Dem official: Sen. Patty Murray to be named debt panel co-chair; Baucus, Kerry also tapped.

[pinto]

Source: AP via Washington Post

Dem official: Sen. Patty Murray to be named debt panel co-chair; Baucus, Kerry also tapped.
By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, August 9, 2:30 PM

WASHINGTON — A Democratic official says that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will name Sen. Patty Murray to co-chair a powerful “super committee” charged with finding more than $1 trillion in deficit cuts this fall.

The official says the Washington Democrat will be joined by Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry and Montana Democrat Max Baucus on the panel. Reid is scheduled to make the announcement Wednesday.


Murray is a longtime protector of Democratic priorities, as are Kerry and Baucus. In naming the trio, Reid opted against picking Democrats like Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad who have been more forceful in advocating curbs on Medicare spending and Social Security benefits.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Reid’s choices aren’t yet official.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dem-official-sen-patty-murray-to-be-named-debt-panel-co-chair-baucus-kerry-also-tapped/2011/08/09/gIQANWEE5I_story.html

[Firebrand Gary]

1. Murray and Kerry get my thumbs up....Big questions about Baucus?

Let's hope Max surprises us, but I am not counting on it.

[Imajika]

4. Kerry is military though...

The thing is, as much as I like him, I have a hunch he is going to do anything he can to avoid the deep military cuts on top of the ones already slated. Obama and Panetta have basically said there is no more room to cut Defense and my hunch is Kerry will agree. We can count on Baucus caving quickly and being the 7th vote for Medicare and SS "adjustments", you can almost see it now.

So no, I'm not super enthusiastic about this. Thumbs up for Murray. Meh on Kerry. Thumbs down on Baucus.

[blm]

11. Kerry has been a long time advocate for cutting nuclear arms programs.

.

[24601]

20. nukes are cheap - conventional forces cost real money n/t

[Major Hogwash]

23. All we needed on that committee was someone smart enough to say "no".

And twart any attempts to get anything done by that committee.

We didn't need to use Kerry, for Christ's sake.
Kerry should be advising Obama on how to get the fuck out of Iraq this year.
And creating jobs.

Not wasting his time talking to a bunch of bonehead dumb fuckers on that committee that he isn't going to wind up agreeing with anyway.

It's a waste of our resources, just like we do everytime we start campaigns!!
Jesus Sesame, replace him with Tester and let Tester "just say no", for crying out loud.

[No Elephants]

69. Kerry was very happy we got into Iraq. Why would he be your nominee to convince Obama to leave?

Please see Reply 52.

Why on earth would you want a Blue Dog like Tester speaking for the Party?

[Major Hogwash]

73. So now you speak for Senator Kerry?? I don't think so.

I worked for Kerry on his '04 Presidential bid.
I worked for Obama on his '08 Presidential campaign.
I'll be working for Obama on his '12 Presidential re-election campaign.

You can say whatever you want, but Kerry was NOT happy we invaded Iraq.
And anyone that was paying attention in 2003, just a few years ago, would know that.
Kerry spent 13 months talking about it on the campaign trail, so I don't know how you missed that pertinent bit of information.

[No Elephants]

51. Wasn't limiting nukes to merely enough to destroy the world several times over

the single biggest {positive} achievement of U.S. Senator Obama (besides his own primary and general campaigns for the Presidency)?

[pinboy3niner]

13. OTOH, Kerry may not agree

The guy who talked about "the last man to die in Vietnam" may not agree that the defense cuts are sufficient. I'd put my money on him and Murray.

I'm also a big 'thumbs-down' on Baucus.

[politicasista]

35. Shh. You will ruin their

"Kerry is a corporatist, no fighter" argument. Facts never get in the way of Kerry bashing.

[Mojorabbit]

37. There is a link to a letter Kerry signed

in another thread that advocated for entitlement reform. I have no idea anymore what the Dem party will do. Everything is upside down.

