Manchin introduces bill to ‘ease’ cliff

[Keefer]

Source: Washinton Post Blog

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has introduced a new bill that he says would soften the impact of going over the fiscal cliff.

It’s called the Cliff Alleviation at the Last Minute (CALM) Act, and Manchin says he’s not happy to author it.

“This is not a great plan, merely a better plan than going over the cliff,” Manchin said in a floor speech. “It should never have come to this.”

The measure would phase in the looming tax increases over three years, rather than all at once, and allow the Office of Management and Budget to pick which programs would be cut rather than having the across-the-board cuts contained in sequestration.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/12/30/manchin-introduces-bill-to-ease-cliff/

[awake]

1. Great idea

[Owl]

2. Lousy idea.

[cstanleytech]

7. Would you expand on why you believe its a "Lousy idea."?

Is it because the decisions would be made by the Office of Management and Budget? If so then what if they made the CBO the office decide instead?

[Panasonic]

3. Lousy idea.

Let's wait until Jan 3rd before introducing anything.

Reid said the Senate is not voting for the fiscal cliff bill tonight - and this ain't it.

[Angry Dragon]

4. I agree with posts #2 and #3

[Paulie]

5. Keeping power dry doesn't mean hand the powder to the other side.

Sigh

[Va Lefty]

6. Sounds like a plan to exempt Defense budget cuts

If that's what it is, Bad Idea!

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Dumb...Manchin's a moron

[Lasher]

14. No, he's not dumb.

He's ambitious.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Incrementalism is a Softer Approach

and I'm surprised no one has tried it with all the fixed positions
floating around.

Can't do the deal? Soften the ideological purity.

Go for 3 months incrementally at 10-20% off the fixed points.

In both directions. Sure it delays the problem, but it avoids the
so called cliff.

As it is, neither side is talking with the other side, or at least neither
is understanding the other side.

And phasing in the tax increases (aka phasing out the Bush Tax Cuts gradually)
might be a sane approach to the economic recovery.

[adieu]

10. Bad idea

Would allow them to phase in the high-income earners' tax increases last, and also allows the OMB to cut the essential items instead of the DoD items.

I personally want the cliff to happen. That would make those changes that we want, but nobody wants to be responsible for.

[LiberalFighter]

11. I question anything that Manchin has to offer.

I don't trust his motives.

[plethoro]

12. Totally stupid. It kicks tax increases for the rich down the road and spares defense. No way

should this be considered. Is Manchin a DINO?

[Lasher]

13. Yes, Manchin is a DINO.

And he's looking to get attention on the national stage.

[rucky]

15. That would assure a standoff every 3-6 months for the next 3 years. n/t