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Thank You “Super Committee!” You Failed, Now The Rest Of Us Can Succeed
Thank you to Super-Committee Republicans who remained intransigent in their insistence of governing by and for the 1%, protecting their self-interest and the interests of the Super-Rich and Wall Street Bankers. Thank you to the Super-Committee Democrats who, though they revealed their willingness, if reluctant, to do the same by putting drastic cuts to vital domestic and earned benefits programs on the table next to revenue-raisers, stood up against a bad deal. The Democrats on the Super-Committee were responsive to the 99% in the end.
The undemocratic, appointed Joint Select committee of six Democrats and six Republicans, the “Super-Committee,” failed to reach an agreement that would have unnecessarily imposed untold hardship on the vast majority of those of us already struggling in a bad economy. If this inability to reach a terrible deal is “failure”, can you imagine what “success,” defined by this crowd would have looked like?
Here’s what success should look like, and thanks to the Super-Committee fail, we might just have the time and political space to achieve some of it:
My colleagues at the Institute for Policy Studies have a newly released Report: America Is Not Broke: How to Fix the Crisis While Making the Country More Equitable, Green, and Secure.
The report asserts that the current economic crisis presents us all with the opportunity and challenge to use our nation’s vast wealth to create a sustainable economy which functions well for all of us.
The Institute for Policy Studies comes up with Seven times the total savings that the Super-Committee was charged with finding. Not only would this be success in correcting national priorities and positively affecting the long-term debt, these tax and spending reforms would create a society that works for 99% of us.
If we had the political will to actually achieve success, we could achieve at least $824 billion per year by doing the following:
- Generate revenue equitably: Going beyond rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. The report proposes reforms would generate $375 billion per year. These proposals ensure that Wall Street and the wealthy pay their fair share and also call for a small tax on trades of stocks, bonds, and derivatives as a way to both generate revenue and discourage high-risk, high-frequency trading.
- Ensure that security spending actually makes our country more secure: A total of $252 billion per year could be raised from smart reductions in the military budget by reducing the enormous number of overseas U.S. military bases; eliminating obsolete and wasteful defense programs; ending the war in Afghanistan as we end the war in Iraq
- Create a clean, sustainable environment: Eliminating corporate welfare for the oil industry and introducing new taxes on pollution could generate an estimated $197 billion per year in revenue. These changes would create incentives to adopt green technologies and reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil.
Finally, though not outlined in the report as it is more difficult to achieve, its important to note we need true health care reform so that escalating health costs do not overtake even the most responsible debt-reduction steps. With the current health system, CBO projections show devastating consequences for our long-term debt. But, for instance, if we had universal access to health care and the same per person costs as Canada, we would save $1.2 trillion a year, with $600 of the savings going to the government.
Taken together, this formula for success would put us squarely and strongly on the path to both fiscal sustainability and toward a more equitable and flourishing society.
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60 Comments so far
Show AllSo now we get massive cuts across the board.
Exacerbated by three more NAFTAs Obama recently signed into law in response to OWS.
It's funny how these "free trade agreements" don't seem to make it any easier to cross the US/Canadian border. Now passports are needed?!?!? The corporations can move their digital money anywhere in the world with just the click of a button, but ordinary folks? Not so fast!
Don't you know Bodryn? Its the money that can move freely, not you.
As for passports, they generate cash. (Yes, its really that bad for our third-rate banana republic economy. Every dollar counts!)
I welcome the defense cuts.
Yes, we get massive cuts across the board and the wars go on and so does our economic collapse. And this article states, "The Democrats on the Super-Committee were responsive to the 99% in the end." The Democrats are so responsive to the 99% for decades that they gave us wars without end, tax cuts and government payoffs to the corporations, loss of our homes, jobs and pensions, health care in the hands of for profit corporations. Democrats gave us banking deregulation and NAFTA and the following loss of jobs. It is really way off base to say that the Democrats are responsive to the 99%. NOT TRUE.
