Posted on 11/28/2011 9:40:38 AM PST by freespirited
Supercommittee member Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) accused Democrats on Monday of torpedoing the deficit supercommittee because a success would have “stepped on” President Obama’s campaign narrative.
Speaking Monday on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Toomey said there’s “something to” suggestions that Democrats had an incentive to see the supercommittee fail.
“That goes to the asymmetry of the incentives and I think there was something to that,” Toomey said. “The president’s fundamental campaign message was to run against Congress - never mind the fact that half of Congress is controlled by the Democrats, but that’s his purpose, and certainly an agreement in this committee would have stepped on that narrative for the president.”
Toomey also suggested that some Democrats on the supercommittee were willing to negotiate with Republicans, not to avoid the consequences of a failed committee, but rather “for their own personal satisfaction of having done something important.”
“That feeling wasn’t strong enough for them to overcome the left-wing of their caucus screaming for big tax increases and don’t touch the entitlements, which was the message they heard from that part of their party and unfortunately ultimately listened too,” he said.
The supercommittee’s failure last week to reach an agreement on at least $1.2 trillion in deficit cuts triggered automatic across-the-board spending cuts, about half of which will be taken from the Pentagon’s budget.
Toomey said Democrats weren’t motivated to reach a deal because the automatic cuts triggered by the panel’s failure were unfairly weighted toward programs that are important to Republicans.
“There was an asymmetry in the motivation,” Toomey told Townhall Radio. “If you just look at the sequester, let’s face it, there are a lot of Democrats whose lifelong ambition has been to cut defense spending.”
Toomey has said that he will look to “change the configuration” of the cuts to protect defense spending.
President Obama has said that he will veto any attempt to circumvent the automatic cuts.
“Dems torpedoed debt panel to protect Obama”
Really? Who’da thunk it...
Seriously, who didn’t see that one coming?
That makes two of us. Reid and the senate dems have been doing everything they can do to frustrate the GOP while keeping a happy face on the villain in chief. No budget in over two years is part of it too as is styming all legislation and then blaming the GOP for not doing anything.
Unfortunately with the MSM’s noses up Obama’s backside, there is no possibility any of this gets any play in the media.
Being overlooked is the stupid supercommittee was the vehicle that gave Dear Leader another $2.1 trillion to spend...way to go BOHNER!
Well by all means let’s do the FR thing by somehow attacking the Republicans for some reason.
PA Ping
Thank you, Pat Toomey ping
Not that the pubbies are completely clean, but at least they--for the most part--are more concerned with the country than just expanding their own power like the dems.
That is exactly why they did nothing! What else can one expect from that little dried up dandelion in tennis shoes, Patty Murray and her ilk?
Can we question their patriotism yet? Pretty-please?
Heck, even the public knows this is/was an election move.
Only the usual list of RINOs: Speaker Boehner, House Majority Leader Cantor, and Senate Minority Leader McConnell. (Plus the usual list of RINO morons in the House and Senate.) The Republicans truly are the Stupid Party. They never, ever fail to steal defeat from the jaws of victory.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.