The failure this week of the so-called congressional supercommittee to agree on a package to reduce the federal budget deficit comes down not only to Republican intransigence, but really to that of just one conservative in particular, a man referred to as the “13th member” of the committee. Specifically, many on both sides — including Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, a prominent member of the supercommittee — called out Grover Norquist, the extremely powerful anti-tax activist in Washington, for...
Posts Tagged ‘ Federal Budget Deficit ’
VIDEO: Occupy Protesters To Reach Washington Tuesday
The group of Occupy Wall Street demonstrators who have been hiking toward Washington to protest potential proposed cuts to Social security and other federal safety-net programs are scheduled to reach their destination Tuesday, a day ahead of the mandated deadline for the so-called congressional supercommittee to release its recommendations to cut the federal deficit. “They’re marching to call out the congressional Super Committee, which could cut a deal before Wednesday slashing Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to protect tax...
‘The Supercommittee Must Fail,’ Congress Is Told
By focusing on deficit reduction, not job creation, the so-called congressional supercommittee is focused entirely on the wrong problems and therefore, the nation would be better off it were to fail to come up with a deal, progressive members of Congress were told Wednesday. Indeed, the sorts of budget-cutting likely to be recommended by the supercommittee, known formally as the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, likely would only worsen the already-bleak U.S. unemployment situation, according to Robert Borosage, co-director...
Protests Planned As Anger Against Supercommittee Rises
A prominent Washington progressive organization plans national protests next week against further cuts to federal safety net programs like Social Security and Medicare. Among those speaking out against any such cuts by the so-called supercommittee is former senator Russ Feingold. MoveOn.org is organizing what it calls national demonstrations on Nov. 17, ahead of the release of recommendations to cut the federal budget deficit by the bipartisan supercommittee. “The past months have been filled with powerful, creative, and passionate displays...
Capitol Idea: Occupy vs the Supercommittee: How the Movement Could Soon Impact the Debate
To the consternation of some, and the joy of others, the ballooning Occupy Wall Street movement has so far resisted injecting itself into the nation’s political debate. Even without a concrete list of policy goals or demands, however, there is a growing sense that, by simply existing and persevering, the month — old movement already is exerting a new influence. President Obama, for instance, has appeared to be taking a more forceful, populist, and progressive tone in recent weeks....
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