To say kind things about the intent of the Democratic party is an attempt to keep people in that corrupt corporately funded party in spite of the facts of their real contribution to our nation. The Democrats and the Republicans are working for and paid by the top 1%. To say anything else is not the truth. We, the people, must not support the re election of ANYONE now in Congress. We have to throw out the corrupt of both parties and elect a new Congress made up of people who have some morals and ethics other than unlimited personal greed. (which is what we have now)
Vote by what you know about the candidate and NOT BY THE POLITICAL PARTY. There is no mention of political parties in our Constitution. It is the two party system of corruption that has brought our nation to the point of collapse.
The fix was in from the beginning. The Democrats did not stand up for the 99% otherwise they would have refused their president's creation of the Committee in the first place that was designed to 'fail'.
If Congressional Democrats actually stood with the 99% they would have exposed last summer's faux debt ceiling crisis ( that allegedely made the super secret catfood committee necessary)for what it really is...one contrived crisis in a series of crisis that apply shock doctrine strategy to transfer all of the 99%'s wealth into the hands of the 1%.
"eliminating obsolete and wasteful defense programs" What would be wrong with eliminating the entire military and related contracts? Build a new CCC for the soldiers.
Watching Obama tell the Australians last week that "budget cuts will not impact US military expansion in the region", anybody not afflicted with denial syndrome realizes that the US military budget will be increasing, not decreasing.
I wonder how many ordinary Australians will be overjoyed at Obama's news? Not many, I'd bet. America is not nearly as popular now in Australia as Americans were right after WW2. I met and talked to some back in 1988 and you can see Aussie sentiments on YouTube if you like. My advice to people going to Australia: pretend to be Canadian if you can. That would be my advice to Americans traveling anywhere, for that matter.
US occupying legions moving into new territory as the homeland crumbles into dust. Reminds me of the Fall of Rome.
Well spotted, Smallbear. Now a believer in karma could look at this and feel that it all has to play out, before we then have the choice to go up and out of the same level as the problem, and, having learned our lessons, move into a new paradigm for humanity. What has been called The Great Turning. Now showing at a planet near you.
Not with the deluded right-wing religious warrior fundamentalist 'Israel can do no wrong and I support Israel unconditionally' probable psychopath we now have as a near dictator leading Canada. Ready to jump into any ME war at a moment's notice Harper's Canada™ is emulating all that is wrong with the USA with Jet$, Jail$ and Bible$. Killers for Christ, crusaders.
Canada's formely relatively neutral stance on the world stage has been replaced by belligerence and evangelical ideology from a de facto pugnacious corporate theocracy.
Try using a Swiss or Kiwi flag instead.
I appreciate your effort Ms Dolan but seriously..."If we had the political will to actually achieve success" That's utterly naive. It's kinda like saying "If we first get a million dollars, then we can become millionaires". And btw, the Repubs have the will and they're achieving success, in spades.
Yes, everytime the GOP moves further to the right they provide the cover Democrats need to move further to the right and enact more regressive legislation.
This strategy is a win-win for Dims and the GOP. The Dims get more corporate contributions while the GOP gets the Dims to enact regressive legislation so the the GOP doesn't have to take the heat for it.
Unfortunately, this strategy is lose-lose for you and I and the rest of the 99%.
Yes, I can see you have already lost it.
Naive...yes, very much. The "let's increase taxes" crowd can't grasp that giving more money to the oligarchy solves nothing.
Merle haggard(a redneck til the hippies got a hold of him)called that Rainbow Stew-
When they find out how to burn water,
And the gasoline car is gone.
When an airplane flies without any fuel,
And the sunlight heats our home
One of these days when the air clears up,
And the sun comes shing thru
We'll be drinkin that free bubble-up
And eating that rainbow stew
When a President goes through the White House door,
An' does what he says he'll do.
We'll all be drinkin' free bubble-up and
Eatin' that rainbow stew.
The Law says now that cuts to domestic and military programs are going to happen automatically.
