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August 9, 2011 in Nation/World
Murray named debt panel co-chair
GE Aviation Systems worker Ken Hereth shows Sen. Patty Murray a part as she tours the GE Aviation plant in Yakima on Monday.
(Full-size photo)
WASHINGTON — Sen. Patty Murray will be the co-chairwoman of a powerful “supercommittee” charged with finding more than $1 trillion in deficit cuts this fall.
Washington Democrat was one of three named Tuesday by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The other Reid appointees are Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Max Baucus of Montana on the panel.
In a prepared statement announcing the appointments, Reid said Murray’s years of experience on the Budget and Appropriations committees “have given her a depth of knowledge on budget issues and demonstrated her ability to work across party lines.”
Kerry and Baucus are two of the Senate’s most experienced legislators, Reid added. In naming the trio, he bypassed Democrats like Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad who have been more forceful in advocating curbs on Medicare spending and Social Security benefits.
Washington state Republicans were quick to denounce Murray’s selection. Even before the appointments were official, but after they had leaked out from congressional sources to hit political websites, state GOP Chairman Kirby Wilbur contended Murray’s selection proves Reid wasn’t taking debt reduction seriously.
“Appointing Senator Murray as the Co-chair of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction is like asking a fox to guard a hen house,” Kirby charged in a press release. “Senator Murray has absolutely no history of cutting spending, ever.”
On Tuesday, Murray was in Spokane to visit the West Plains Triumph Composite Systems plant to talk about ways to bridge “the skilled jobs deficit” that keeps companies from finding skilled workers to fill key jobs.
She said more than 2,000 Spokane jobs are currently open, with many going unfilled because not enough workers with the right skills are available.
In an interview Murray said this fall she’ll spearhead reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act as a way to help boost job skills for both younger and older workers. That jobs-training bill was passed in 1998 and is set to expire.
She said her co-sponsor for the reauthorization bill will be Mike Enzi, R-Wyoming. “This is an effort that will have bi-partisan support because it’s important,” she said.
Later Tuesday Murray met with higher education leaders and area elected officials at the Washington State University Riverpoint campus
The Associated Press contibuted to this story.
Supermajority for taxes unconstitutional, judge rules 
cdaterry1 on August 09 at 2:42 p.m.
If my congressman or senator had my healthcare and pension plan there would be Real changes…..but Oh I forgot - they get lifetime pensions and healthcare - why should they care??
Continually re-electing gready selfish people who are paid off by banksters and lobbyist will not help our economy…when can we have term limits? to eliminate these politicians
steptoe_fan on August 09 at 3:00 p.m.
with Patty “pork” Murray anywhere on this committee, we, as a country, are doomed !
she will never understand that it is out of control entitlement programs that ARE the problem, after all, the dems buy their votes with such uncontrollable spending.
william1977 on August 09 at 3:06 p.m.
Just when I think i’ve seen the most stupid action by our leaders…Here goes another.
This is exactly what is wrong with our government process.
Come on people- is this the “best and brightest” our state has to offer? If so- we are doomed.
hawken on August 09 at 3:23 p.m.
Reid picked one of the most hyper-left, failed, Keynesian Senators in the Senate, when he picked Murray.
Reid, does know his stock. You have to give him that.
I wonder if she will be wearing her tennis shoes to the meetings?
Scoutster on August 09 at 3:38 p.m.
I think they must be doing this just to annoy the right in WA state.
WashPIRG on August 09 at 3:44 p.m.
Let’s hope that Sen. Murray uses her position to ensure that any plan to reduce the deficit includes closing some tax loopholes and reducing subsidies that are costing American families billions of dollars a year.
A recent report concluded that the United States loses approximately $100 billion in tax revenues every year due to corporations and individuals sending their money to offshore tax havens.
In 2010, making up for this lost revenue cost the average U.S. tax filer $434. That’s enough money to feed a family of four for three weeks! (http://bit.ly/pREB1R)
Meanwhile, unnecessary subsidies to agribusiness cost America another $16 billion every year to promote the use of high-fructose-corn-syrup in junk food that is driving our national obesity epidemic - not to mention long-term health-care costs. (http://www.washpirg.org/issues/stop-subsidizing-obesity)
Steve Breaux
Washington Public Interest Research Group
william1977 on August 09 at 3:45 p.m.
They are doing it because they have a disorder called “Liberalism”
liberal_in_right_wing_land on August 09 at 3:54 p.m.
Not a huge fan of Patty Murray since she is like any other member of congress and panders to the giant corporations and big money donors and, like all democrats lately, has a nasty, disgusting history of caving into the republicans.
