Santa Rosa Press Democrat - Woolsey, Thompson weigh in on deficit reduction committee failure
November 21, 2011
By Guy Kovner
Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, blamed Republican intransigence on taxes for the congressional supercommittee's failure to reach agreement on a deficit-reduction plan on Monday.
“They will not budge,” Woolsey said. “There's no way to come to a balanced agreement without revenues as a part of it.”
Woolsey and the North Coast's other congressman, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, said it was wrong to put the decision in the hands of a 12-member committee, with Thompson calling it “a fool's errand from the beginning.”
The panel's failure was “yet another example of politics getting in the way of what's best for our country,” Thompson said.
Asked why Congress can't act on the deficit, Thompson, a member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, said the standstill reflects a national divide over spending cuts versus tax increases.
A CNN/ORC International poll released Monday showed that 67 percent of respondents favor higher taxes on businesses and the rich, while 60 percent want major cuts in domestic programs.
Despite the focus on the deficit reduction committee's failure, Thompson said there is “no urgency to do anything” because the resulting automatic budget cuts don't take effect until 2013.
Woolsey, who is retiring from Congress next year, said the deficit debate is “smoke and mirrors.
“What we should be doing is talking about creating jobs,” she said.
“They will not budge,” Woolsey said. “There's no way to come to a balanced agreement without revenues as a part of it.”
Woolsey and the North Coast's other congressman, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, said it was wrong to put the decision in the hands of a 12-member committee, with Thompson calling it “a fool's errand from the beginning.”
The panel's failure was “yet another example of politics getting in the way of what's best for our country,” Thompson said.
Asked why Congress can't act on the deficit, Thompson, a member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, said the standstill reflects a national divide over spending cuts versus tax increases.
A CNN/ORC International poll released Monday showed that 67 percent of respondents favor higher taxes on businesses and the rich, while 60 percent want major cuts in domestic programs.
Despite the focus on the deficit reduction committee's failure, Thompson said there is “no urgency to do anything” because the resulting automatic budget cuts don't take effect until 2013.
Woolsey, who is retiring from Congress next year, said the deficit debate is “smoke and mirrors.
“What we should be doing is talking about creating jobs,” she said.