Time-out on fund-raising

Surprise! Congress’ latest attempt at bipartisanship is off to a rancorous start.

Partisan wrangling followed the very first announcement of appointments to the joint congressional committee tasked with reducing the deficit by $1.5 trillion over 10 years.

Reince Priebus, chairman of t

he Republican National Committee, objected to the appointment of Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to co-chair the committee, citing her role as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In that post, she works as Senate Democrats’ campaigner- and money-solicitor-in-chief.

“The select committee is no place for someone whose top priority is fund-raising and politics,” Priebus said.

Typical partisan sniping? Not this time. We think Priebus makes a valid point.

Serving in both capacities creates a potential conflict of interest for Murray, one that shouldn’t stand in the way of the critically important work the joint committee must complete by Thanksgiving.

Failure to reach a deficit-reduction agreement, which would get an up-or-down vote in the House and Senate, would trigger blunt cuts to defense and social programs neither side wants. Both sides must be willing to give on issues their constituencies hold dear — for Democrats, protecting benefits in entitlement programs; for Republicans, avoiding higher taxes.

The notion that Murray could buy into a compromise with Republicans, one that might include cutting programs near and dear to Democratic donors’ hearts, just as she’s asking those supporters for money, seems a stretch.

Priebus called on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to withdraw Murray’s appointment to the committee. We suggest a different solution: She should step down from her campaign post, at least until the joint committee’s work is finished.

The committee’s other members should also refrain from fund-raising while their work progresses. Hopes for this committee’s success lie in its members’ ability to make politically painful choices. It’s hard to see them doing so while spending time in the partisan echo chamber of campaign politics.

Fund-raising concerns aside, Murray’s appointment to the joint committee is a good choice. She is steeped in budget issues, currently serving on both the budget and appropriations committees — she chairs the appropriations subcommittee that deals with transportation and housing — and has been an outspoken advocate for veterans.

She’s not known as a budget cutter. But that’s what this committee must do, along with finding ways to boost tax revenues (preferably by closing loopholes and reforming the tax code), which the committee’s Republicans will likely resist.

All the committee’s members, Democrat and Republican, will be expected to make choices their supporters will hate. It’s hard to imagine any of them doing so while asking those supporters for money.