Just watch--> Congress will:
1. exempt the military from the automatic cuts
2. The date the military cuts start will be extended into the distant future
3. They'll simply put the miltary expenditures off book or hide it in other departments and agencies.
Do people really believe this Congress and President will truly cut the military?
Not a chance.
Not to mention that when Obama recently froze federal employee pay, he exempted the military.
Amerika's military is more sacred than any cow that ever walked the streets in India.
Only the corporations that get rich from the contracts are the sacred cows.
The cannon fodder are going to get cuts across the board.
From hazard pay to an increase in their medical insurance pays.
McCain already wants to go after their benefits.
That creep who dropped bombs on innocent civilians. The bumbling idiot that crashed 5 planes, got caufht, sold out, is a heroe?
But don't forget.. They are fighting for our freedoms. Not for the corporatuons.
this is probably how corporate rule is going to look for awhile, at least legislatively. both parties are so close together on policy, that you need this kind of stuff to manufacture 2 party drama while simultaneously passing unpopular legislation. i think sequesters that represent true policy are going to be the norm pretty soon.
spot on...
This 'debacle' has all the suspense of a kabuki performance: the audience knows the plot, eats and chats during the performance, and cheers during the highlights. And some of the performers are as garish as kabuki performers, though without the make-up.
Put Karen's initiative up for public referendum.
Direct democracy
Pizza is a veggie, we are so proud that the republicans are taking the economy so seriously. Tax the rich? No way, gover Norquist won't allow it. Fuck the republicans right up their tea party ass.
.... and then Borat extened Bush's tax cuts.
Just the mere fact that there was an ad hoc body such as the Super-Committee to deal with this matter, was an indication of a dysfunctional Congress. But with the (predictable) failure of this committee, we are witnessing compounded dysfunctionality on the part of our government.
No matter how many committees are appointed, dysfunctionality will prevail, for such is an inescapable symptom of the wobbling phase of the Long Emergency.
Also spot on.
If the committees were selected as juries are selected, (no politicians allowed) then just maybe . . . but I'm dreaming . . . it ain't going to happen.
The imperialist U.S. military force, which exclusively serves corporate America and Wall Street, as was amply demonstrated on September 11th, 2001 when the armed forces showed themselves incapable of protecting (or unwilling to defend) the country, needs to be committed to the dustbin of history and to be replaced by a people's army: the only way to have a military force exclusively devoted to defending the land and its people is to have obligatory service for all able-bodied citizens.
The present U.S. mercenary army was devised solely to bypass the citizenry's resistance to imperialist, and thereby illegal, military interventions, as happened during the Vietnam War.
The U.S. mercenary army is prepared to 'pacify' the 99% protestors. The concentration camps for the leaders of any anti government action are ready. Our local police forces are now, since the Patriot Act, under the control of the federal government. Fascism is alive and prospering in our nation. I don't know if we can change this situation. I suggest that you stop the re election of everyone in Congress now. Vote NO on all incumbents. Stop fearing that if you don't choose the lesser of the two evils things will get worse. You got that all turned around. You vote for the lesser evil and you get evil and the level of evil has grown to the point where the whole of Congress is in the pay of the top 1% AND ARE DOING A FINE JOB FOR THEM. (they don't give a hoot about the 99%--why should they? We have been apathetic for so long.) I hope the occupy movement will WAKE UP THE VOTERS and get us to vote with more care. Don't vote for a political party. Vote for the person seeking the job as your representative. It is hard to do this. You have to do some research and understand that mostly politicians lie during the campaign season.
We have the worst government in many many years. The GOP who say no and a President who is no leader. What a mess we are in. "WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US" Pogo. Also the famous words of Chester A Riley " What a revolting mess this is".
Now it's up to "We The People".
2012 here we come.
