The idea behind the Supercommittee was to create some painful consequences if the committee failed to reach an agreement on debt reduction that would compel both sides to make otherwise unthinkable compromises. Those consequences would come in the form of deep cuts to military and Medicare spending. As the deadline gets closer, it seems that the Republicans are beginning to blink just a little bit. The biggest sign is that 40 Republican members of the House joined with 60 House Democrats to publish a letter calling on the commission to consider raising taxes.
Among those who signed were several dozen Republicans who had previously signed a pledge promising they would not support a net tax increase. Among the Democratic signers were some of the House’s most liberal members who have opposed entitlement cuts.
This is how this is supposed to work. But it requires both sides to make painful concessions. And the Republicans don’t really understand the concept of concessions. Really, they’re just trained not to entertain compromise.
…Republicans said the number of members of their party who signed was significant, given fear among many members it would nevertheless be interpreted as endorsing taxes, particularly by Grover Norquist, the Americans for Tax Reform president. Norquist urges elected officials to sign a pledge that they will not raise taxes.
Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-Ohio) said if he had a nickel for every one of the Republicans who said they supported the letter’s goal but feared how Norquist would react, “I’d be rich and retired, and we’d have 200 signatures on the letter.”
LaTourette, a close ally of House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), said the new coalition was a sign that Republican leaders are now willing to unite with Democrats on a grand bargain that would address both revenue and entitlements, even if it meant leaving behind some of the GOP’s hardline voices.
And, of course, Mr. Norquist was unhelpful.
Norquist played down the letter’s significance, noting it merely asked the committee to consider all options.
“Consider anything,” he said. “Just don’t vote for a tax increase.”
Yesterday, the Supercommitee held a hearing where Eskine Bowles, Alan Simpson, Alice Rivlin, and Pete Domenici all testified that revenue was absolutely necessary as part of any deal. It’s not too surprising to see that followed up today with an acknowledgment of reality from 40 Republicans, including close allies of the Speaker.
Nevertheless, the kind of deals that have so far been floated by the Democrats are far too generous. Even as an endpoint, their offers have been too generous. I know it’s a burden to be the only party that takes responsible governance seriously, but the beauty of the way the Supercommittee was set up is that the Republicans have more to lose if no deal is made. People are in the streets demanding that the richest people in this country pay to clean up the mess they created instead of old people on fixed incomes and students who can’t afford a college education.
The pieces are in place to play hardball. The Republicans are wavering. It’s time to rip back the football and ask for what we really want.