[davidwparker]

41. Kerry is not a corporatist for sure. But, he also doesn't

know how to count (the votes).

[No Elephants]

52. If you're sure, you're sure. No point looking at the links in this post, or anything else, then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Leadership_Council (note everything, but esp. the bit about signing of the 2003 PNAC memo by Will Marshall, DLC founding member and founder of the Progressive Policy Institute)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stan-goff/unmasking-the-dlc_b_39287.html (note esp. statements about Kerry and war)

http://www.nndb.com/group/269/000093987/ (note names of both Kerry and Edwards)

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=106&subid=122&contentid=250872 (2002 article by Kerry on the DLC's website supporting, among other things, Bush's goal of regime change in Iraq and the WOT).

And, from TPM


"I have great faith in Senator Murray as the co-chair of the committee," Reid said in a statement. "Her years of experience on the Senate Budget and Appropriations committees have given her a depth of knowledge on budget issues, and demonstrated her ability to work across party lines. Senators Baucus and Kerry are two of the Senate's most respected and experienced legislators. Their legislative accomplishments are matched only by their records of forging strong bonds with their Republican colleagues.

<snip>

"Kerry's the surprise here. He's a senior member of both the Senate and of the Finance Committee. On Meet the Press Sunday, he advocated for cuts and reforms to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security but acknowledged the need for "some revenue." He has a military background and chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, which means he in particular will have an incentive to reach agreement with Republicans. If the Committee gridlocks it will trigger a penalty that includes a broad $500 billion cuts to military and defense spending over 10 years -- something neither he, nor Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, nor President Obama want to see.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/reid-picks-murray-kerry-baucus-for-super-committee----heres-the-upshot.php

Wander around the websites of the Democratic Leadership Council and the Progressive Policy Institute checking for things by and about Kerry.

I wonder how many times Kerry, who chose Obama for his keynote speaker in 2004, has voted against something Obama wanted.

[No Elephants]

55. We have precious few Senators who are populists.

[politicasista]

72. delete n/t

[No Elephants]

57. Wow. Do you need updated info! Please see Reply 52 and follow the links in that Reply.

You seem to be holding onto the image the young Kerry projected when the Party's liberals seemed to be the profile of the Democratic Party and only that image.

That is not the same Kerry who made a rather lame distinction between throwing away his ribbons and throwing away his medals while {formally} running for the Presidency.

Well, actually, both were the same Kerry, but you get my meaning.

A lot has happened within the Democratic Party since the Vietnam War peace movement, including a takeover of the Party by its right wing and what seems to have been a corresponding shift in Kerry.

[politicasista]

74. delete n/t

[karynnj]

78. Kerry did N)OT make a distinction between ribbons and medals in 2004

The RW tried to use the fact that in the 1970s when interviewers criticized him for throwing his medals, he did not correct them to point out that in fact he threw his medals only. In the 1970s, that would have seemed to be walking away from the action - sort of a "I did not inhale" response. Instead he took responsibility for what he symbolically did..

In 2004, the RW made it seem he was lying - which he wasn't

[karynnj]

79. Kerry did N)OT make a distinction between ribbons and medals in 2004

The RW tried to use the fact that in the 1970s when interviewers criticized him for throwing his medals, he did not correct them to point out that in fact he threw his medals only. In the 1970s, that would have seemed to be walking away from the action - sort of a "I did not inhale" response. Instead he took responsibility for what he symbolically did..

In 2004, the RW made it seem he was lying - which he wasn't

[trud]

25. saw kerry said okay to cuts to SS, Medicare, and Medicaid n/t

[customerserviceguy]

29. Murray has a lot of military bases in her state

She's made sure that the vast majority of them have survived previous cuts.

With the "alternative" being large military cuts, I say that all three Democratic Senators have an interest in making sure the supercommittee doesn't deadlock 6-6. I see the balance of power shifting to the Republicons with this, that's why McConnell was grinning like a jackass when this deal passed.

