Savings Suggestions for the Super Committee

Are you frustrated by the lack of information out of Washington about if, how or when Congress will finally cut spending and balance our budget? If so, you are not alone.

That’s why Ending Spending invited a bipartisan panel of experts — we called it the “Super Savings” panel — to join together in a Senate hearing room to present their own deficit reduction plans. We were fortunate to be joined by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who also gave his recommendations for how the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction (the so-called “Super Committee”) can cut over $1 trillion from the budget.

For those unable to join us, you missed a lively discussion. C-SPAN covered the event and has replayed it several times already, so check your local listings for an opportunity to watch it in full. You can also watch video clips and view photos from the event right here.

If you watch these videos, you’ll learn what came out of the event. In part, the bad news is that most of the panelists do not think that the Super Committee will meet its deadline to present over $1 trillion in spending cuts. But there’s good news, too: With all the recommendations of this bipartisan group, the Super Committee has more than a few road maps to help them make their tough choices.

Brian Baker, president of Ending Spending, introduces the event and panelists, followed by Phil Kerpen of Americans for Prosperity:

Michael Linden of Center for American Progress & Andrew Moylan of National Taxpayers Union:

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah):

Gary Kalman of U.S. Public Interest Research Group:

Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense:

David Kendall of Third Way:

Brian Baker leads a Q&A session with all panelists:

Here’s the list of our panelists’ proposals for the Super Committee in case you’d like to read them:

• Americans For Prosperity – Cut Spending Now (PDF)
• Center for American Progress – Recommendations for the Special Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction
• U.S. Public Interest Research Group & National Taxpayers Union – Toward Common Ground
• Taxpayers for Common Sense – Supercuts for the Super Committee (PDF)
• Third Way – Third Way’s Bipartisan Savings Package for the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction

Thanks again to all our panelists, those who attended the event, and those who helped make it a success.

Ending Spending is committed to arming you with the information you need to understand the budget crisis and how government spending affects our economy. We’ll be your go-to source along the way, and look forward to many conversations in the future about how to shrink government spending.