This is all still subject to change, here is what it seems to look like at the moment...
- $900 billion in the first stage of deficit reduction.
- $1.5 trillion in second stage of deficit reduction defined by a bipartisan joint committee
- If the committee can't come up with anything, defaults kick in as follows: $1.2 trillion in cuts, half from Defense cuts, the other half non-Defense cuts excluding Social Security and Medicaid
- Debt ceiling goes up in three steps, $400 billion right away; another $500 billion late 2011, subject to a "vote of disapproval", and a third $1.5T increase in 2012, also subject to "vote of disapproval"
- Apparently Congress will also have the opportunity to vote on a balanced budget ammendment (haven't they always had that right...?)
ET only allows 30 minute edits, so this is only as accurate as it is fresh.
- $900 billion in the first stage of deficit reduction.
- $1.5 trillion in second stage of deficit reduction defined by a bipartisan joint committee
- If the committee can't come up with anything, defaults kick in as follows: $1.2 trillion in cuts, half from Defense cuts, the other half non-Defense cuts excluding Social Security and Medicaid
- Debt ceiling goes up in three steps, $400 billion right away; another $500 billion late 2011, subject to a "vote of disapproval", and a third $1.5T increase in 2012, also subject to "vote of disapproval"
- Apparently Congress will also have the opportunity to vote on a balanced budget ammendment (haven't they always had that right...?)
ET only allows 30 minute edits, so this is only as accurate as it is fresh.