Members to Super Committee: GO BIG (40 RINOS join 60 RATS)

U.S. House Representative Mark Simpson (R-ID) ^ | 11/2/11 | Mark Simpson (R-ID)

[harpu]

Members to Super Committee: GO BIG

Washington, Nov 2 -

Congressmen Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Heath Shuler (D-NC) are leading a 100-Member strong bipartisan effort to send a simple but important message to the Joint Select Committee on the Deficit Reduction, known as the Super Committee: Go Big. The 100 bipartisan Members of Congress sent a letter to the Super Committee with the simple and direct message that everything should be on the table and the goal should be closer to $4 trillion rather than the $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction required under the Budget Control Act.

“This letter is signed by conservative, moderate, and liberal members of the House, and while their political philosophies may differ, they all understand the urgency that our national debt crisis represents. They understand that the Super Committee represents our best, and possibly only, chance to make the real reforms needed to return our country to fiscal health,” said Simpson. “I commend Representative Shuler for his tireless efforts to gather support for this letter. Heath understands that this is the time to act, and the respect he has among his colleagues and his ability to build consensus have made him a crucial partner in this important effort.”

“I am so proud of all of my colleagues who signed this letter for their courage to put country before political parties and do what is right for the fiscal future of our nation,” said Rep. Shuler (D-NC). “Many believed the House could never come together to provide the real solutions and leadership our nation needs to get on a fiscally sustainable path. We are here today to show that we can. I applaud Representative Simpson for his hard work and steadfast determination to make this bipartisan effort successful. He is a visionary leader and true statesman, and we need more people like him in Congress.”

The text of the letter is as follows:

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

The Honorable Jeb Hensarling The Honorable Patty Murray

Co-Chair, Joint Select Committee on Co-Chair, Joint Select Committee on

Deficit Reduction Deficit Reduction

129 Cannon House Office Building 448 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20510

Dear Congressman Hensarling, Senator Murray, and Members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction,

We write to you as a bipartisan group of representatives from across the political spectrum in the belief that the success of your committee is vital to our country’s future. We know that many in Washington and around the country do not believe we in the Congress and those within your committee can successfully meet this challenge. We believe that we can and we must.

To succeed, all options for mandatory and discretionary spending and revenues must be on the table. In addition, we know from other bipartisan frameworks that a target of some $4 trillion in deficit reduction is necessary to stabilize our debt as a share of the economy and assure America’s fiscal well-being.

Our country needs our honest, bipartisan judgment and our political courage. Your committee has been given a unique opportunity and authority to act. We are prepared to support you in this effort.