The American military expansion into Australia is unwelcome. We are becoming an economic colony for China and a military colony for the USA, if all goes to plan. Whilst no doubt it will remove the US Marines from the threat of short range Chinese missiles, as was quoted on Australian TV, I rather think that the Chinese can use good Australian iron-ore to make long-range missiles capable of hitting the US Marines in Australia.But Australia suffers from a cultural cringe when looking after its own interests and still believes it needs McArthur. We didn't then and don't now.
As for reducing the US military budget by merely $252 billion, the USA spends 58c in the tax dollar on the military, excluding repayment of interest on war loans, payment for veterans and nuclear arms research. I think a greater reduction than $252 billion is easily possible and Washington would still remain safe from the English. 1812 must have been a very traumatic experience.
As for Obama, his Australian visit has proved he can sell used cars to anyone.
Not to worry - that's just a small forward operating base for the cia - all designed to keep you safe and sound.
Stop complaining or or we'll send our police down under to pepper spray you.
"Sad Super Failure" or Planned Outcome? Obama and Bush before him have been out to privatize/cut SS. After the election austerity will come to our shores. The two and one half trillion dollar SS trust fund is invested in US government bonds and makes up the single largest item of our national debt. "We the People", (our own largest creditor), are being asked to take the 'haircut' not other creditors.
The whole Super Committee was a charade to give political cover to all parties, (D) & (R), till after the election and beyond. $600 billion dollars in cuts to social programs and $600 billion dollars smoke and mirror cuts to defense. In the last ten years defense spending has skyrocketed. Cutting defense is the Obama shuffle. Any reduction will only shave dollars from the many increases. Raising Medicare eligibility age to 67 will cost American lives.
Our leaders need to go. They have sold US out - cheap! That includes elitist mufti-millionaire Kerry and Patty Murry. Murry is beholden to defense contractor Boeing. I need not name (R)s. All our (D) and (R) corporate shills should recuse themselves from the peoples' business. A Tahrir Square is in our future. A Tiananmen Square will likely follow. OWS!!!
In times like these people have been known to cast down their Gods and kill the priests.
Once more we see our Congress waste precious time and money deciding to do NOTHING. If businesspeople worked as inefficiently and indolently as Congress, they'd be shown the front door. No wonder these slackers love it so much in Washington...hey!...sign me up for Congress. I need a rest.
Don't be ridiculous. The way that government, and state institutions such as universities are being run is modeled after business. Since when do businesspeople working inefficiently and indolently get shown any front door?? Hell, they get golden parachutes.
So long as "leaders" - in corporations, in universities, in Congress - are doing the bidding of the wealthy and powerful few and screwing over the rest of us they get the red carpet treatment, they are not shown the front door.
'Taken together, this formula for success would put us squarely and strongly on the path to both fiscal sustainability and toward a more equitable and flourishing society.'
Isn't that lovely, dearie? 'Squarely and strongly on the path...' The only path the Failed Terrorist States of America is on, darling, is the path to absolute internal collapse; the assured destruction of the 'democratically constituted' nation state that, if you get your eyes wide open, you'll notice is disappearing down the fucking loo at blinding speed. 'More equitable and flourishing society'?????? Sweetheart, look, with all respect, are you stark raving mad? Listen, it's not that much of what you say doesn't make sense - quite the contrary. It's simply that it's past time to be pulling a Doris Day here and chirping in relentless 'positive thinking' mode [PLEASE see Barbara Ehrenreich's recent book on the disease of positivism] about all the wonderful stuff we can do, because, gollee!! we're Americans!!! You did say something about 'if' we had the political will. Well, 'we', that is, Americans PLURAL, don't. Honestly, I'm as jazzed and thrilled as the next decent human in the 99% about the OWS movement and what moves are being made against enormous odds - such as the 10,000 people (as opposed to 'individuals') that ringed the White House the other day re the Keystone XL Act of Terrorism - to save the shithole known as the U.S. I do believe in optimism and being positive, when it's thoroughly warranted and constructive. I'm also a believer in calling a spade a goddamn shovel. I just got through signing a petition to try to get the Traitorous, War-Mongering, Israel's/Banker's/Bush's-Arse-Licking Disaster Called Obama to make a fucking statement and do something to stop the militarized 'police' fascist thugs from assaulting and pepper-spraying innocent civilians who are expressing what they perhaps naively believe to be their rights. Sweet, bleeding, pole-vaulting, crucified Christ, you've got to strongarm this asshole you call a president into taking a stand against domestic violence against the citizenry when he's on record telling Egypt, et. al. that suppression of dissent and violence against protesters is undemocratic!!!!!!!! HE'S A FUCKING USELESS HYPOCRITE. You'll have this political will, Karen, when at least 10 million Americans get their fat, sweaty, overfed, ignorant arses off the couches, out of the SUVs, away from the fucking tv sets and convince them that there's a GRADE A, INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH EMERGENCY HERE, YOU GODDAMN SHEEP, and arm them with the gasoline-soaked torches I keep on about, and molotov cocktails and their own pepper spray and get them to storm Capitol Hill and the Fucking White House. Can you not see how it is coming to this? Now you'll say that you don't want anything violent. You'll dismiss me as a raving fatalist. So exactly what plan have you got to launch at least 10 million Americans off their arses and aim them squarely and strongly at the problem?
