Source:
APFeb 17, 5:48 PM EST
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
Associated Press
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Those with bigger titles, including the president, are watching, ready to join the discussion if this Gang of Six doesn't trip on the opening lap. Obama did little to address entitlement programs in the 10-year budget he unveiled Monday, and House Republicans aren't touching them as they debate how much and where to cut other, mainly non-benefit programs for the next seven months.
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Conrad, a moderate Democrat, has been quietly meeting with his five Senate colleagues for several weeks. The group includes another moderate, Democrat Mark Warner of Virginia; a liberal Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois; and three conservative Republicans - Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Mike Crapo of Idaho and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia.
Their work builds on the plan produced by Obama's deficit commission in December, which called for about $1 trillion in tax increases and $2.9 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade. The senators are working to set similar spending caps and tax increases as part of an overhaul of the tax code. Their work has sparked opposition from liberal groups concerned about benefit programs and conservatives opposed to tax increases.
Conservative activist Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, told Crapo, Coburn and Chambliss in a letter Thursday that any support by them for a tax increase would be considered a violation of their pledge to not raise taxes.
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The only one that isn't a corporate whore for sure is Durbin. Sounds like a major screw job is in the works. The last "gang" of asshole U.S. Senators ended up blessing Roberts and Alito as a SCOTUS compromise nominees and we all know how well that has worked out.