WASHINGTON (AP) — The co-chairman of President Barack
Obama’s deficit commission is assailing the politics of political
brinksmanship surrounding the "fiscal cliff," saying Congress "put the
chain on their own ankle."
Former Sen. Alan Simpson says "you have
to have a blend" of revenue increases and spending cuts to achieve a
deal to avoid the cliff.
Simpson tells NBC’s "Today" show it’s
ridiculous for Democrats and Republicans to speculate on which party
would suffer more if no compromise agreement were achieved. He says,
quote, "That’s like betting your country. There’s stupidity in that.
This is big-time stuff."
Speaking of Congress, Simpson says, in
his words, "If you gave 90 percent of them a profit-loss statement in
one hand and a balance sheet in the other, they wouldn’t know how to
read it."
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The co-chairman of President Barack
Obama’s deficit commission is assailing the politics of political
brinksmanship surrounding the "fiscal cliff," saying Congress "put the
chain on their own ankle."
Former Sen. Alan Simpson says "you have
to have a blend" of revenue increases and spending cuts to achieve a
deal to avoid the cliff.
Simpson tells NBC’s "Today" show it’s
ridiculous for Democrats and Republicans to speculate on which party
would suffer more if no compromise agreement were achieved. He says,
quote, "That’s like betting your country. There’s stupidity in that.
This is big-time stuff."
Speaking of Congress, Simpson says, in
his words, "If you gave 90 percent of them a profit-loss statement in
one hand and a balance sheet in the other, they wouldn’t know how to
read it."
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.