Tentative Deal on Debt Ceiling and Deficit Reduction Struck

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Birthplace of Independent Conservatism
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

ABC is reporting a tentative deal has been reached raising the the debt ceiling by 2.4 trillion dollars with guaranteed spending cuts in the same amount.

The Note:

Democratic and Republican Congressional sources involved in the negotiations tell ABC News that a tentative agreement has been reached on the framework of a deal that would give the President a debt ceiling increase of up to $2.4 trillion and guarantee an equal amount of deficit reduction over the next 10 years.

Congressional leaders plan to brief their members on the framework tomorrow. The reaction from both parties' rank-and-file will determine whether this tentative deal becomes a final deal.

Here, according to Democratic and Republican sources, are the key elements:

• A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).

• They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years.

• The formation of a special Congressional committee to recommend further deficit reduction of up to $1.6 trillion (whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase). This deficit reduction could take the form of spending cuts, tax increases or both.

• The special committee must make recommendations by late November (before Congress' Thanksgiving recess).

• If Congress does not approve those cuts by December 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare. This "trigger" is designed to force action on the deficit reduction committee's recommendations by making the alternative painful to both Democrats and Republicans.

• A vote, in both the House and Senate, on a balanced budget amendment.

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As is said... the Devil lies in the details. This certainly doesn't look like the best deal conservatives might have struck. Perhaps they should have been less intransigent early on.

Via: Memeorandum