Many of us would agree that our federal government regularly spends too much, taxes too much and runs deficits that are too high.
Now Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Democrat House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi are naming three members each to a 12-member congressional "super committee" for the purpose of coming up with recommendations for cutting $1.5 trillion or so from federal deficits over the next 10 years.
How would you like to be on that committee?
"What an opportunity!" many of us might think. Just consider all the unnecessary, unwise, excessive, wasteful, "pork-barrel" and other nonessential spending that we could cut out of the budget -- focusing our taxes on responsible uses.
But remember: All the appointed members of the "super committee" will be politicians, and every spending item has a host of lobbyists and other supporters who believe "my item" is essential and just can't be cut.
It is not encouraging that one of the early members named to the committee is Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. She has been nicknamed the "queen of pork" for her eagerness to steer federal spending to her home state.
Does she sound like someone who is likely to be helpful on a committee whose stated purpose is to cut deficits significantly?
And does it comfort or worry you that the committee will also consider imposing tax increases?
It surely will be interesting -- as well as important -- to see what this bipartisan committee recommends, specifically.
Once the panel comes up with its recommendations, the full Congress will have to accept or reject them. Then we can judge whether the committee is very "super."