Why we need the (well-mannered) Gang of Six
Some (bipartisan) members of the (nonpartisan) Board of Directors recently issued supporting the efforts and spirit of the Senate鈥檚 so-called 鈥�Gang of Six鈥浓赌揝别苍补迟辞谤蝉 Saxby Chambliss (R - Ga.), Tom Coburn (R - Okla.), Kent Conrad (D - N.D.), Mark Crapo (R - Ida.), Richard Durbin (D - Ill) and Mark Warner (D - Va.), who have been working together on a bipartisan agreement modeled along the lines of the recommendations of the President鈥檚 (Bowles-Simpson) fiscal commission. The Gang of Six seems to be laying low lately, perhaps not wanting to get in the way of the Biden talks, but as our board members stress, there are several reasons why this group of senators is the right way to work toward a bipartisan agreement on deficit reduction and why we need them to maintain an active role in this big drama:
The group鈥檚 work is important for several reasons:
It addresses a crucial need. There is no question that current fiscal policy is unsustainable and that legislative action is needed to avoid a crisis鈥�
It recognizes that there must be a comprehensive solution. The natural tendency in Washington is to begin deficit-reduction negotiations by taking things off the table. This may please each party鈥檚 political base but it makes it all the more difficult to agree on a plan with credible numbers and political viability鈥�
It is bipartisan. Neither party has a monopoly on good ideas, and even if one did, neither party has the votes nor the public trust to muscle through a one-sided solution鈥�
It is unique. Bipartisan cooperation on deficit reduction is in short supply. The budget adopted by the House of Representatives has no support from Democrats and thus no chance of becoming law. Similarly, the President鈥檚 budget has no support from Republicans鈥�
It could produce a plan for others to rally around. As of now, members of Congress and the public have a choice between partisan plans, which will get us nowhere, and the status quo, which is unsustainable. If the Senate group is able to agree on a plan, it will serve as a beacon for those who wish to support meaningful bipartisan solutions. It would spark a more realistic debate about the inevitable trade-offs that must be confronted and marginalize those who insist that their way is the only way鈥�
To this list, we could add that the Gang of Six act like gentlemen to each other and don鈥檛 call each other names鈥搎uite the contrast to the behavior of the political leadership, whose trench-warfare style is something that the only makes agreement (and let鈥檚 not say the seemingly-poisoned word 鈥渃ompromise鈥�) even more unlikely:
Amateurs.
That鈥檚 the frustrated conclusion that America鈥檚 professional negotiators have reached, after watching Washington鈥檚 politicians begin their own negotiation over the national debt ceiling.
These professionals are ex-FBI agents, labor mediators, divorce counselors. They have learned the rules that help resolve unsolvable standoffs: Don鈥檛 lie to a man on a high ledge. Don鈥檛 box yourself in with sweeping threats. Don鈥檛 tell your adversary to 鈥渁ct like an adult.鈥�
Now, they have watched the two parties bend or break those three rules. They worry that the politicians鈥� mistakes might only prolong their dispute 鈥� at a moment where every day of delay adds to Wall Street鈥檚 worries.
And it bugs them to see their art practiced this way. It鈥檚 one thing, negotiators say, to threaten the country with financial calamity if your demands aren鈥檛 met.
It鈥檚 another thing to do it incorrectly.
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