and as the present doesn't work, we have every right under the Constitution to change it so it does work for the people.

[Scuba]

8. We don't even get KY jelly?

[FarCenter]

9. The 10-year budget is mostly bogus, since no Congress is bound by the previous Congresses

There is however, some opportunity for political theater in undoing previous measures, i.e. closing a loophole opened by one Congress can be portrayed as a "tax hike" in a subsequent Congress.

[jtown1123]

11. Exactly n/t