Deficit Panel Choices
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the first selections for the special joint House-Senate Committee on the deficit, picking two fairly reliable liberals and one wild card for the panel.
Reid's choices included Sen. Patty Murray of Washington State, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and is in charge of Democratic campaign efforts for the U.S. Senate in 2012.
Reid's second choice was expected by many, as he named Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Baucus seemed a logical pick because of all the discussion about having major tax reform as part of any plan - his Finance panel is the Senate's tax committee.
The last choice stirred the waters immediately, as former Democratic Presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts will be on the deficit panel.
Compared to their colleagues, the voting records of Kerry and Murray don't put them near the top of the liberal side of the Democratic Caucus in the Senate, while Baucus is one of the least liberal Democrats.
His sometimes haphazard negotiating style seems likely to crop up at some point, and has some Democrats worried about what kind of deal he might negotiate.
Nine other lawmakers must still be appointed by next Tuesday: three by Speaker Boehner, three by House Democratic Leader Pelosi and three by Senate GOP Leader McConnell.
"As the events of the past week have made clear, the world is watching the work of this committee," Reid said in a written statement.
"I am confident that Senators Murray, Baucus and Kerry will bring the thoughtfulness, bipartisanship, and commitment to a balanced approach that will produce the best outcome for the American people," Reid added.
But the picks drew immediate Republican pushback, as Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) quickly noted that Sen. Murray is in charge of Democratic Senate campaign efforts in 2012.
"Let’s hope this doesn’t politicize a bicameral, bipartisan budget cutting process," McCain said Tuesday evening on Twitter.
Murray will be one co-chair of the special committee; Speaker Boehner will appoint the other.
The panel will have six members from the House and Senate, with a total of six from each party.
If the committee gridlocks and can't produce a plan that can get through the Congress, then across the board budget cuts would occur, totaling over $1.2 trillion - aimed at both defense, social programs and entitlements.
