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The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or “Supercommittee,” dominated national headlines for much of 2011. With the exception of five public hearings, most of the committee’s efforts to resolve our nation’s debt-ceiling crisis occurred behind closed doors, leaving many details of their efforts open to speculation.
But U.S. Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, a member of the Supercommittee and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, was able to pull back the curtain and share with Mackinac Center supporters a few insights about the Supercommittee that weren’t reported by the legacy media. Nearly 120 guests from the mid-Michigan area filled the room at the Jan. 26 “Club Mid” forum, held at the Center’s headquarters in Midland.
Speaking for the first time at a Mackinac Center event, Camp focused much of his presentation on the issue of limited taxation. Camp explained that he believes comprehensive tax reform will strengthen the economy, create jobs, and, most importantly, reduce our national debt, which was the primary goal for the Supercommittee. “Washington’s debt is now greater than our entire economy,” Camp said. “The solution to pay for our $15 trillion debt is not with tax hikes. It’s not with new spending. ... I don’t care how much money you have or how much money you make. There should be a limit on how much is taken by the government.”
Following his presentation, Camp participated in a lengthy Q&A session with the group covering a range of issues from the Supercommittee to the Constitution. Among those in attendance were members of the Michigan House and Senate, including House Speaker Jase Bolger, who briefly addressed the crowd at the conclusion of the program.
