Blue Dog Coalition

Fiscal Responsibility

The Blue Dog Coalition has a long history of leadership in addressing the nation’s fiscal challenges, and the members will continue to build on that record of accomplishment by advancing commonsense, middle-of-the-road policies to put the country back on a path to long-term fiscal sustainability.


2011 Blue Dog Benchmarks for Fiscal Reform

The Blue Dogs have adopted the Blue Dog Benchmarks for Fiscal Reform, an aggressive set of targets for long-term fiscal reform and deficit reduction that includes cutting the deficit by $4 trillion over the next 10 years, with the largest deficit cuts in history by 2014. 

  • Largest deficit cuts in history by 2014
  • Cut the deficit by $4 trillion over the next 10 years
  • Stabilize the debt and maintain a debt ratio to 60 percent of GDP by 2024
  • Return to 2008 spending levels by 2013
  • Reduce the deficit to 2.3 percent of GDP in 4 years
  • Reduce the size of government
  • Achieve deficit reduction with 2/3 spending cuts, 1/3 tax reform
  • Everything must be on the table:
    • Discretionary Spending Cuts – both security and non-security
    • Tax Reform
    • Entitlement Reform
    • Other Mandatory Policies
    • Process Reforms

Related items
News Release: Blue Dogs Build on Bipartisan Efforts to Streamline Government (March 8, 2012)
News Article:  Deficit Reduction Talks Live On (CQ Today, March 5, 2012)
News Release:  Blue Dogs Back Bipartisan Bill to Cut Wasteful Spending (Feb. 17, 2012)
News Release:  Key Part of Blue Dog Blueprint Passes the House (Feb. 8, 2012)
News Release: BLUE DOGS RELEASE BENCHMARKS FOR FISCAL REFORM
News Release: Bowles, Simpson offer support for Blue Dog benchmarks for reform
Statement: Hon. David M. Walker, for U.S. Comptroller General on Blue Dog Benchmarks for Fiscal Reform
News Release: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget on the Blue Dog Benchmarks
News Release: CONCORD COALITION COMMENDS BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS FOR ENGAGEMENT IN COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REFORM
Bipartisan Policy Center: Statement by Steve Bell on the House Blue Dog Coalition’s New Debt Stabilization Principles
News Release: Blue Dog Research Forum Applauds Benchmarks for Fiscal Reform Announced by Congressional Blue Dog Coalition


2010 Blue Dog Blueprint for Fiscal Reform
 
Our underlying structural deficits are the biggest threat to our economic security today.  As independent voices for fiscal responsibility and accountability, the Blue Dogs recognize that it’s time to change the way Washington operates and begin working together in earnest to develop solutions to these systemic problems. With the 2010 Blue Dog Blueprint for Fiscal Reform the Blue Dogs put forth a real proposal to put the country back on a path to balanced budgets and long term fiscal sustainability.
 
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