[No Elephants]

53. TPM article says Murray, Baucus and Kerry all have heavy military industry in their states.

One thing both Kennedy and Kerry did was bring Massachusetts as much federal money and job creation as they possibly could.

As someone who lives in Massachusetts, I appreciate this. I'd do away with earmarks and pork, but, as long as they exist, I am happy our delegation brought to this state a share of it. However, that does mean Massachusetts has a stake in the military. http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/reid-picks-murray-kerry-baucus-for-super-committee----heres-the-upshot.php

I wonder if any state does NOT have a heavy economic stake in local military?

[customerserviceguy]

75. That's how the military-industrial complex got it's hold

It managed to "spread the wealth" out to most every Congressional district. However, some states get more of that than others, and for some, like Montana, it's a major, not a minor, part of the economy. If a military base is the only 'industry' for a 100 mile radius, then closing it totally devastates a county or two or three. It probably isn't like that in places like California, that have other industries, especially tourism.

Anyhow, picking Murray and Baucus virtually guarantees that there will be few military cuts. The "alternative" might look pretty good by the time this supercommittee cobbles something together.

[karynnj]

77. Kerry spent slightly less than 4 years of his 45 years of service to this country

in the Navy. He has voted to cut military spending in the past'

As to Baucus, he sponsored an amendment to protect SS when the Senate was voting to create a committee like this a few years ago.

Would you have had a problem with Wes Clark, a career military man or Jim Webb, for that reason?

[SharonAnn]

24. My very first campaign contribution was to Patty Murray. Wow!

[SharonAnn]

27. Baucus is a Democrat? Who knew?

[think]

32. Agree. Baucus is a corporate shill who needs to go and go now.. nt

[No Elephants]

49. Not only a Democrat, but "a longtime protector of Democratic priorities..."

:rofl:

"Here, Susan, take the health care reform bill, which stinks as it is, and re-write it to the liking of the Republican caucus, even if none of you ever vote for it."

WAPO is such a dishonest rag. Just read its wiki. Interesting.


"As Katharine Graham noted in her autobiography Personal History, the paper long had a policy of not making endorsements for political candidates. However, since at least 2000, The Washington Post has occasionally endorsed Republican politicians, such as Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich.<29> In 2006, it repeated its historic endorsements of every Republican incumbent for Congress in Northern Virginia.<30> There have also been times when The Post has specifically chosen not to endorse any candidate, such as in the 1988 presidential election when it refused to endorse then Governor Michael Dukakis or then Vice President George H.W. Bush.<31> On October 17, 2008, The Post endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States.<32>"




A paper with the policy of never endorses candidates starts endorsing only Republicans...and Candidate Barack Obama, who was more liberal than President Elect Obama.

Hmmmmm

Also, I did not realize WAPO and Slate were under the same management.

Hmmmmm

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. So which draft choice round is the Rs giving us for Baucus?

[Jefferson23]

3. We have nothing to be concerned about now..phew.

:sarcasm:

[No Elephants]

50. LOL! Yeah, lucky that Democratic values dodged that bullet we are.

[DCBob]

5. I suspect the rating agencies might like this..

it shows Democrats are willing to compromise.

[Fuddnik]

8. Ratings agencies? Mitch McConnell and the repubs will absolutely love it!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

We used to have some good poker games with the guys at work.

Reid and Obama are just the guys you wanted to make sure were there.

[No Elephants]

56. "it shows Democrats are willing to compromise." LOL!

It's not compromising when you're after things you promised to do. Please see Reply 54.

And I doubt anyone needs any further proof of Democrats' willingness to "compromise" with the RW.

[pmorlan1]

6. Wonderful

Well, that's it then. This tells us all we need to know about our Party and where we're headed.

Wonderful.

:sarcasm:

[Fuddnik]

7. We are now officially Dead On Arrival.

I don't care if Pelosi appoints Kucinich and clones him twice. Baucus is just enough to fuck up the works.

I'm ready to start calling them the Democrat Party my own damn self.