But, with all that said, I am all for her being on this committee if it pisses off the tea baggers and people like Hawken, who just think every democrat is a liberal (does that mean all republicans are fascists?).
ginniet on August 09 at 4:27 p.m.
Scoutster—good call! From the comments on here, it looks like it’s working! :-)
johnclarke on August 09 at 4:49 p.m.
Hum….in spite of the fact that Murray is totally pro-business and pro-Boeing (just ask them) and has brought home the bacon for this State, she is “hyper-left, failed, Keynesian Senators in the Senate”
Fascist, tea bagger,righty, con. These terms are just like “hyper-left and Hawken’s FAVORITE word “Keynesian ”.
Yes, good choices. Kerry is no lightweight either.
bdr on August 09 at 5:06 p.m.
Excellent! The right wing is throwing all 10 tight wads up on the panel……Murray is very experienced to counter act the party of Al-Qaeda aka tea party.
jddavis on August 09 at 5:33 p.m.
Not a Murray fan! Although she was instrumental in increasing the budget for the VA. Hopefully, she will be able to protect the VA from cuts.
misjustice on August 09 at 5:46 p.m.
Brilliant! Congratulations Senator Murray!
Her appointment works on so many levels; on the snarky level, it totally has hawken spinning on his hyper-right, teabagging, fascist heels, which is good enough of a reason for me.
greenlibertarian on August 09 at 6:17 p.m.
Murray’s a little too military-industrial-congressional complex friendly for my tastes, OTOH she has a lot of clout and it’s nice to get some of the federal pork of any sort since WA State like most the blue states, sends more to the feds than the red (welfare) states do.
Baucus threw the public option under the bus almost immediately, I have little respect for him.
Kerry’s been doing yeoman work behind the scenes trying to better our relations with Pakistan, a difficult and thankless job for which he’s had some success with that quagmire.
mtharves on August 09 at 6:20 p.m.
Right on Patty,
Stick one of your tennis shoes in the Tea Party where the sun don’t shine.
Scoutster on August 09 at 6:36 p.m.
jddavis…
Why should the VA be immune from cuts?
We need to cut cut cut. There’s no money, remember?
jddavis on August 09 at 6:39 p.m.
Scoutster—I guess I am partial to taking care of those who sacrifice so much that we are able to voice our thoughts and opinions on places like this forum.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on August 09 at 6:44 p.m.
I agree with scouster, if the GOP wants to keep its tax cuts on the so called “job creators” that haven’t created any jobs in almost 10 years now, then all cuts should be put on the table, including the VA. If they refuse to raise revenue, then everything should be cut, even sacred cows like medicare, social security, defense and the VA.
norpass on August 09 at 7:06 p.m.
One could suppose that amidst all the left/right histrionics and sniping at one another, the constitutionality of the “SUPERCOMMITTEE” seems to get swept under the carpet. That seems to be a more important issue than whether Murray is Keynesian or Reid’s bootlick. OR whether Murray is “brainier” than John ‘catsup’ Kerry.
There’s not a dime’s bit of difference between the Democraps and the Republicons. Both parties have sold the American people down the river. Sewer? Conservate types scream “tax and spend” while the liberal types scream “don’t tax still spend.”
What we have is government run comprehensively bats*@t crazy. I keep thinking tar and feathers might be the answer but, left and/or right would argue about the politcal correctness of tar vis-a-vie Tar.
Dazzeetrader11 on August 09 at 7:12 p.m.
Murray is a big big…no huge spender. Looks like the Dems continue to defy the will of the people.
Well the lines are drawn now. You all know that if 7 votes on any item aren’t managed, Obama gets the final say so.
Perfect…the fool that has nearly broken the US, will have more opps to continue his mission of defeating the country that elected him.
Doesn’t matter…the agencies (he doesn’t care what they say) who wanted more cuts will be busy further downgrading prior to Obama’s defeat. Perfect.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on August 09 at 7:17 p.m.
jddavis at 6:39pm – you realize of course that that makes you a hyper-left, liberal Socialist, right?
Just so we’re clear on that.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on August 09 at 7:18 p.m.
If Murray and the democrats are such huge spenders Dazzee, why are the red states the ones that take more government money than any blue state? I know we throw these chart out a lot, but you big spending republican tea baggers love to talk about cutting spending, but you are all the biggest spenders in the country.
http://politicaltruths.info/2010/11/16/red-states-mostly-welfare-states-dependent-on-blue-states-but-likely-too-uninformed-to-know-p2-tcot-teaparty.aspx
DickAdams on August 09 at 8:06 p.m.
Murray? Lord in merciful heaven. You ain`t merciful.
I wonder what mom in pinko tennis shoes thinks about when she knows that 50% of Americans do not pay one red dime in Federal income tax and if she thinks that is right?
opiemuyo on August 09 at 8:14 p.m.
