Each morning, Bill Scher and Terrance Heath serve up what progressives need to effect change on the kitchen-table issues families face: jobs, health care, green energy, financial reform, affordable education and retirement security.
MORNING MESSAGE: A Republic, If We Can We Keep It
OurFuture.org's Terrance Heath: "Last night, as I lamented the state of America's governance — that we have come to be ruled by a 60-member tea party coalition that, at most, comprises only about 14 percent of the House yet somehow overrules the rest of the House, the Senate and the White House — my husband referenced his Polish immigrant heritage and recalled a political maneuver that hastened the collapse of Polish republic. The first Polish republic, that is. The story bears a striking resemblance to our current political nightmare-cum-reality."
Super Committee Heads Towards Super Stalemate
Sen. Maj. Leader Reid upset at GOP plans to appoint anti-tax ideologues to Super Committee. Politico: "'So what does that leave the committee to do?' Reid said. 'Should Pelosi and I just not appoint and walk away?' ..."
Members must be named by Aug 16. The Hill: "...a majority of seven members is enough to ensure up-or-down votes in Congress for the plan ... One wrong pick, lobbyists on the right and left said Wednesday, could swing the panel toward a terrible compromise ... These sources are already urging leaders to pick top lieutenants who will stick to party positions — no entitlement cuts for Democrats and no tax increases for Republicans."
GOP pushing to use budget baseline assuming Bush tax cuts expire, so any compromise involving revenue will be technically scored as worsening the deficit. NYT: "Democrats would prefer to start with what they describe as more realistic assumptions: that the tax cuts will continue for middle-income people but end for those with high incomes. [Paul] Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, fired back. He said [WH aide Gene] Sperling was trying to pave the way for tax increases by advancing 'a misguided interpretation of the mandate given to this newly created committee.' ... Ryan said, the new law 'explicitly instructs the committee' to follow the standard practice of comparing legislative proposals with current law, which he said 'already assumes tax increases after 2012.' Mr. Sperling said Mr. Ryan’s claim was 'simply false.'"
Threatened by "trigger," defense and health care lobbies leap into action. W. Post: "'It’s going to be pain versus pain for a lot of people,' said veteran lobbyist Tony Podesta of the Podesta Group, whose clients include major defense contractors and health-care firms. 'There’s going to be a focus on the 12 and a focus on the leadership and a focus on the administration. Decisions will get made by a smaller number of people than you learned about in high school.'"
Pentagon chief Leon Panetta warns of security risks if trigger is pulled. NYT: "Mr. Panetta’s letter was followed by a briefing to reporters by a senior Pentagon official who said that while he did not want to alarm people in the Defense Department, he saw the possibility of involuntary separations — or the laying off of military personnel — as well as layoffs and furloughs of civilians who work for the Pentagon."
TPM's Brian Beutler lists all the likely hostage situations around the corner: "When Congress returns from recess, it will have just three weeks to pass new appropriations legislation by the end of September when federal funding expires ... While that battle's being fought, a new deficit Super Committee will be hashing out tax and entitlement reform legislation ... If [there is no deal and] they pull the trigger on those cuts, there's a wrinkle: they won't take effect until January 1, 2013 -- the same day the Bush tax cuts are set to expire..."
Pressure Builds To Solve FAA Shutdown
President demands Congress reopen FAA this month. NYT: "...Mr. Obama called it 'a lose-lose-lose situation that can be easily solved if Congress gets back into town and does its job.' 'And they don’t even have to come back into town,' he added, noting that both the House and the Senate are in pro forma session this month, and each could agree to adopt a compromise bill by unanimous consent ... Democratic senators and representatives accused Republicans of 'holding hostage' the legislative process by refusing to pass a 'clean' bill that would permit temporary funds for the F.A.A. — that is, one not encumbered with provisions like cutting elements of subsidized air service to rural airports ... Democrats also asserted that Republicans were using the immediate funds issue to advance their position on a labor issue. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia said Republicans were specifically doing favors for Delta Air Lines ... one of the few large airlines that is largely nonunion."
Furloughed workers incredulous Congress took off. W. Post: "'We’re staring at a possible six weeks without pay, and they’ll all get nice suntans on their vacations,' said Dan Stefko, a furloughed FAA engineer who flew in from Pittsburgh. 'Nobody believed they would actually walk away from this,' added Bob Aitken, an engineer from Chicago, as the group made the rounds, meeting with a handful of lawmakers and staff members."
No Shortage Of Jobs (Ideas)
WH exploring new jobs ideas: " ...administration officials are considering proposing new investments in domestic clean energy as well as renewing tax breaks for companies using renewable energy ... Also on the table is an initiative designed to help the ailing housing market without the need for more public spending. Under that proposal, the government-controlled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would rent out foreclosed properties that they own rather than try to sell them at depressed prices ... Former administration officials are pushing other initiatives, such as a program to rebuild and rehabilitate schools as a way to improve education and stimulate the economy..."
Automakers, unions and enviros in sync on fuel efficiency. NYT: "'These are business people who did not grow up and become conditioned to doing business in Detroit,' Sergio Marchionne, the head of Chrysler ... 'This industry had a very bad habit of crying wolf,' he said ... said Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Campaign ... 'I endorse Marchionne’s truth-telling. These new guys get it.'"
Senate leaders strike bipartisan compromise to advance trade agreements. Roll Call: "Reid and McConnell have agreed to move Trade Adjustment Assistance funding for displaced workers separately from the trade pact bills ... Reid said. 'We believe those discussions have provided a path forward in the Senate after we return for passage of the bipartisan compromise on the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, followed by passage of the three FTAs. I do not support movement on the FTAs, which I have never supported, until TAA has passed.'"
HuffPost's Jason Cherkis digs in to Gov. Perry's Texas record: "Dig beneath the talking points and you find a more troubling picture: rising unemployment, a glut of low-wage jobs without benefits, overcrowded homeless shelters and public schools facing billions in budget cuts ... 'If you want a bad job, go to Texas,' said Texas Rep. Garnet Coleman (D) ... 'If you want to work at Carl's Jr., our doors are open, and if you want to go to a crumbling school in a failing school system, this is the place to come.'"
