At a White House meeting on July 7 when President Obama told congressional leaders he wanted a grand bargain on deficit …
Gang of Six
What if There Was a Reasonable Compromise on Medicare?
Sen. Joe Lieberman has found an ally for the middle-of-the-road Medicare reform proposal he laid out a few weeks ago. On Tuesday, the independent Senator from Connecticut and conservative Republican Tom Coburn unveiled a tweaked version of Lieberman’s plan. They hope to build a coalition of support for the proposal, which they say …
The Gang Falters: Coburn Breaks from Deficit Negotiations
Senator Tom Coburn on Tuesday said that he’s “taking a break” from the Gang of Six, the Senate group that has been trying for months to reach a bipartisan deal on deficit reduction. The Oklahoma Republican’s withdrawal …
The Unity Is Over: Congress Returns to Debt Ceiling Fight
Osama bin Laden is dead and gone. Republicans and Democrats this week came together to rejoice and pass resolutions praising U.S. troops and the intelligence community. Even Donald Trump called a truce.
In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Congress and the country remained unified for months – some might argue for years. In the wake of …
Political Deja Vu: Remembering that Other Gang of Six…
Count me among those skeptical that a new deficit summit/commission/gang will produce bipartisan consensus – and not just political theater. It’s no big secret what needs to be done to reduce the nation’s debt – raise taxes, cut spending or do both. While the details of what gets cut and who gets taxed are open to negotiation, …
The Baucus Health Care Proposal
Ezra has it here.