Sincerely,

1. Andrews (D-NJ)

2. Barrow (D-GA)

3. Bass (R-NH)

4. Bishop, Tim (D-NY)

5. Boren (D-OK)

6. Boswell (D-IA)

7. Cardoza (D-CA)

8. Carney (D-DE)

9. Carter, John (R-TX)

10. Castor (D-FL)

11. Chandler (D-KY)

12. Cleaver (D-MO)

13. Coble (R-NC)

14. Cole (R-OK)

15. Connolly (D-VA)

16. Cooper (D-TN)

17. Costa (D-CA)

18. Crenshaw (R-FL)

19. Cuellar (D-TX)

20. Davis (D-IL)

21. DeFazio (D-OR)

22. DeGette (D-CO)

23. Dent (R-PA)

24. Dicks (D-WA)

25. Dold (R-IL)

26. Duncan (R-TN)

27. Emerson (R-MO)

28. Fattah (D-PA)

29. Fitzpatrick (R-PA)

30. Fortenberry (R-NE)

31. Garamendi (D-CA)

32. Gosar (R-AZ)

33. Grimm (R-NY)

34. Hanna (R-NY)

35. Harper (R-MS)

36. Higgins (D-NY)

37. Himes (D-CT)

38. Hoyer (D-MD)

39. Kelly, Mike (R-PA)

40. Kildee (D-MI)

41. Kind (D-WI)

42. King, Peter (R-NY)

43. Kingston (R-GA)

44. Larsen (D-WA)

45. Larson (D-CT)

46. LaTourette (R-OH)

47. Lipinski (D-IL)

48. Loebsack (D-IA)

49. Long (R-MO)

50. Lummis (R-WY)

51. Maloney (D-NY)

52. Marino (R-PA)

53. Matheson (D-UT)

54. McIntyre (D-NC)

55. McKinley (R-WV)

56. Meehan (R-PA)

57. Meeks (D-NY)

58. Moran (D-VA)

59. Nunes (R-CA)

60. Owens (D-NY)

61. Pascrell (D-NJ)

62. Paul, Ron (R-TX)

63. Perlmutter (D-CO)

64. Peters (D-MI)

65. Peterson (D-MN)

66. Petri (R-WI)

67. Pingree (D-ME)

68. Platts (R-PA)

69. Polis (D-CO)

70. Price, David (D-NC)

71. Quigley (D-IL)

72. Rahall (D-WV)

73. Reed, Tom (R-NY)

74. Ribble (R-WI)

75. Roe (R-TN)

76. Rooney (R-FL)

77. Ross, Mike (D-AR)

78. Rothman (D-NJ)

79. Ruppersberger (D-MD)

80. Schiff (D-CA)

81. Schrader (D-OR)

82. Schwartz (D-PA)

83. Sewell (D-AL)

84. Shuler (D-NC)

85. Simpson (R-ID)

86. Smith, Adam (D-WA)

87. Stutzman (R-IN)

88. Sullivan (R-OK)

89. Terry (R-NE)

90. Thompson, Mike (D-CA)

91. Tsongas (D-MA)

92. Turner, Bob (R-NY)

93. Visclosky (D-IN)

94. Walz (D-MN)

95. Watt (D-NC)

96. Welch (D-VT)

97. Whitfield (R-KY)

98. Wolf (R-VA)

99. Yarmuth (D-KY)

100. Young (R-AK)

###

[skeeter]

It should be automatically assumed that any congressperson recommending “revenue” increases as part of a deficit reduction package has NO intention of cutting spending.

[icwhatudo]

“Everything is on the table” = raise taxes and cut defense. Claim billions in “savings” in welfare/foodstamps by reducing fraud and upgrading computerized systems.

[rhombus]

Et tu Ron Paul?

[Wolfstar]

Any year in which there is a budget deficit, all of the members of the current House and Senate may not run for reelection.

Problem 1: The House runs every two years. One third of the Senate runs every two years. So none of them are running for reelection every other year.

Problem 2: The period of when Congress runs for election is fixed by a little thing called the United States Constitution.

Problem 3: Silly, impossible, make-believe fixes are soooo much easier than real, hard choices.

[freekitty]

Is the super committee like the czars? Even though they are elected; how come they are seem like they are representing the government rather than the people? Is this some new type of government and what is it modeled after?

[GreaterSwiss]

Turner has turned on us! Into a big Weiner!

[Sequoyah101]

axxholes! Reducing the deficit by raising taxes is no answer at all. Just more of the same old crap.

[StAnDeliver]

"A Democrat on cable news this morning, was very excited about the willingness of the Republicans to raise revenue. Said it was a big break through."

He's going to get served when the Tea Party Caucus joins hands with the Progressives to block this dopey bill.

[StAnDeliver]

"The biggest concern is that they do nothing and Defense gets whacked for another 600 Billion."

I agree, but if it comes to that at least Entitlements take an equal percentage hit. It may be that it takes this much constriction to force the States (namely, California) to reel in the freebies. Contraction is inevitable.

[Carry_Okie]

Members to Super Committee: GO GREECE

[lonevoice]

1) Did a quick scan and did not notice any conservative names that I recognized.

62. Paul, Ron (R-TX)

Ron Paul would probably like voters to think he's conservative. Now that he's stated that he won't run for re-election, I guess he's done pretending. If we could just get him off the GOP debate stage so that there's more time for serious candidates to speak, that would make me happy.

[NormsRevenge]

Gives ya a warm feeeling,, right in the old pocketbook.

[econjack]

I don't think that's what he had in mind. What he was saying is that any representative who was in office during any given year is flagged as not being eligible for reelection. Even if we buy your premise, there would be huge pressures to balance the budget every two years at least.

[RoadTest]

Extra-Congressional legislation is illegal.

[aces]

No Washington was bought off, we need to sell it off..

[sport]

Are you surprised?

[okie01]

Smokescreen for raising taxes and fair share mental mentality.

Scanning the list of Republican signees, I don't see many recognizably conservative names.

Which makes me suspicious.

Suggesting that this is a "moderate" initiative, a "bi-partisan" effort...to raise taxes.

[okie01]

$4T of the right types of cuts will save the country.

This group of Congressmen -- RINO Republicans and "moderate" Democrats -- probably isn't thinking in terms of "spending cuts".

Instead, they're probably focussed on "tax increases".

[guitarplayer1953]

the congress is abdicating their responsibility by forming this committee, and all the people on this committee will be gaining bigger retaierment bucks because they are on this committee, congress needs to do their job and just say no! I bet that if they cut to deep they will be taken to the USSC just like the line item veto and overturned.

[DTxAg]

congress is abdicating their responsibility

Yep, and all for political expediency. They can go home and tell their constituents "I didn't vote to raise taxes, cut spending, etc., it was the super-committee."