Reid to Name Sens. Kerry, Baucus, Murray to Powerful ‘Super Committee’
- Posted on August 9, 2011 at 7:29pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to name Sen. Patty Murray to co-chair a powerful “super committee” charged with finding more than $1 trillion in deficit cuts this fall, a Democratic official said Tuesday.
Murray will be joined by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Max Baucus, D-Mont., on the panel, which was established last week by hard-fought legislation to increase the national debt. Reid was scheduled to make the announcement Wednesday, the official said, speaking only on condition of anonymity because Reid‘s choices weren’t official.
Murray, who is chairwoman of the committee to elect Democratic senators, is a longtime protector of Democratic priorities such as Medicare, Social Security and veterans’ benefits, as are Kerry and Baucus.
In naming the trio, Reid opted against picking Democrats like Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad of North Dakota or Dick Durbin of Illinois, who backed curbs on Medicare spending and Social Security benefits as members of President Barack Obama’s deficit commission. Baucus also served on the commission but voted against the controversial recommendations put forward by its co-chairs.
Reid is the first of four congressional leaders to make his picks to the panel. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will also name three members of the 12-member panel, which will be evenly divided between the two parties. They face an Aug. 16 deadline to name committee members.
The committee is charged with coming up with $1.5 trillion or more in budget savings over the coming decade, enough to match increases in the government’s ability to borrow enough money to pay its bills through the beginning of 2013.
Boehner will name the other co-chair. Just as Reid chose a party loyalist, Boehner is likely to choose a stout conservative.
In a conference call Tuesday with rank and file House Republicans, Boehner said his three selections to the joint committee will be “people of courage who understand the gravity of this situation and are committed to doing what needs to be done,” according an account provided by a House GOP aide. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., are among the names most frequently mentioned by congressional aides and lobbyists as Boehner’s likely picks. Ryan and Camp were also deficit commission members but voted against the co-chairmen’s recommendations, citing tax increases and inadequate cost curbs of federal health care programs.
Boehner also said he and other House and Senate leaders of both parties want the newly created panel to conduct “open hearings and a public process.”
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Comments (105)
BillyPenn
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 7:17amNone of the three stooges that dingy Harry appointed are vulnerable in 2012. So it was a safe bet to select them. I read where Kerry was appointed due to his stature and tenure. What stature ? What has he ever done, besides being a babbling idiot, who the dopes in MA keep electing. Murray, previous posts are on point with that selection. Baucus, yeah makes sense, finance chairman. Just sneak in a couple of flasks and he will be happy. Nothing good will come out of any of this. So why bother ?
Report Post »martinrnelson
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 7:14amIT is beyond me why John Kerry is still working as a law maker. Oh well, it takes all kinds and the voters in his state must be all kinds.
Report Post »Conkuur
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 7:23amJohn Kerry and this whole super committee sound downright fishy ,not to mention dangerous! So much for promoting Bi-partisanship huh?!
Report Post »cmabillm12
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 8:25amIs thia committee even legal? Where does the authority for the congress to delegate their repsonsibilities to panel of 12?
Report Post »FormerLib
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 10:01amReid just made sure that the status quo remains intact and nothing changes.
Report Post »buckster6.0
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:53pmThese guys caused every thing that’swrong with this country and we need more of them in a committee?they all look like morons in that pic,did anyone see Baucus when the healthcare trainwreck was goin on?total dumbass.and Kerry not payin taxes on his little boat?at least you already know how it’s going to go with this crooks.more of your tax dollars at work.well not for the next month anyway,there all on break.
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:26pmI thought Paul said this committee was unconstitutional. So why are they not protesting it and stopping it. And Kerry, what a joke to put on the committee. This is going to turn out like everything else in DC, nothing accomplished and nothing good.
Report Post »101
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:39pmSo now John Kerry want to throw grandma off the cliff…let them make the cuts this should be entertaining to say the least, liberals arguing amongst themselves agreeing on nothing. LMAO!
Super committee will be a Super joke by Thanksgiving!
Report Post »Roger5513
Posted on August 11, 2011 at 7:54pmAny value this super panel could have had is now down the tube with John Kerry on board…what a joke…
Report Post »RichEG
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 7:12amDoes anyone really think this super committee will really accomplish anything?
You can’t negotiate with a liberal … you need to vote them out of public office and remove them from educational institutions.
Report Post »TheFonz
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:31pmHeck no this committee will accomplish anything. It will be months of what we have already seen from the doofuses, while everything continues to fall down around us. They need to cut 1.5 trillion? How is this for a start – cut all foreign aid, stop dolling cash to the UN, and bring our troops home from all overseas bases (except those in U.S. territories). There, that should save a couple of trillion. I did all of the work for you in less than three minutes Super Committee.
Report Post »FormerLib
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:41pmIt‘s nothing more than a stall for the ’012 election, to appear to be ‘doing something’ when they all know full well nothing is going to come of this except one more instance of the constitution being completely disregarded and more and more the important decisions and polices are made behind closed doors by committees meeting in secret with the president. These three diffuses were selected precisely because they will not do what is best for the country but rather uphold the Obama mission, all the while being able to blame Republicans when nothing happens.
Report Post »ree758
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:53amI guess they have to pay Kerry back for going on national tv and spewing the party line no matter how dumb it sounds
Report Post »00gabooga
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:51amThe only cuts these guys like is in Defense. No more body armor and one bullet per soldier a la Barney Fife.
Report Post »Old391
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:43amWow talk about loading the panel up with big spenders and people who do not understand what is going on outside of Washington. Will be hard to get a deal with those 3 liberal idots have to wait and see who Queen Pelosi will put in from the lower house side
Report Post »GaryInTheMiddle
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:38amNo cuts here. Three dirt-bags on board. Mitch?