[Liberal Veteran]

9. And shit like this gets blamed on Obama.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Harry Reid giving tag team blow jobs to the blue dogs is 90% of why many democrats are pissed off at Obama.

:wtf:

[No Elephants]

54. You can't be serious.

Contrary to the statements of Candidate Obama, President Elect Obama pledged to cut "entitlements."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/15/AR2009011504114.html

President Obama created the Cat Food Commission and appointed a creepy Republican to head it.

President Obama, and not Republicans or Boehner,put cuts to "entitlements" on the table during the debt ceiling debacle.

http://bluemassgroup.com/2011/08/rep-conyers-obama-demanded-social-security-cuts-not-gop/

Reid and Obama are far from enemies and they are not working at cross purposes. For just one thing, Reid is the one who pitched Obama to Democratic Party leaders as the candidate who should get the Democratic Party's Presidential nomination.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34783136/ns/politics-capitol_hill/t/obama-reid-always-right-side-history/#.TkJEw2tNp5g

The job of the House Speaker, formerly Pelosi, and the Senate Majority Leader, currently Reid, is to push the agenda of their respective Party, and that the President is the head of the Democratic Party (and of the DNC and its $$).

Have no doubt: Reid and Obama conferred privately about which Democrats should be on the Grand Bargain Cat Food Committee.

It's really well past time we put an end to the fairy tale that Obama should get credit for everything that comes out of Congress that we like, but was totally unable to influence Congress as to the things that Congress does or doesn't do, or delays, that we don't like.

[radhika]

10. Ah, Max Baucus - now there's a mover!

Thinking back to his awesome, decisive healthcare leadership. Why doesn't Harry just capitulate NOW, rather than drain the life of America watching them do the inevitable?

[No Elephants]

59. Wild guess: Because the head of his party wants entitlements cut?

Please see Reply 54.

[adhd_what_huh]

12. What will the RatFinks put up against our moderate statesman?

[Fuddnik]

16. Probably assholes like DeMint, Coburn, Sessions, and Baucus.

[julian09]

28. Rand Paul, McCain, Snow

[Muskypundit]

44. Shit... ill take mccain and snowe.

It could be a lot worse.

[No Elephants]

58. LOL!

[customerserviceguy]

30. There will be at least two tea partiers

One from the Senate, and one from the House, guaranteed.

[totodeinhere]

43. Yes, the baggers have demanded it and the GOP leadership is scared shitless of them.

So they will get two and perhaps more. I am afraid that either Demint or Lee will get on the committee, and if so we can kiss goodbye any good results from that committee.

[grasswire]

14. it was STUPID to name ours first!!!!

WHY did Harry Reid do this????

[Liberal Veteran]

15. Harry "The Powderpuff" Reid was his boxing title.

j/k, but he makes doormats look like Ft. Knox.

[grasswire]

17. not a strategic bone in his body

You'd think he would have learned to feint and then parry.

[No Elephants]

60. Yet, Democratic Senators keep electing him majority leader and minority leader, so

he must be doing something right on their behalf. If he were not getting done the job they want done, they'd stop re-electing him, right?

We keep assuming Democrats are failing vis a vis Republicans, yet we also assume Democrats, as a group, are much smarter than Republicans, as a group. One of those things is probably wrong.

What if we were to assume that Democratic Senators and Republican Senators share many of the same goals, but Democratic Senators would rather not highlight that to Democratic voters? (Please see Replies 52 and 54 and articles linked in those Replies.)

That perhaps they believe keeping their seats will be easier if they seem to be well-meaning, but weak than if they seem to share more than a few economic philosophies with Mitch McConnell?

If we just try out that assumption for a few minutes, we may have an entirely different understand of why Democratic Senators elect and re-elect Reid.

[Major Hogwash]

26. Ha ha ha ha -- now that was funny!

In this corner, Harry, "The Powerpuff" Reid, and in this corner, Goober "The Gravedigger" Johnson.

