‘Gang of Six’ in the Senate Seeking a Plan on Debt

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Days after President Obama called for forming a bipartisan group in Congress to begin negotiating a $4 trillion debt-reduction package, the parties have not even agreed to its membership. Yet six senators — three Democrats, three Republicans — say they are nearing consensus on just such a plan.

Whether the so-called Gang of Six can actually deliver something when Congress returns from a recess in May could determine whether Democrats and Republicans can come together to resolve the nation’s fiscal problems before the 2012 elections.

As Mr. Obama and Republican leaders have warred publicly over the budget, this small group of senators has spent four months in dozens of secretive meetings in offices at the Capitol and over dinner at the suburban Virginia home of Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat.

The senators have weathered criticism from bloggers and even colleagues, including the leaders of their own parties, who oppose tampering with Social Security or taxes. The gang nearly collapsed several times, including two weeks ago.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/us/politics/17fiscal.html

---

The Democrats: Durbin (IL), Warner (VA), Conrad (ND). Republicans: Chambliss (GA), Coburn (OK), Crapo (ID)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. It used to be the Gang of 14.

Less for your money every day. :(

[ladywnch]

7. thanks, I thought there had been more of those a-holes during

the healthcare battle.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. It was the "nuclear option" battle during Chimp's reign. nt

[tularetom]

2. The gang of 4 republicans 1 sorta Democrat and one actual Democrat

Conrad is worthless and Warner not a hell of a lot better.

[Rowdyboy]

3. I don't trust Warner or Conrad but I do trust Durbin....at least nominally.....

[the_chinuk]

4. God This Symolism Is Tired

Go ahead and have your cute little groups, Congress, but can't we get by without calling it the "Gang of" something or the "(something) Czar".

Maoist Communist China and Imperial Russia are not a good basis for governance.

This nomenclature is tired and needs to die. Screaming.

[No Elephants]

10. Shhh. Makes them feel cool.

[Citizen Worker]

5. The reality is that both political parties have the same goal in mind, corporate control. Where

they differ is in how to get there. That's the only difference. Should you have any doubt simply review the Clinton years and look at the first two years of Obama.

[primavera]

6. It wouldn't do to have any transparency, now would it?

I've been reading Matt Taibbi's Great Derangement, in which he talks about how Congress limits its discourse to inconsequential, mind-numbingly boring bullshit, like naming park benches in Podunk, Alabama, during the day when the reporters are around and the cameras are rolling, but the real work takes place late at night, when everyone else has gone to bed, nobody's paying any attention, and the committees can settle down to the serious business of selling out the nation to their corporate campaign contributors.

[nevergiveup]

8. Good luck with that group

[ck4829]

9. Oh goody, a way for the Republicans to get everything they want and probably more

[No Elephants]

11. Five Republicans and one Illiniois Democrat when Democrats are in the majority in the Senate?

Guess whose bright idea that was.

We can all also guess where this is headed.

Thanks for the transparency, too, fellas. (As usual, no women.)

"WASHINGTON — Days after President Obama called for forming a bipartisan group in Congress to begin negotiating a $4 trillion debt-reduction package...
<snip>

.... this small group of senators has spent four months in dozens of secretive meetings in offices at the Capitol and over dinner at the suburban Virginia home of Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat."

Are we supposed to believe Pres. Obama was in the dark about this for four months?

In your own recent "accidentally" overheard words, Mr. President, "Do you think we're stupid?" Well, obviously, you do, but you're off the mark.

Again.

ETA Warner's response to Obama:


April 13, 2011

“The only way we will move past partisanship and gridlock to solve our nation’s fiscal challenges is to leave our partisan hats behind and work in good faith to craft a responsible agreement. I still believe we must put everything on the table: spending cuts, including defense, entitlement reform, including strengthening Social Security, and tax reform.

“That's how we will put our economy on a more fiscally responsible path that leads to economic growth and greater global competitiveness.

"I commend the spirit of the President’s message today, and I will continue to work with our bipartisan group of Senators to find solutions to these difficult issues.”

BGMA (partisan group, my ass.)

[unkachuck]

13. another....

....gang of corporatists colluding to fuck us....they must think if they keep trotting out these groups of corporate lackeys long enough, repeating their big lies, eventually we might believe them....but I doubt it....

[Odin2005]

14. So Fascists and Fascists Lite.

All 6 of them can go to Hell.