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House Dems: It’s totally unfair to have a debate question on the deficit commission Obama created and then ignored
posted at 10:01 am on August 15, 2012
by Ed Morrissey
Some Democratic lawmakers want to make sure that one question does not get asked at the upcoming first presidential debate – about Simpson-Bowles.
Three Democratic House members objected Tuesday to a request by four senators that President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney be asked which of the commission’s proposals to address the debt they support. The Democrats said such a question would force “candidates to choose solutions from one menu of options.” …
But that caused Reps. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) to cry foul, writing in their own letter to the debate commission on Tuesday that although the Simpson-Bowles commission’s plan “may contain proposals helpful to our recovery…to hold it out as the only pathway to fiscal responsibility and economic success is foolish and wrong.”
“We urge the [Debate] Commission to fight any effort to unnecessarily narrow such an important debate by placing disproportionate attention on one set of proposals over another,” they wrote, adding that such a question would “cheapen the debate” and “thwart the candidates’ ability to explain alternative proposals.”
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On the face of it, this is a ridiculous assertion. Asking one question about the Simpson-Bowles plan doesn’t restrict a range of answers on budget reforms and deficits.
(snip)
But of course, this isn’t about the range of options in the debate. Democrats don’t want Barack Obama to have to answer for his total rejection of the commission he called into existence in the first place.
(snip)
(Full text of the article can be read at the above URL)
The interviewers questions say it all. We all need to know which super power Obama would love to have. Why didn't he say the ability to do math? That would really be cool!
When do they (the current Democrat leadership) plan to start?
I must admit I'm as perterbed at S-B not passing. It was just as much the republicans fault. They were only 3 votes away, 3 r's or 3d's, or any combination.
Proof both sides are playing the same games. But, this is completely off the reservation:
Three Democratic House members objected Tuesday to a request by four senators that President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney be asked which of the commission’s proposals to address the debt they support. The Democrats said such a question would force “candidates to choose solutions from one menu of options.” …
The Democrats don't even want questions regarding the debt to be debated.
Oh I'd say its massively fair to ask why it wasn't followed. Good to ask Republicans the same question, why don't yih back Simpson bowles instead of writing a plan with no chance of passing like the president did with his.
Simpson-Bowles is a perfect example of how Washington is broken.
Back in the real world, the Simpson-Bowles committee - which republicans began opposing immediately after Obama agreed to it, despite many of them having co-sponsored it beforehand - could not come to an agreement, and so could not make any recommendation, although they did release a draft that they ultimately rejected. Instead, congress agreed to an across the board 10% cut to all discretionary spending, unless their own comittee could come to an agreement, which they could not.
Simpson Bowles was the raw financial truth. Both sides ran from it. Each blamed the other. Sad but true.
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Obama over his head and drowning, too late to learn to swim
