GEORGIA’S TWO Republican senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, should be prepared to cut a deal today and Friday to prevent the nation from hurtling over the fiscal cliff next week.
But that means getting something substantial in return from Democrats.
It doesn’t mean giving away the store in terms of higher taxes and more spending. Both are at the root of Washington’s long-term problems.
For those paying attention to the federal government’s precarious financial future, all eyes are now on the Senate. It’s expected to be back at work today, with only four days remaining in 2012.
Several items are on the upper chamber’s agenda. But none is more important than hammering out a deficit-reduction package to avoid automatic tax hikes and spending cuts in January, events that experts believe will plunge the country into another recession.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is now in the spotlight. Today is his day to shine as an American statesman or behave as just another politico playing to the peanut gallery.
According to published reports, the Nevada Democrat has made clear in private conversations that he does not want to bring any bill to the Senate floor unless he is sure it will pass both the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican-controlled House. That’s encouraging. The question is whether Mr. Reid, who took some cheap shots at Republican Mitt Romney during the recent presidential campaign, is up to the challenge.
With the clock ticking down, the worst thing that could happen is for the Senate to approve a package that’s heavy on tax hikes and light on spending cuts. Mr. Reid has the votes he needs among Democrats to pass such a bill by day’s end. But such a measure would be a waste of time. It’s going to be dead-on-arrival in the House.
Instead, Mr. Reid should be quietly talking to Mr. Chambliss, part of the Senate’s bipartisan “Gang of Six” deficit-busting group, and other key Republicans. They must find an acceptable compromise. That means concessions on taxing and spending from both parties.
If Mr. Reid goes down this road, he likely will need some GOP votes to reach his goal. That’s because Democratic hardliners in this party may bail if the final measure cuts government programs. But that’s OK. This is what senators get paid to do — act like adults when everyone else in Washington acts like they’re in kindergarten.
Under our Constitution, senators serve six-year terms. House members serve two-year terms; the president gets a four-year hitch. Thus senators are our elected officials who are the most immune from the fires of day-to-day politics.
A senior Democratic source told CNN Wednesday that it’s to nobody’s advantage to have a failed Senate vote at this point. “This will be the last train we will have, and there is no sense in leaving the station before we have assurance it will get through,” this individual said. That’s exactly right.
Mr. Reid must cobble a bill that Mr. Chambliss and Mr. Isakson can defend to their constituents here in Georgia. Neither senator should sign on to a measure that’s too heavy on new taxes and too light on cuts.
As far as House Speaker John Boehner and the House goes, if the Senate approves a bipartisan, compromise bill, then pressure will rightly build on the House to follow suit. Then President Obama should sign the final product — even if he has to hold his nose.
Unfortunately, some Democratic operatives told CNN that their strategy is brinksmanship — waiting until the last minute, like Dec. 30 or 31, to reach a deal. They apparently believe it’s the only way to build up the pressure on Republicans and make them cave.
If that’s the case, then it’s a horrible, self-serving strategy that’s high risk.
Instead, Mr. Reid must lead as a responsible senator should. If he comes up with a compromise bill that avoids the cliff, then Mr. Chambliss and Mr. Isakson should sign on.