And McConnell has made his picks: Toomey, Kyl and Portman.

[Keystone Phil]

So much for the rumor that anyone who voted against the deal won't be on the panel - Toomey thankfully earned a spot!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/republican-members-of-super-debt-panel-co-chair-named/2011/08/10/gIQAzRRf6I_story.html?wpisrc=al_politics

[NVGonzalez]

I had a feeling Toomey and Kyl would be there. I was hoping that he would have his 3rd pick to be fairly moderate but when it comes to McConnell you can only expect such rationality.

[anvi]

So far, I'm only 2 for 6 on my guesses for who would be on it (I got Portman and Baucus right). I'd never have guessed the other picks.

But, even worse, this committee is going to be a train wreck.

[Keystone Phil]

I certainly believed that Toomey should be on the committee and he has been such a stand out so his selection wouldn't have been surprising but I wasn't sure if McConnell would go with a freshman.

[Torie]

So far, I'm only 2 for 6 on my guesses for who would be on it (I got Portman and Baucus right). I'd never have guessed the other picks.

But, even worse, this committee is going to be a train wreck.

Hensarling and Patty Murray are co chairs!  Can you imagine two worse choices? I guess Patty will just be reading whatever Harry Reid writes for her. What a comedown from Bowles-Simpson!  

Upton by the way has some RINO tendencies, and Camp is rat trap smart along with Portman, however.

[NVGonzalez]

this committee is going to be a train wreck.

[Lief 🗽]

hey guys, let's appoint Bush's former budget director to the panel on cutting the deficit, he's really good at that.

Also keep in mind that Kyl is on record saying defense cuts are unconstitutional. And Portman, before he joined the Bush administration, voted for Iraq and the Bush tax cuts, the two primary contributors to our current debt.

And then of course the three House picks are crazy people.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Of f-ing course. 2 okay Democrats and 4 right-wingers from the Senate. McConnell could have at the very least had Murkowski or Kirk.

[HST1948]

Its like Reid and McConnell got together and thought "lets put the absolute worst members of our party on a panel and see how much damage they can do".

[Bull Moose Base]

Of f-ing course. 2 okay Democrats and 4 right-wingers from the Senate. McConnell could have at the very least had Murkowski or Kirk.

Baucus a right-winger?

Does Super-Congress-Man just need 7 votes to advance deal to an up/down vote in the chambers?

this committee is going to be a train wreck.

Pelosi and Boehner agree committee should operate openly which may be the least bad alternative but will kill any risk-taking. Triggers getting pulled probably a decent bet.

[Marston]

Dave Camp...


Ugh.

We're screwed.

[Brittain33]

It's almost interesting that Kyl is retiring so in theory could negotiate other than posture, but who am I kidding, it's Jon Kyl. That's a waste of a spot, he could have just as easily put in Jeff Sessions or Cornyn or Vitter for the same effect.

Oh, hey, so this means southerners were completely locked out on the Senate side.

[Marston]

Fred Upton is Okay. He's been watching is right-flank recently since he was almost primaried last year so he's not as moderate as he once was.

[CultureKing]

well at least Cantor isn't on there.. right?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Oh, hey, so this means southerners were completely locked out on the Senate side.

Which ones did you think McConnell would consider?

[Torie]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I had the same question a week or two ago, and looked it up in the statute, and the answer is yes. One party member crossing party lines gets whatever the committee does down to the floor for a vote.

[Brittain33]

Oh, hey, so this means southerners were completely locked out on the Senate side.

Which ones did you think McConnell would consider?

Good point. DeMint is too far off the reservation one way, Graham the other way. Corker is unreliable. Others either play poorly on tv or are blah. It's just that if you took a random selection of Republican senators, you'd expect at least 1 out of 3 to be from the south or Texas, and possibly 2.

[Brittain33]

So all we need is defense lobbyists to give enough money to Baucus and the Republican plan passes.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Oh, hey, so this means southerners were completely locked out on the Senate side.

Which ones did you think McConnell would consider?

Good point. DeMint is too far off the reservation one way, Graham the other way. Corker is unreliable. Others either play poorly on tv or are blah. It's just that if you took a random selection of Republican senators, you'd expect at least 1 out of 3 to be from the south or Texas, and possibly 2.

This is a sorry lot, b33, I don't know what else to say.......very sorry lot.

[Torie]

So all we need is defense lobbyists to give enough money to Baucus and the Republican plan passes.

On the other hand, Baucus is a hard core redistributionist. He's also I think getting senile. He has trouble expressing himself these days, as if the wheels in his brain need lubricating. I suspect Harry put him on, because he will do what Harry tells him to do. There is just not much there there, independently.

[King]

Congratulations, Phil.

This could boost Rob Portman as a potential running mate in 2012.

[Brittain33]

I suspect Harry put him on, because he will do what Harry tells him to do. There is just not much there there, independently.

Whatever his individual abilities, which I haven't observed and can't speak to, he has the committee experience and background to suggest his membership.

[The Vorlon]

So far, I'm only 2 for 6 on my guesses for who would be on it (I got Portman and Baucus right). I'd never have guessed the other picks.

But, even worse, this committee is going to be a train wreck.

Looking on the bright side...

Assuming the group of 12 can cut a deal, Toomey has the street cred to sell it to the fiscal/anti tax side of things, and (hopefully) Kerry will have the credibility to sell it to Liberals.

"Only Nixon can go to China"... and all that....? (he says hopefully)

[anvi]

So far, I'm only 2 for 6 on my guesses for who would be on it (I got Portman and Baucus right). I'd never have guessed the other picks.

But, even worse, this committee is going to be a train wreck.

Looking on the bright side...

Assuming the group of 12 can cut a deal, Toomey has the street cred to sell it to the fiscal/anti tax side of things, and (hopefully) Kerry will have the credibility to sell it to Liberals.

"Only Nixon can go to China"... and all that....? (he says hopefully)

I'll put my name down on the "I hope you're right" column.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I had the same question a week or two ago, and looked it up in the statute, and the answer is yes. One party member crossing party lines gets whatever the committee does down to the floor for a vote.

And that one will be Baucus (unless some other "Democrats" decide to join him).