Although the public seems more disgusted than ever with Washington in the wake of the country's credit rating being downgraded and the stock market plunging, Bill Nelson is actually optimistic about the country's future.
The Florida Senate Democrat, who faces re-election next year, told an audience of St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce members on Monday that he's excited about the new supercommittee of six Democrats and six Republicans who have the responsibility to try to come up with a plan to drastically reduce the federal debt. Nelson says if that committee can agree on just a 7-5 vote on where to cut trillions of dollars in federal spending, it will be eliminate the need of going through the Senate and trying to corral 60 votes, which he says has been nearly impossible to achieve in the past couple of years.
Nelson began his discussion about the recent debt ceiling imbroglio not as brightly, saying, "If you are disgusted and frustrated, let me assure you, you can’t be as frustrated as I am. My whole life has been about trying to bring people together and build consensus in a bipartisan way," before adding that in order for that to happen, "you have to have mutual respect for the other guys’ point of view."
But if you think that Nelson was leveling a broadside against Republicans, think again.
This article appears in Aug 18-24, 2011.