They
teased, they
met in a last ditch effort. Democrats had another idea, Republicans called it a "gimmick" (gee, what a shock), but finally the chairs have announced it's over. At least in its
super powers form.
Here's the statement.
"After months of hard work and intense deliberations, we have come to the conclusion today that it will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreement available to the public before the committee’s deadline.
"Despite our inability to bridge the committee's significant differences, we end this process united in our belief that the nation's fiscal crisis must be addressed and that we cannot leave it for the next generation to solve. We remain hopeful that Congress can build on this committee’s work and can find a way to tackle this issue in a way that works for the American people and our economy.
"We are deeply disappointed that we have been unable to come to a bipartisan deficit reduction agreement, but as we approach the uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving, we want to express our appreciation to every member of this committee, each of whom came into the process committed to achieving a solution that has eluded many groups before us. Most importantly, we want to thank the American people for sharing thoughts and ideas and for providing support and good will as we worked to accomplish this difficult task." [...]
Well, at least they succeeded in coming up with a statement that went beyond "He touched me!" "You touched me first!" "Nuh huh!"
We're still going to be having some fights, as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta enables Republicans in blocking defense cuts. But at least this crappy iteration of the debacle is over.