'Super' spending cuts on hold

Friday, January 1, 1904

The failure of Congress' "super committee" to come up with just $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions -- over the next decade -- is a failure of a majority of the full Congress to face the threat posed by our $15 trillion national debt.

And that dereliction by too many elected lawmakers was rightly condemned by the conservative members of Congress from our region.

* "It is nothing short of an embarrassment, an absolute national disgrace and failure of leadership that we cannot agree on even a paltry $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction," declared Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker of Chattanooga.

* Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., decried the impasse as "a failure of government not of money." Citing the automatic cuts -- disproportionately in national defense -- that are scheduled to kick in in 2013 because of the super committee's failure, he added, "[T]he debt will be cut by another $1.2 trillion, but it will be done the wrong way."

* "Our country deserves better," GOP U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Chattanooga said.

* "Failure on the behalf of Congress should not have been an option," Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia lamented.

Other area lawmakers called on the entire Congress to step up to the plate.

* "Spending cuts need to be debated in the light of the House floor -- not by a select group of individuals behind closed doors," said Tennessee's 4th District Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais.

* "Americans are seeking men and women of courage who are willing to be champions for the taxpayer," said GOP Rep. Tom Graves of Georgia. "Thi s is their time to stand."

It most assuredly is.

Now that the time-wasting "super committee" is out of the way, the full Congress should accept its responsibility and begin cutting federal spending.