This isn't just the overly-dramatic raving of a deranged, hysterical woman permanently locked into her 'time of the month'. This is stark bloody reality - isn't there quite enough evidence of that display? I mean, The Manchurian Candidate - Nobel Peace Prize winner - has just finished threatening Australia and assuring everyone that the Empire WILL expand and control the whole Asia-Pacific region at gunpoint whether you like it or not. He's doing precisely FUCK-ALL to safeguard, or pretend to safeguard non-existing constitutional rights at home. Because YOU WILL SUBMIT TO THE POLICE STATE UNDER THE 'PATRIOT' ACT, OR WE'LL DESTROY YOUR SCRAWNY ASS.
Oh, OWS is some measure of the success of which you speak. But it MUST expand exponentially, while there is still time, and a great number of people will have to be willing to risk getting assaulted and hauled off to jail. That is, if you can somehow conquer the Exceptionally American Trait of near-total apathy.
"...if you can somehow conquer the Exceptionally American Trait of near-total apathy."
Very funny and well articulated rant, Tara. But the apathy you so wisely point out is all part of the plan. As Sheldon S. Wolin has written:
"Inverted totalitarianism reverses things. It is all politics all of the time but a politics largely untempered by the political. PARTY SQUABBLES are occasionally on public display, and there is a frantic and continuous politics among factions of the party, interest groups, competing corporate powers, and rival media concerns. And there is, of course, the culminating moment of national elections when the attention of the nation is required to make a choice of personalities rather than a choice between alternatives. What is absent is the political, the commitment to finding where the common good lies amidst the welter of well-financed, highly organized, single-minded interests rabidly seeking governmental favors and overwhelming the practices of representative government and public administration by a sea of cash."
[Capital letters mine for emphasis.]
Indeed, OWS is the lone crack in the edifice, the only commitment I see that is trying to find the "common good."
How do they plan to get their plan pass the republicans? That is the major dilemma!
Woe to Australia!
loved your expression of the state of affairs ,Tara
poetic justice at least will always win out. the stuff which most of us have been helping export to the third world, is now coming back around to us.
Maybe it's time to call the bluff, Boehner, McConnell, Norquist, fox news, republican, republican, republican, destroy America for political profits, Let's take our tax breaks to the best budget straitigist in history, the super committee failed which will leaves us back to the agreement made in August for automatic cuts, call your bluff, cut defense, (that means cuts to Haliburton), screw republicans, screw war profits. no easy off ramps. The president knew these Norquist bastards would keep their thumb in their ass.
"The Democrats on the Super-Committee were responsive to the 99% in the end."
What planet is this author on? Good f'ng grief. I didn't read beyond that delusional assertion. Did I miss anything?
Hey with an automatic 10% to the Pentagon, and no social program cuts, its better than what they had in mind.