Nothing. Good. Can. Come. From. This.
tobiasg on August 09 at 8:29 p.m.
We don’t need anymore Kenyanist Economy!
liberal_in_right_wing_land on August 09 at 8:40 p.m.
Wow, good job tobiasg on showing the tea bagger intelligence with that comment.
Now, who could tobiasg actually be? Hmmm…..no that hard to figure out.
Shadedmuse on August 09 at 8:49 p.m.
Wow this goes to show you the same old hate filled post from the same old mornic tea-baggers.
Patty Murray is one of the most progressive senators who is pro labour and was one of 23 senators that vote NO in 2002 on ieaq war resalution, I’m glad she is on the comitee and not a blue dog dlc Democratic Senator like Nelson of Nebraska.
The_Seer on August 09 at 8:52 p.m.
http://gumption.posterous.com/disproportionate-ratios-between-red-and-blue
I’ve got a great recommendation for Murray and the debt commission. Kick all the Jethros and Elli Mae’s off the teat and return all the taxes liberal states pay to support them. Let them live their small government utopia and let the rest of us get on with creating/enhancing a modern culture.
The_Seer on August 09 at 8:54 p.m.
dickadams: Visit this link and tell me who most of those who don’t pay income taxes vote for:
http://gumption.posterous.com/disproportionate-ratios-between-red-and-blue
Bagger, please.
jddavis on August 09 at 9:29 p.m.
@ thatoneguy :>)
I don’t think that is the case! I have an acute understanding of the sacrifice those in the military experience, although not as much as those in a war zone. I have had the distinct honor to know many fine men and women who struggle everyday because of their service…and their common story is lost on most of us. The needs of these individuals is far greater than many of us can understand.
Although I am not a Murray supporter I hold her in high regard for her efforts on Veteran’s issues, including her efforts to increase funding for the VA.
Dazzeetrader11 on August 09 at 9:54 p.m.
Liberal…disordered thinking as usual…your post in response to mine..is disconnected..no logic. One has nothing to do with the other.
Big spending is over. All the agencies want cuts or else. The world is asking the US to be responsible since so many of them depend on the uS to be a leader. As it sits now, we are leaderless. At least the Congress can act responsibly.
If they don’t half will lose their jobs and the other half won’t matter. Obama the “vituperative” simply won’t survive more downgrades. I hope he doesn’t.
Seriously ur not better than 3 or 4 years ago. The country isn’t. He’s made it worse. I believe he knows it too. The voters do…if the economy is the one big issue for re-election, 57% disapprove of his handling of it…only 30% think he’s doing ok.
30% will lose. We won’t but he will…as will you.
tobiasg on August 09 at 10:00 p.m.
Yeah, if only we can cut all spending and cut taxes, everything will be cured. We know the facts and liberal spending aint how you do it.
If obama was doing what he was supposed to do, the debt ceiling issue would have been a no-issue but for the first time in our history we’re in debt and my taxes keep going up and up and up and i’m sick of it!
Shadedmuse on August 09 at 10:37 p.m.
The repugnant-tea-bagger party should be deemed a terrorist organization and all those that belong and or donate money and support the party should be arrested and tried for aiding a terrorist group out destroy the U.S Demcratic nation.
drywitt99 on August 10 at 4:07 a.m.
Dazed and confused writes:
“Looks like the Dems continue to defy the will of the people. ”
Would that “will” be the 33% who approve of the Republican’s handing of the debt ceiling crisis……or the 31% who approve of the way the teabaggers handled it??
Well THERE”S your problem……you’re just mathematically illiterate.
Only in Dazed/teabagger world is 33% or 31% the “will of the people”???????
For the record….Democrats 47%.
47% vs 31%……I’ll take thay in ANY election.
See ya in November 2012!!!
Read http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60952.html#ixzz1UcdwoFir
bez233 on August 10 at 8:56 a.m.
So Murray is wanted to become part of this secret committee, the dirty dozen.
Wasn’t it the job of the few hundred “elected representatives”? All parties seem to want to get to the same place but are too busy pissing on each other, and having affairs with $$$$$, i.e. Boeing (a very profitable company who get billions in subsidies from state and federal)
I find this secret committee disturbing
Dazzeetrader11 on August 10 at 10:05 p.m.
Obama at 40% approval? There’s a reason liberal in gayland….
He’s lousy. Most know it and it’ll get worse. Seen the Dow lately?
IHe’s a goner. Face it son………he’s history. Good riddance. Murray is the same way.spend and tax the people to cover her bills. Nothing changes is nothing changes…….
We need a leader…..Obama isn’t and neither is this lapdog of Reid’s making.