TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
AP: 754f45f5-a510-41aa-ae89-c955ca30ff23
Senate Budget Committee Chair Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., center, flanked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev.,left, and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., holds up a copy of a "warn notice" that would be sent to workers if furloughed from their jobs under the automatic spending cuts that take effect March 1, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The 11th hour has arrived

BY Dave Ross  on March 1, 2013 @ 5:40 am (Updated: 9:36 am - 3/1/13 )

The 11th hour has arrived - will it move the budget debate?

One more time, the Speaker of the House John Boehner said Republicans have done their job, it's up to Democrats. "The President hasn't offered a plan. Senate Democrats haven't passed a plan. It's time for them to pass a plan."

So I talked to a top Senate Democrat, Patty Murray, who chairs the budget committee, and asked why won't she agree to trim Social Security and Medicare spending as Republicans demand.

"Let me just be very clear," said Murray on Seattle's Morning News. "I made some very serious offers on those kinds of changes to public policies that will bring us savings in the long run. As budget chair today - I'm in deep discussions with my committee about how we can impact the cost of healthcare overall, moving forward. It's one of the biggest drivers in our budget. But, we have to have a partner on the other side."

They're saying they've dug in. I asked, do you think you can really get them to move?

"Without the revenue piece on this, average, middle-class families bear the brunt of the entire deficit because we went to war without paying for it and we passed big tax cuts in the early part of the decade," said Murray.

But she's made the point. We know where each side stands. Republicans are just willing to be a little more ruthless than the Democrats. I asked, at some point, don't you just have to say, 'Alright, we're going to try it your way just to get this thing off the dime'? And if it turns out you're wrong, you will lose at the polls next time around.

"This is going into place because they hold the card of - by doing nothing - they get all their cuts."

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (55)


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  • Hydroman wrote...
    Let the cuts go through
    March 1, 2013 10:13 am
    It sounds like a lot but it is a small part of the overall budget. The military could withdraw from Europe and let them pay their fair share, we could have a treaty to let the US use their bases in the event of some emergency. Do the same for Japan. All the countries we give money to around the would should be reset to zero and let them prove we need to support them. We can't afford to help the world thru our government, let the public sector do that. Help our own people that are unable to help their selfs. Make a national sales tax and dump the IRS with loop holes and all the special interest groups and their will just have to look for new jobs. The list goes on.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Jedi mind meld
    March 1, 2013 11:04 am
    This crisis happened because President Obama could not perform a Jedi mind meld with the Republicans.
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  • CH wrote...
    CUT BABY CUT
    March 1, 2013 11:30 am
    wait till you see how this works out for the republicans. I give Boner a week then he will hang himself with his own necktie. Grab the Kool-Aid republicans your going down 2014.
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  • O-town listener wrote...
    Sequester..
    March 1, 2013 11:45 am
    Did anyone here the woman on today talking about the effects of sequester on her family? She mentioned her husband would be furloughed 1 day a week and that would cost them $1,600 a month. Which means for the other 4 days a week he is bringing in $6,400 a month... I have a hard time believing that furlough time is going to cut into her grocery and gas spending as she claimed unless her family has loaded up on debt and credit to the max.
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  • O-town listener wrote...
    hear.. not here.. but, whatever.
    March 1, 2013 11:46 am
    ..
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Kosh wrote...
    I have my shovel ready
    March 1, 2013 12:04 pm
    To push aside all old people and kids bodies Obama kills with this. I mean that's what he claims was going to happen. Old people wouldnt get care and kids would starve to death all because of a 2% so called cut in spending.
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  • rodneytom wrote...
    Budget? What Frickin Budget?
    March 1, 2013 2:19 pm
    If only Patty and Marie had some balls, they would demand a budget from the Senate. But of course that would mean they would have to "budget" for $1 Trillion in deficit spending - life sucks huh? I wish that all of the Libs would see the insanity of the Senate and vote these fools out... All of them, Repubs and Dems. I would think a constant filibuster of all Senate business should be had until the senator’s fulfill their constitutional obligation. Either that or they should all be jailed for Treason.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Armageddon - Day Two.
    March 3, 2013 6:29 am
    Why are the police still working?

    Why hasn't Canada conquered us yet?

    Why do the birds keep on singing?

    .

    Don't they know it's the end of the world. Isn't that what sequester was all about ???????

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