Kerry spoke at a policy briefing sponsored by the National Journal blaming the impasse on Norquist

[karynnj]

[div class = "excerpt"]
A new poll shows the overwhelming discontent Americans have for Congress, and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts understands why: ideological gridlock -- orchestrated by forces outside of Capitol Hill that cram congressional leaders into tight corners.
<snip>
Kerry blamed “an ideological bloc of people leading the leadership” of Congress, “in some cases forcing them into a corner.”

He specifically named Grover Norquist, the anti-tax crusader who got more than 279 members of Congress to sign a no-tax pledge, all but three Republicans. “He was the 13th member of the committee,” Kerry said of Norquist, who founded the group Americans for Tax Reform.

Republicans, of course, disagree with Kerry’s take, saying they made good-faith efforts to meet Democrats half way. In an op-ed piece last month in USA Today, House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, blamed Democrats for insisting “on dramatic tax hikes on American job creators.”

http://www.boston.com/Boston/politicalintelligence/2011/12/senator-john-kerry-blames-the-politics-gridlock-for-supercommittee-failure/cuf7aGA1NmxM5wu68B3WQL/index.html?comments=all#readerComm

I think the Democrats are winning this argument partly by Kerry and others emphasizing Norquist's role. (I loved that on one talk show he contrasted pledging to a lobbyist vs taking an oath to the Constitution.)

I think Boehner's claim of "dramatic" tax hikes - falls pretty flat as they really were not at all dramatic. Nor were they all on "job creators" - as people are learning with Mitt, who made his and other people's fortunes as he advised to downsize emloyees.

[Mass]

1. The National Journal's article is more problematic.

It claims they were ready to accept Toomey's proposal, and I am not really comfortable with this. I notice it also talks of not continuing the Bush tax cuts. but I am still uncomfortable with this, particularly with the absence on any cuts on defense.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/kerry-super-committee-gop-put-america-second-and-the-politics-first--20111213
On the last day, Kerry said, super committee Democrats were willing to accept a proposal put forward by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., for just $350 billion in revenue, coupled with an additional $1.2 trillion in entitlement cuts -- provided that Republicans stop insisting on the continuation of the Bush tax cuts

[karynnj]

5. I agree that I would hate that agreement

However, I suspect that over the next 13 months, the Bush tax cuts will be extended - as things are taken hostage. At that point, in hindsight eliminating the Bush tax cuts plus $350 billion in revenue might be more revenue than we would have otherwise - by a long shot. The question though is how they could find $1.2 trillion in cuts to entitlement.

At this point, because they did NOT take it - the point is that they were nowhere near serious in really lowering the deficit.

[ObamaKerryDem]

2. I was there! :)

Found out about it at the complete 11th hour, from a random Twitter RT..it was well worth getting up early for! :

http://twitter.com/#!/latte_lib_86/media/slideshow?url=http://yfrog.com/esgq5jbj

By the time I saw the Tweet, the event was listed as "Sold out" on Eventbrite (it was free, but I guess they meant it reached full capacity?). But I really wanted to go and I know from other events I've been to that sometimes you can at least get put on a waiting list if someone doesn't show for their RSVP (it seemed even more likely given how EARLY this event started! lol). When I got there, I got in easily--they couldn't find me on the list, but said it was no problem and made me a nametag on the spot! I got to sit right behind JK in the row of chairs he sat down on when he first came in, though he of course soon moved over to the stage for his interview session. Got a GREAT view though and he was fantastic as always. So candid about the SC process and the GOP games that went on within it, including their deal breaker being, in so many words, a forced adoption of the Ryan plan. I loved his thoughts also about the 2012 election; his optimism about the President's chances and how he pointed out (truthfully!) the lack of vision and real 'idears' ( on the part of folks like Newt. I know there was a livefeed of the event--hopefully there is or will soon be video. It was great!

[Luftmensch067]

4. Hoping video will eventually work at this link

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/kerry-super-committee-gop-put-america-second-and-the-politics-first--20111213

How great that you got to be there!!!

[karynnj]

6. Kerry's web site has the video (I will watch tommorow)

http://kerry.senate.gov/

[ObamaKerryDem]

3. JK's seat

A neat little anecdote: The sign is from the back and upside down from the camera angle, lol, but that was where JK sat in the beginning :

http://yfrog.com/hw382olj