top row: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.)
second row: Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash), Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz), Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass), Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.)
third row: Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn), Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.)
/
CBS/AP
Updated: 2:20 p.m. ET
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced her appointments to the bipartisan congressional "super committee" on Thursday , tapping Democratic Reps. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Xavier Becerra (Calif.) and James Clyburn (S.C.) to join nine other lawmakers tasked with reducing the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion by Thanksgiving.
In a tweet announcing the selection, Pelosi said the three lawmakers will "focus on economic growth & job creation--which reduces deficit."
And in a subsequent statement, she said she hoped the committee could still work toward achieving a "grand bargain."
"We must achieve a 'grand bargain' that reduces the deficit by addressing our entire budget, while strengthening Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security," she said. "Our entire Caucus will work closely with these three appointees toward this goal, which is the goal of the American people."
Pelosi also called for the committee to work in an "open" and "transparent" environment.
"Because the work of this committee will affect all Americans, I called last week for its deliberations to be transparent; the committee should conduct its proceedings in the open," she said in her statement.
Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat, and Van Hollen, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee and former head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, were both involved in the failed bipartisan deficit discussions led by Vice President Joe Biden earlier this year.
Becerra, vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, was among those who voted against the debt limit deal, arguing that the bill "does not speak to the values of America."
"It is not balanced nor does it ask for shared sacrifice," he said.
The selection of the three House Democrats rounds out the bipartisan, 12-person group. Republican leaders in the House and the Senate announced their appointees on Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made his decision public on Tuesday.
House Speaker John Boehner tapped House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, to serve as co-chair of the committee. He also appointed House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., to the committee.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell appointed Sens. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Rob Portman (Ohio). Reid named Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) to co-chair the committee, and also appointed Sens. Max Baucus, (Mont.) and John Kerry (Mass.) to serve on it.
Has nobody noticed that the supercommittee is an illegal and unconstitutional creation setting a dangerous precident which concentrates power into the hands of a few representatives and severely limiting the representation of the American people? Is the constitution now just a document to be totally ignored?
Democrats after finding out Illegals are returning to their country of orgin because unemployment rates are much better in third world countries as opposed to the socialist country of Ameribama. Democrats are wanting a fence now to fence in their voters.
HOW COME "CBS" DOESN'T HAVE A HEADLINE ABOUT OBAMA'S BILLIONAIRE FRIEND, "SOROS", BEING SUED BY HIS GIRLFRIEND LIKE THE OTHER NETWORKS? wonder whyyyyyyy. WHY ARE DEMS ALWAYS SLEAZY???
ALl this furor by the Democrats over a 5.5% cut to a 3.83 trillion budget each year. THis should be done with cutting waste and duplication. The Democrats will complain the cuts will be for the elderly and poor to make the most headlines. The Democrats don't know how to cut a budget. They've never done it before.
Conservative propaganda. A 5.5% cut across all programs, defense and increasing revenues would be fine. But just cutting from discretionary spending which is only 16% of the total budget would be more than a 33% cut there - draconian - and it would throw hundreds of thousands out of work which would make the budget situation WORSE.
We don't just need jobs, we need a livable wage. What the rightwing wants to do is create many minimum wage jobs...or...create jobs that only people with college degrees can attain. That might be fine for us college graduates, but what about the thousands and thousands of people that cannot get those "degree required" positions? Most people need factory jobs to support themselves and those jobs were sent to China. Minimum wage jobs (approx $7 an hour) will not pay a worker's rent, utilities and food; most of those people end up asking for food stamps. If you pay the blue collar worker a livable wage (about $10 an hour) they can support themselves and eat. That's what working is for, anyway. Rightwing rich CEOs don't create jobs in the US, they create them in China...and now the greedy selfish gentlemen don't want to pay more taxes...How nice; while the rest of the nation is struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Rightwing wants slave labor. The only party that really is defending the working class, is the Democrats. I will vote to re-elect President Obama in 2012.
Velma - while I most often agree with you and disagree with Mortarman, his point here is on point. Companies can only afford to page wages that they can recover in selling their product - if a product will only sell for $20, a company cannot afford $30 of labor to build it.
That said, mary-miami also has a valid point. We need to create jobs in the US that can pay a real living wage. And as long as we build incentives to maximize profits AT THE EXPENSE OF Americans, we will see jobs go overseas. We can address that in a variety of ways, most of which will raise the cost of the goods sold to the US market - which is an issue in and of itself - but we can adjust trade tariffs and tax policy to more reward a company for spending their money in the US.
The real long term solution, however, is developing jobs here that can NOT be outsourced - and since many of those are in NEW industries, we may need the government to help pave the way with development or tax credits to build those industries.
The Democrats for the most part chose solidly liberal and Democrat hacks who have been there forever and the Republicans for the most part chose solidly Republican hacks who have also been there forever. In other words, both sides have chosen to continue what they are doing.
Insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results... THIS IS INSANITY!!!!
Actually the Democrats and Republicans chose more moderate people from the Senate side. The GOP choices are less moderate, but Max Baucus is pretty much a blue dog Democrat and the most likely to be affected by conservative operatives in his state.
It looks -- once again -- like the Democrats are serious about making a good compromise deal and the Republicans are serious about causing more crises in their quest for the White House. They are playing with fire... the American people are on to their game.
USA, join the Army and do 20...if you survive then you get a pension..simple
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Perhaps you haven't heard yesterday's news, Danny Boy. The USMC plans to reduce their ranks by 23,000. Many who have seved and planned on "doing" 20 years will now be told "thanks, but no thanks." Pulling the rug out from under their feet when they volunteered in our nation's time of need is a Tea Sippers idea of patriotism.
What does "white" have to do with it? Stop trying to inject race. It's really getting old. And, by the way, you must be one of those screaming liberals whom I detest so much.
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Uh, labor is not the ONLY cost found in an item.
That said, mary-miami also has a valid point. We need to create jobs in the US that can pay a real living wage. And as long as we build incentives to maximize profits AT THE EXPENSE OF Americans, we will see jobs go overseas. We can address that in a variety of ways, most of which will raise the cost of the goods sold to the US market - which is an issue in and of itself - but we can adjust trade tariffs and tax policy to more reward a company for spending their money in the US.
The real long term solution, however, is developing jobs here that can NOT be outsourced - and since many of those are in NEW industries, we may need the government to help pave the way with development or tax credits to build those industries.
Insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results... THIS IS INSANITY!!!!
It looks -- once again -- like the Democrats are serious about making a good compromise deal and the Republicans are serious about causing more crises in their quest for the White House. They are playing with fire... the American people are on to their game.
USA, join the Army and do 20...if you survive then you get a pension..simple
*************************************
Perhaps you haven't heard yesterday's news, Danny Boy. The USMC plans to reduce their ranks by 23,000. Many who have seved and planned on "doing" 20 years will now be told "thanks, but no thanks." Pulling the rug out from under their feet when they volunteered in our nation's time of need is a Tea Sippers idea of patriotism.