Washington (CNN) - Differing partisan perspectives were on display Thursday as a special congressional committee set up under last month's debt-ceiling agreement held its first meeting to begin forging a long-term deficit reduction plan.
Despite calls for compromise and bipartisan cooperation in the opening statements of panel members, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona, later said he might quit the committee if it considers any additional cuts in military spending beyond the $400 billion already agreed to in the measure to extend the debt ceiling.
FULL STORY
Republicans are good at creating recessions and depressions, but not very good at getting out of them. Hoover economics did not work then, and will not work now.
I hope everyone on the committee knows and understand that the American people were speaking to *all* of them.
No matter what this committee proposes, it still won't make Congress get it's act together. The 112th Congress is the most dysfunctional Congress EVER!!! All thanks to the TEAhadists in the House.
Congress approval rating is in the low teens. You would think that republicans would realize that they do not speak for all Americans.
Bye-bye social safety net. Hello lower corporate taxes.
Republican thought process: Maybe if we cut out all social security benefits, cut out veteran benefits, cut out all safety regulations and safety nets, and increase taxes on those making less than $100,000, we can then give the billionaires a little more tax relief.
I get pissed at the repubs always saying,"We the people" when they actually mean ME the people. Nobody ever consulted me to see how I feel about matters. I think the obstructionists are guilty of treason and seditition and should be dealt with accordingly, seeing how we are at war.
Let's see if these 12 public servants are able to get together and serve the American people. I am not very optomistic. They would have to tear up any "pledges" they have made, come with open minds, compromise, and find a balance solution based on shared sacrifice, especially from those who have avoided sacrifice in the measures adopted up to this point.
Last time I checked Wire Palladin, Congress was made up of Republicans and Democrats. Republicans do not speak for all Americans, but then again, neither do Democrats.
The only way I see any progress coming out from this committe is to have a group of ordinary people – preferably without any political affiliation – be the "tie-breaker." Without some sort of independant group being involved, that's exactly what we'll see.
You raaaaaaaaang?
Maybe the roof will cave in.
We're seeing these thugs take America to the pits. Kiss our "elite" standing among all nations good-bye.
Nothing will come out of this dog and pony show. Cutting Spending is not in the vocabulary of the libs and Conservative know that raising taxes during a severe recession is the absolute wrong thing to do.
Deficit Committee. One has to ask – why and only NOW do we have these people? Where was this committee during the Reagan / Bush nightmare? I know the explanation will be I'm imagining things...
We are broke, shut er down. Everyone knows the the defense budget was bumped up and extra 12%, so this across the board cut will make no difference to them. Long live the TEA PARTY.....Shut er down....