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Two groups called the Gang of Six were formed in the US Senate, one in 2009 to address health care reform and the other in 2011 to avert a debt ceiling crisis. The term originated in China to describe a small group with power over the government. The first Gang of Six caused the failure of the 2009 health care reform legislation, while the second reached an agreement to raise the debt ceiling and cut government spending.
There are two groups called the gang of six. Six senators trying bipartisan to resolve a crisis or to block or amend a piece of legislation passing through American homes made up both groups. The first group of six in 2009 was formed due to President Barack Obama’s attempt to create health care reform legislation. The second group of six was formed in 2011 and attempted to avert that year’s debt ceiling crisis.
The term “gang of six” has a precedent in American politics. In 2005, during the presidency of George W. Bush, a group of 14 senators formed the “gang of 14” to spread a series of clashes between Republicans and House Democrats. The problems began with Democrats’ refusal to approve Bush’s judicial appointments and worsened as Republicans sought to remove the Senate’s ability to filibuster bills and nominations. Seven senators from each party agreed to a compromise that allowed most judicial appointments to pass, but also prevented Republicans from removing the filibuster.
China provides the ultimate origin of this term. A gang of x number of people is a term used to describe a situation where a small group of people has power over the entire government and, therefore, the country as well. In China, this occurred during the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976, when Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan and Wang Hongwan controlled China. They were dubbed the “Gang of Four” by the Chinese government in 1976 because “four” also represents the word for “death” in Chinese.
The first gang of six was formed in 2009 to address President Barack Obama’s health care reform plans. All six were members of the Senate Finance Committee: Chuck Grassley from Iowa; Mike Enzi from Wyoming; and Olympia Snowe from Maine represented the Republicans. Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico, Max Baucus from Montana and Kent Conrad from North Dakota represented the centrist Democrats. Of the six, only Olympia Snowe was part of the original gang of 14.
Obama instigated the original panel as a bipartisan attempt to find common ground on health care reform. By and large, Democrats were in favor of reform, but Republicans were not. The legislation attempted to bring American health care more into line with the systems of Canada and Western Europe. The Gang of Six called for delays and changes to the 2009 legislation and ultimately caused its failure in the Senate.
In 2011, America was approaching an artificial debt ceiling that, if hit, would have prevented the government from borrowing extra money. This would have made it impossible for the government to continue paying staff salaries and to continue paying for federal programs. The Democratic president and the Republican-controlled Senate were unable or unwilling to reach an agreement on debt management and an increase in the debt ceiling to allow the government to borrow more money.
Three Republicans and three Democrats made up the second gang of six. Kent Conrad once again represented Democrats alongside Mark Warner from Virginia and Dick Durbin from Illinois. Mike Crapo from Idaho, SaxChambliss from Georgia and Tom Coburn from Oklahoma represented the Republicans. The six senators managed to reach an agreement in which the debt ceiling was raised and the government agreed to cut some of its spending.
