Sen. Tom Coburn (R., Okla.), who earlier today rejoined the bipartisan “Gang of Six,” tells National Review Online that the debt-limit impasse could be solved this week. A large group of Senate Republicans and Democrats, he says, are working to tie the group’s $3.7 trillion deficit-reduction plan to a debt-limit extension.
“We ought to get the best possible deal and fight again,” Coburn says. “This is considerably more than what it was when I left [the group in May]. We ought to get more, but this is the reality of where we are.”
After a meeting with over 50 senators this morning, Coburn is confident that there is a growing consensus to use the proposal as a debt-limit solution. “You never see people’s ultimate position until you get down to where this is the last move on the chessboard,” he says. “That is when people will expose what they are willing to do.”
Coburn acknowledges that the “Gang of Six” plan will not be immediately popular in the House, where Republicans hope to pass “Cut, Cap, and Balance,” a Republican Study Committee package, later today. But after having four long conversations with President Obama this week and consulting with senators, he believes that the “Gang of Six” plan has a real chance of being passed.
“This is more bipartisan,” Coburn says. “‘Cut, Cap and Balance’ would work, but the fact is, you need to get the votes for it.” He calls the “Gang of Six” plan a “good first step” and hopes conservatives recognize that the $500 billion in immediate spending cuts, plus the long-term $3.7 trillion in reductions, are “real” and “buy us time to work over the next three or four years” to enact deeper reforms.
“It’s not a tax hike, it’s a $1.5 trillion net tax reduction,” Coburn says when asked about conservative groups’ likely opposition to the deal. He cites the plan’s elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax as an example of its conservative bona fides.
“The American people want compromise, they want to solve the problem, and they want to see significant changes,” Coburn says. “It accomplishes all of those things. It doesn’t go far enough, but it takes a pretty big bite out of the apple.”
House Speaker John Boehner told reporters Tuesday that he is open to reviewing counterproposals. “I am not going to give up hope on ‘Cut, Cap, and Balance.’ But I do think it’s responsible for us to look at what Plan B would look like,” he said. “There are a lot of options available to us.”
“It’s going to take some time for them to consider this,” Coburn predicts. “But with a net tax cut in it, and you get some significant spending relief, what’s not to like? Live to fight another day.”
— Robert Costa is a political reporter for National Review.
"Live to fight another day."
This perfectly encapsulates everything that is wrong with our "representatives" in DC.
If you can't sacrifice what should be a temporary career in politics in order to stand on your principles, you need to go home.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSpot on!
Regarding the, um, "wisdom" to "fight another day", guess what: TODAY is another day!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmen.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wonder which will occur first? Destruction of the GOP by a totally disgusted rank and file, or total collapse of the United States federal government?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe latter.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse$500 billion in spending cuts for what period of time? One year? Three years? And are the cuts guaranteed? Otherwise, this is a non-starter.
And it's mean of Coburn to unveil this the same day the House will pass CCB. Coburn's actions will undermine Boehner's efforts to attract Democratic support in the House.
A dirty thing to do.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTom Coburn is a traitor to all things conservative. He is a political creature first and foremost. May he be primaried into retirement. His true colors are showing, again.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh, dear. NRO commenters are going to go crazy. A Republican senator uses 'bipartisan' 'compromise' 'it doesn't go far enough', conversations with the president (gasp!!!!).
Pass out the smelling salts, I'm afraid the loonies are going to revolt!!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI would like to know how real is this $500 billion in immediate cuts. Last time the "cuts" turn out to be actually increase in spending.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Live to fight another day?"
Where have I heard that before?
Oh, that's right: that was the same exact line the Beltway insiders trotted out when they defended the bamboozle of a budget deal back in April, promising that it was the best deal they could get and the real fight would come over raising the debt ceiling. "Live to fight another day," they said.
Now the debt ceiling battle is here and we are once again being told by people like Coburn to play "Let's Make a Deal" and "[l]ive to fight another day."
I hope everyone, NRO included, by now recognizes that the future day that Republicans in DC keep promising they will actually fight will never come.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseA "net" tax cut? 3.7 trillion in actual cuts? 500 billion immediate cuts? Count me as dubious. I remember all to well Boehner's compromise, an illusion(actually a con and lie).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCoburn has been a great disappointment in these talks. He appears to be a nice guy who wants everyone to be nice. His capitulation here is pre-emptive. The GOP hasn't even tried everything possible to get the best deal.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePass (at least vote on) Pat Toomey's anti-default bill first. GOP should vote on that unanimously, and put dems on record that if there is a default it was there choice.
I am disappointed in Coburn's timing and I want to know what he GOT for coming back to the table.
The upside: Coburn may have saved us from the McConnell-Reid plan.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe House can go ahead and pass 'Cut, Cap, and Balance', then send it to the Senate where they can amend it, perhaps incorporating some of the GO6 inputs, then vote on it before sending it to a conference committee.
No reason to short-circuit the legislative process through a closed-door 'Grand Bargain'.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGood idea
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis Congress can only bind itself. It cannot bind any future Congress to any budget beyond Fiscal Year 2013 that begins 10/1/2012. In Coburn's plan, when do the "spending cuts" occur? Are they spread equally over the next ten fiscal years or are they backloaded to years 8-10?
Also, are they budget cuts or actual reductions in spending? Due to the crazy way that federal government budgets are base-lined, you could get $3.7 trillion of cuts over 10 years but still increase actual annual cash outlays at a rate that exceeds the rate of inflation.
As always with politicians, the devil is in the details.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAll excellent points. Structural changes to entitlements would persist, however, because they are not the subject of annual appropriations.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think this is the best near-term outcome conservatives could hope for. The left-most plan will now be fixed by what is passable by the Senate. The compromise bill will be between the Senate bill and the Ryan plan. President Obama gets to save face as his disappointed lefty base will blame Congress.
The real work begins in 2013.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt all boils down to this: if Obama wins re-election, the country is finished. The next presidential election is the only battle that really matters right now, and the debt ceiling battle needs to be fought with that in mind.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe 500 billion is from the Chained CPI. They're getting those savings from changing how COLA is calculated.
Shell game.
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