Toomey will have a big say on debt

Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey made waves these last few months by taking the hard stance against raising the debt ceiling without substantial cuts to the federal government’s growing deficit, going so far as to say: “I’m not going to go along with some deal that raises the debt limit without making the real cuts in spending we need and the real process reform.”

He then didn’t vote for the debt ceiling increase last Tuesday, which was approved.

Now, he’ll have the ultimate chance to weigh in on cutting $1 trillion or so in the next year after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., appointed him to represent Senate Republicans on the supercommittee that will adopt what the whole Congress — presumably — will then pass to lower short-term deficit problems for the country.

“I am deeply honored for the opportunity to serve on this bipartisan committee and to be part of the important work we will be doing,” Toomey said yesterday after the appointment. “In light of last week’s events, with the nation’s credit downgrade and the deep drop in the markets, it is all the more imperative that this committee do its job effectively and come up with a product that both tackles our debt crisis and can help revive our failing economy.”