Van Hollen Discusses Deficit Super Committee
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ROBERT SIEGEL, host: Joining us now is a Democrat who's on the 12 member supercommittee. Chris Van Hollen is congressman from Maryland and he's the top minority member of the House budget committee. Representative Van Hollen, welcome to the program.
Representative CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: Very good to be with you.
SIEGEL: Let me ask you this. President Obama and Speaker Boehner couldn't agree on a big deficit cutting package. The ideas of the Bowles-Simpson Commission and the Senate's Gang of Six have failed to attract bipartisan majorities. Why should this supercommittee be any different?
HOLLEN: Well, I certainly hope that it will be different and I hope everyone will come together in that spirit. I think there are three reasons for some optimism. One is that the American people are clearly sending a message to the Congress that they want us to work together for the good of the people. Secondly, you've got the credit markets and the economy that are sending very strong signals that it's important that we show some progress, both on the economy as well as deficit reduction.
And third, we have this sword of Damocles hanging over our heads that if we're unable to reach some kind of agreement, very significant cuts will go into place, both on defense and non-defense. So I hope those three elements will help focus the minds of all of us on that committee so that we can cut this Gordian knot.
SIEGEL: We expect the Republican members on the supercommittee to be very resistant to tax increases or anything that can't be described as something other than a tax increase. We expect you and the other Democrats to be very resistant to any decrease in Medicare or Medicaid spending. So let me ask you, how can you achieve meaningful spending cuts without spending less on health care?
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It could even be helpful to the president if such moments reinforce for voters that Obama is at least willing to engage his political adversaries either in Washington or out in the country even when there's no meeting of the minds.
And third, we have this sword of Damocles hanging over our heads that if we're unable to reach some kind of agreement, very significant cuts will go into place, both on defense and non-defense. So I hope those three elements will help focus the minds
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