Breaking: Fiscal Commission Report To Be Released Early. Apparently, this afternoon.

[flpoljunkie]

Fiscal Commission Report To Be Released Early

Brian Beutler | November 10, 2010, 12:25PM

This afternoon, the White House's fiscal commission -- officially, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform -- will unveil, weeks ahead of schedule, its recommendations to Congress for reducing budget deficits in the coming years, two sources tell me.

The report wasn't expected to be released until early December, and was supposed to be a consensus plan, agreed to by 14 of the commission's 18 members. This is the "chairman's mark," authored by co-chairs Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, which commission members agreed should be made public.

Over the last several months, members of the commission had reportedly been struggling to reach consensus on big ticket items like Social Security, Medicare and tax revenue.

We'll keep you posted about what made it into the report.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/fiscal-commission-report-to-be-released-early.php?ref=fpbrk

[yourout]

1. One thing guaranteed to not be in there is.....get out of Afganistan, close GITMO, cut....

Military spending.

[indepat]

3. Increase the now-nominal tax burden on large corporations and the uber-wealthy

surely won't be there either. This Commission is a RW hatchet job on social security and Medicare offered up via Executive Order. Should BHO sign legislation into law that is detrimental to social security/Medicare, think of the probably tens of millions, including yours truly, who will not cast a vote in 2012 for any one party to passage of such legislation. :shrug:

[yourout]

6. Someone needs to tell Obama in no uncertain terms......cut social security and you will not be.....

re-elected. Period.

[bluethruandthru]

12. and DON'T raise the retirement age!! n/t

[indepat]

17. Raising the retirement age is nothing but a substantial reduction in benefits, i.e., a rose by any

other name would smell the same. ;)

[benlurkin]

10. Re: Military Spending cuts

I am going out on a limb and saying that military cuts will be there. Gates wants them. They will outsource some military functions to civilian contractors (they are doing it now).

That will be the extent of the military cuts.

[polichick]

2. I am really anxious to see this! nt

[flpoljunkie]

4. More from TPM: The Other Shoe About to Drop--'The Chairman's Mark'

The Other Shoe About To Drop

David Kurtz | November 10, 2010, 12:40PM

President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform -- the Erskine Bowles-Alan Simpson co-chaired debt commission -- will release it proposed recommendations within the hour, sources tell TPM. We're being told this is the "chairman's mark" -- not the final recommendations that will have to be voted upon by the commission. A press conference coming at 1 p.m. ET should give us a clearer picture.

[Mass]

5. Given the ideas that were posted somewhere else, they better change this report thoroughly

or reject it, because it is pure GOP crap.

[ProSense]

7. Nuts! More:

Sam Stein Debt Commission Report Will Include Call To Raise Retirement Age And Cut Medicare Benefits, Say Sources

<...>

The recommendations, according to a source who has been briefed on the proposal, are expected to include a call for raising retirement age for Social Security and for cuts to Medicare benefits -- two policy prescriptions that will be met with deep opposition from the Democratic community.

The findings are not the final report of the commission, officially known as the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Rather they are the specific suggestions of its two chairs, former Sen. Alan Simpson and former White House Chief of Staff Erskin Bowles. The ultimate findings will require the support of 14 members of the 18-member commission. And at this juncture it is unclear if the votes are there, sources familiar with deliberation say.

In the process of pursuing their reforms for Social Security and Medicare, the commission headers are expected to suggest that the results will be a 70 percent cut in benefits and 30 percent increase in revenues, according to the source familiar with the upcoming announcement.

"What a crazy proposal, what a crazy proposal," said a Democratic source briefed on the finding. "I expect that the White House is going to distance itself big-time from this, saying this is just the chairman not the commission."

[Mass]

9. The WH better do what the Democratic source suggests.

[polichick]

13. How can the WH "distance itself"?? The prez chose the chairmen. nt

[crazylikafox]

16. Since the commission chairs didn't follow the agreement to release a consensus report,

Obama has ZERO obligation to support the commission at all. He should drop it now. The chairs did this in bad faith. ANY support of this from Obama will guarantee his defeat in 2012. IF he survives the primaries.

[dgibby]

23. According to the OP, all the members agreed to releasing this. n/t

[disillusioned73]

8. 'The Chairman's Mark'???

Excuse my ignorance, but what does that even mean??

[benlurkin]

11. Chairmans Mark=preliminary version

Short version before the full version

[disillusioned73]

24. Thanks

[Better Today]

14. While the president's out of the country. That seems uncomfortable for some reason.

Is it Obama's decision to go ahead with this while he's away, or is it the commission's? Either way, not good.

[mopinko]

15. yeah that made my tinfoil buzz a little, too.

does seem strange.

[Kdillard]

18. No one approved this report besides the chairs and I bet Obama is going to

be furious when hears about the stunt.

[Mass]

19. But he named the chairmen and he knew what to expect of them.

(At least he should have).

[polichick]

20. Did the prez choose all the members? If not, who did? nt

[Mass]

21. House and Senate leaders chose most of them, but the chairs, who are the only people having

approved this report, where named by Obama.

Here is the list of members

http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/members

Here are the members Obama named

www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-members-bipartisan-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-.htm

The 12 other members were named by Pelosi, Boehner, Reid, and McConnell

[polichick]

22. Thank-you! nt