Partisanship - the Failure of the Super Committee

FAILURE OF THE SUPER COMMITTEE

• The Supercommittee Fails—and That's Good for Obama (—By David Corn, Mother Jones) Obama: In addition to my [deficit-reduction] plan, there were a number of other bipartisan plans for them to consider from both Democrats and Republicans, all of which promoted a balanced approach. This kind of balanced approach to reducing our deficit—an approach where everybody gives a little bit, and everyone does their fair share—is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans—Democrats, independents, and Republicans. It's supported by experts and economists from all across the political spectrum.
• A Failure Is Absorbed With Disgust and Fear, but Little Surprise (By MICHAEL COOPER, NY Times) Does the American political system even work anymore?
• The new age of uncertainty: Does the world seem more volatile than ever? Get used to it, experts advise (By Douglas Brown, The Denver Post) People who study politics, financial markets and the media say it has been decades since so many consequential events and trends have emerged simultaneously around the globe, from the decline of many economies to the rise of organized dissent to the spread of the independent voter.
• Obama targets GOP in New Hampshire as he pushes for extension of payroll tax cut (By Associated Press, Washington Post) It’s been nearly two years since Obama visited New Hampshire. And on Tuesday, he’ll find a state that has shifted distinctly to the right since his 2008 victory. Recent polls show that, if the election were held today, Obama would lose by roughly 10 percentage points to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
• Analysis: End to debt gridlock is not in sight (CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press, Albany Times Union) Nathan Daschle, who heads a political networking firm called Ruck.Us, and whose father was a Democratic Senate leader, said the only way he can envision "really changing the incentives of our political system" is to have huge numbers of Republican and Democratic voters switch their affiliation to independent.
• U.S. Voters Say Almost 3-1 Super Committee Will Fail, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; More Blame Republicans (Quinnipiac) Expecting failure are Democrats 54 - 36 percent, Republicans 84 - 14 percent and independent voters 71 -22 percent, the independent Quinnipiac   University poll finds.