Instead of the announcer saying "lets get ready to rumble", he'll say -

"Let's get ready for a pillow fight!!!!"

Ha ha ha

[No Elephants]

61. Please see Reply 60.

[WatchWhatISay]

18. Baucus was put on there to be the fourth vote to keep tax increases for the rich and corporations

off the table.

[harun]

47. Damn right he was and we knew this BS was coming.

[Generic Other]

19. Murray puts up with my constant barrage of griping

She just got a crappy job dumped on her. Sigh. Be strong, Patty!

[alp227]

46. When the RNC chair attacks her, she is probably a GOOD choice

Just read the NY Times report on this "Senator Murray Is Chosen as a Leader of Deficit Panel":

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, called on Mr. Reid to withdraw Mrs. Murray’s name.

“The select committee is no place for someone whose top priority is fund-raising and politics,” Mr. Priebus said.

Says somebody whose role includes fundraising and politics? Haha what a weak argument.

[No Elephants]

62. She puts up with a voter's griping? As opposed to doing what?

"She just got a crappy job dumped on her."

Surely, Reid would have consulted her before naming to this committee, let alone naming her chair.

[Generic Other]

76. She can lean to the left because Washington voters are liberal west of the mountains

Not as many teabaggers here.

on edit: I didn't answer your question. I think they want to cut. It's the direction they lean. So who would want to be the chair of that committee. Murray's base does not want cuts. We will bug her. Trust me. We bugged her enough to convince her to change crucial votes before when she was wavering on important issues. We'll have to do it again.

[stuffmatters]

21. Bachus? An Insult to Every Wisconsin Patriot Fighting For Democracy Today

Bachus? What... to fill "Wellpoint's Endowed Chair"on the Kangeroo Kommission?

[florida08]

22. didn't I hear something about

Patty Murray asking the Koch boys for a donation? We're screwed in the senate

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[0rganism]

33. One of these things is not like the others...

I guess we all know where the "super committee" is getting its 7th vote.

[No Elephants]

63. I would not be surprised if the vote were unanimous.

[chelsea0011]

34. This is already a farce for Dems

Watch the hardcore group the right comes in with.

[bluethruandthru]

36. Baucus??? Really??? Really? n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

38. So the Senate side will have 4 republicans and 2 democrats.

Atta boy Harry.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

40. 7 R's, 5 D's.

So far.

[No Elephants]

65. The count may depend upon whether one considers DLC style pols to be more like Democrats

or more like Republicans.

[No Elephants]

64. Two centrist Democrats.

As to Kerry: please see Reply 52.

As to Murray:

http://www.ontheissues.org/Social/Maria_Cantwell_Principles_+_Values.htm

[nineteen50]

39. Who

will be the other co-chair of the new junta?

[wisteria]

42. Seems like good Democratic representation on this committee. n/t

[theHandpuppet]

66. Really?

Three Dems from the Northeast and Northwest? None from the Rust Belt or the South? No real progressive/liberals?
Yep, a broad base of representation there. :eyes:

[No Elephants]

68. +1

Seems as though all Dems in Washington D. C. are sending anti-corporate, anti-MIC Democrats a message, "loud and clear."

My compliments to the DLC on its complete victory.


So far.

[politicasista]

71. delete n/t

[CBHagman]

45. Oh, by all that's sacred and holy...

...no Max Baucus. Please. Please.

[xxqqqzme]

48. Reid names someone from a state w/ less than

a million people. That is fucked! Reid is useless!

[No Elephants]

67. Reid is far from useless to Obama and Dem Senators, Please see Replies 60 and 64.

Sometimes, people hit exactly what they aim at.

[dmosh42]

70. Doesn't matter, it's already set for failure.....

The average worth in 'our' US Senate is 13 mil per senator. Anybody looking for equality among the classes can forget it. Once they get past the six months period, then 'automatic' cuts go into affect, which means social programs again but no increase taxes for the parasite billionaires! That way all the scumbags in the Congress can say "we tried, but..."