Obama Seeks To Cut Deficit. Is That Good Enough For Conservatives?

A commission formed to focus on ways to cut the deficit has its first meeting today, and is already encountering criticism.

“We’re afraid the solutions they focus on will be entitlement cuts which are completely unwarranted,” Roger Hickey, co-director for the Campaign for America’s Future, an umbrella organization of liberal groups.

Brian Darling, director of Senate relations at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said he feared the Obama administration would use the panel to justify tax increases.

“The bottom line is if you give politicians an easy way out they will take it,” Mr. Darling said. “And the easy way out in this case is tax increases and not cutting spending programs.”

Hopefully, the structure created will allow for bipartisan agreement about the best way forward.

It has six each of congressional Democrats and Republicans, four industry representatives and the two co-chairs. In order for a deal to be reached, 14 of its 18 members would have to agree, meaning at least two Republicans would have to sign off on it.

Assuming an agreement is reached, both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) have committed to holding a vote on its recommendations.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.