The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
A CNN/ORC poll released today shows that most Americans are skeptical about whether the Congressional super committee tasked with finding $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction savings over the next decade will meet the Nov. 23 deadline. Moreover, a plurality plan on blaming Republicans for the anticipated super committee failure.
Seventy-eight percent of people questioned in the survey say they think it is somewhat or very unlikely the committee will develop a plan to significantly reduce the federal budget deficit by Nov. 23, with just over one in five saying it is likely a majority of the panel's six Democrats and six Republicans will reach an agreement.
...The poll indicates that 42% say they would blame the Republicans in Congress, with 32% blaming the Democrats, and another one in five volunteering that they would hold both parties equally responsible.
What these 78 percent of Americans seem to be ignorant of are the facts: the super committee has already found the savings, and economic catastrophe has been averted. Mark Steyn at NRO points out that the CBO has estimated budget savings from ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to total around $1 trillion over a decade. This does mean that the super committee is still missing $200 billion in required savings, but this trifle of a problem is no match for Mark Steyn.
Why not estimate around $2 trillion in savings by 2031? After all, that would free up even more money for a bigger stimulus package, wouldn’t it? And it wouldn’t cost us anything because it would all be “savings.”
Come to think of it, didn’t the Second World War end in 1945? Could we have the CBO score the estimated two-thirds of a century of “budget savings” we’ve saved since ending that war? We could use the money to fund free master’s degrees in Complacency and Self-Esteem Studies for everyone, and that would totally stimulate the economy. The Spanish–American War ended 103 years ago, so imagine how much cash has already piled up! Like they say at Publishers Clearing House, you may already have won!
I guess you can count me among the ranks of the 78% who believe it's unlikely that the super committee will find anywhere close to a trillion in savings (in real world savings, that is, not congressional fantasy land savings).
Meanwhile, if you feel like playing a nerdy computer game that allows you to slash the budget as you see fit, click here.
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Jul '11
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
Please let these fools do nothing right now. Any plan with RINO and Democrat support will guarantee failure for our country.
I find it hilarious that former ENRON accountants are now working overtime as super committee consultants.
Dec '10
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
Tell me, how does cutting $1.2 trillion over ten years help when we overspend $1.2 trillion every year? It's nothing. I'm quickly moving into the John Derbyshire "We Are Doomed" camp.
I do have a brother in the army who says that if the Super Committee fails and the start with the "sequestration" business the the defense budget will be gutted. I hope that doesn't happen, but I could care less about the Super Committee otherwise. We're headed off a cliff and nothing can stop it.
Dec '10
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
Republicans need to do a better job of framing this. The Super Committee will either fail or punt and Republicans need to out there 24/7 explaining to people exactly what is going on and why.
Mar '11
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
This is nothing new... Wives have been saving husbands money like this for centuries.
Jun '10
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
I don't understand how Republicans get the blame for not cutting enough. I can't think it's only because we protect defense spending. What else is there that Republicans haven't tried to cut? How do Democrats get credibility from the public for cutting spending? I don't get it.
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
Americans' opinion of Congress is at an all time low. And Republicans get the blame for anything that Congress does/doesn't do because the predominant strategy of Team Obama over the past 12 months or so has been to capitalize on Congress's low poll numbers and run against the "Republican Congress." (Never mind that Democrats control the Senate).
Sep '10
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
It is good to remember that Speaker Bonehead started this fantasy by insisting that any increase in the national debt must be offset by equal “cuts”. By this he meant meaningless promises to reduce anticipated future spending increases. I guess this was a justification for the continued big government he so consistently supported. He then quickly indicated that not so meaningless revenue increases could be substituted for some of the meaningless promises. The committee is but one chapter in this farce. Since the GOP started this saga it is only fitting they be given the credit and blame for the ending. This is the “Party” that some think will save the country. I have my doubts.
Dec '10
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
As this is how the Politburo operated, it is encouraging that a plurality of Americans gives credit to Republicans for their lack of cooperation with this extra-constitutional usurpation of the congressional authority and
for their resistance to this unhealthy helping of hyperbole that is expressed in its moniker, "supercommittee."
May '11
Re: The Super Committee Has Already Saved the Republic!
The game was fun, though.