Report Post »libloather7
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:30amOMG! A gigolo, a moronette and a liberal from Montana of all places. I know there are no Conservative demorats, but these three are like the Larry, Curlyette and Mo of the Senate. Demonstrates how little respect Harry has for his party, the Senate, Barack‘s ’super committee and the American people.
Report Post »GERATMO
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:26amGet ready military, it looks like the DoD is going to be defunded with these clowns on the committee. I dont see any comprimise coming from either party. The dems and rep. want exactly the opposite and if they cant agree on cuts, the safety of our nation is at stake. Military and veteran funding should be last on the list not first.
Report Post »Old391
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:51amWe the People(1) of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, “promote” the general Welfare(2), and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
________________________________________
Notes:
1. The Preamble declares that: “We the People of the United States …. do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The meaning is clear that all authority originates from the People.
2. The meaning of the word Welfare in the Constitution is different from its current usage. The constitutional meaning of welfare is: 1. health, happiness, or prosperity; well-being.
Welfare in today’s context also means organized efforts on the part of public or private organizations to benefit the poor, or simply public assistance. This is not the meaning of the word as used in the Constitution.
Report Post »njconserv
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:23amthey are surely going to help solve the the financial problems in this country. cant wait to see who the rebubs put up, rinos and socialists , not to worry
Report Post »Phoenixsoulfire
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:19amHaving progressives trying to cut the budget and spending is like having a crack head cut down on doing crack. These people are a joke. and the people in congress on both sides all need to go along with the president and the supreme court. The American people need to start a new and get back to the founding fathers vision.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 6:00amProgressives!
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 4:29amMr. Reid’s three stooges. Look it up if you are to young to remember.
Report Post »orkydorky
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 4:40amYou mean Reid‘s three commies don’t you!
Report Post »De minimus
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 4:44amI better go buy another can of Vaseline with what’s left of my devalued dollars.
Report Post »Fight for America
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 4:07amAn already stacked committee at the direction of Reid who many think is out of touch and incompetent and should have been out of office years ago.
Will the Democrats do the same thing? I would imagine so. Given the opposition, the idea of a totally open minded committee is laugable.
With any luck and nod to the past – the President will somehow dissolve the committee. He does what he wants and no one takes him to task for it. His own side just looks the other way and approves of his slick moves. If he does not win reelection, what will he do his last days in office? Will he declare the election null and void?
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 4:26amI wouldn’t put it past him. BO seems to be living in another world, far more different than normal people. His world is the liberal western world and as all can see that world is falling apart.
Report Post »Amazingoly
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 3:26amThe diminutive Patty Murray , who barely won her election over Dino Rossi, and Baucus and Kerry, who shoved Obamacare down our throats, will NOT have any positive input for we Americans. OK, lets give them their chance, but bet I am right. they already have their marching orders from Reid.
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 3:04amMan, this country really IS going down the sh*t hole.
Report Post »SkunkWorks
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 3:01amThis is the beginning of making congress totally irrelevant.
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:56amReid has set this committee up for failure. The three he selected will not vote for anything but tax hikes. Liberals will not agree to spending cuts. The only way to get fiscal responsibility from the government is to vote enough liberals out so the remaining liberal votes do not matter. Need to watch out for the Rebublicans also, some of them like to spend other peoples money. More tea.
Report Post »blatzkeg
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:47amare the one‘s he picked the one’s that took the most from the bankers already,or the easiest one’s to buy off,or both
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:39amI would not trust these three with used toilet paper!!
Report Post »spreadcommonsensenot pc
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:29amHey LDS church when are you going to put a CAP on HR……………..MINO–(mormon in name only)
these so-called appointments from reid are like the devil sending out his little anti-christ demons….
Report Post »rudibob
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:26ampathetic choices. but i guess there isnt much to choose from. still, it would seem wiser to choose three senators who are not so well known. at least then most of us could be fooled into thinking that it might work.
Report Post »pwatkins
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:13amFigures. Powerful super committee? lol
Report Post »Chickweedtea
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:58amWow, if these are his three picks… I don’t think he could have picked a more corrupt three in the senate.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:05amGood luck finding anyone on that side of the isle with any integrity .
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 2:08amTHE NUT CASES from THE LEFT COASTS of the USA and ????. KERRY MAKES ME NAUSEOUS.
Report Post »I thought she lost her election… and don’t even know about the others. OMGosh…that means we have to listen to that obnoxious phony New Englander …the worst member of Congress next to McCain…NO. I won’t listen to him, I refuse to listen to anything Obama or Kerry or McCain says…I fast forward or switch channels. THEY are the worst of the worst. KERRY is nothing but a crook gigolo. Does anyone out there still buy HEINTZ anything? Traitorous -tard. I think Obama chose him just to be cantankerous. HE has never produced ANY legislation worth talking about except naming a post office… but okay, Obama, keep it up. Just another brick in the wall.
Marci
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:50amOh please. These three couldn’t find a nickel in cuts. Congress should start with their own lavish salaries and benefits, that would solve A LOT of the problem. I don’t seem to see ANY of them proposing a bill to do this, granted, I know it wouldn’t pass as the corrupt (both sides) run the place, BUT it would go a long way in knowing who is there for the right reasons. A sort of “roll call” for us to peruse before we go to cast our votes. Who voted for it and why…in other words, the ones who didn’t expect it to pass and voted for it to make themselves look good would be evident in our research of them and prior moves they have made. So just making a phony move wouldn’t be enough…
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