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Subscribe to RSSJohn McCain said this afternoon that he will lead an effort in Congress to fight any further defense cuts that may be imposed if the super committee fails to reach agreement.
The debt-ceiling legislation passed by Congress in August has already mandated $450 billion in defense cuts over the next decade -- and it calls for even more defense cuts if the super committee fails to reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction. This was one of the so-called "triggers" to force the committee to act.
McCain was responding to a question about Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's testimony today that further cuts "will truly devastate our national defense."
McCain said Panetta was right, and he argued Congress is not bound by the debt-ceiling legislation.
"If there's a failure on part of the super committee ... we will be among the first on the floor to nullify that provision, because Congress is not bound by this,” McCain said during a press conference to unveil the new Republican jobs plan. “It’s something we passed; we can reverse it.”
He added, "As far as I'm concerned, I will fight any additional cuts in Defense spending, but I will also tell you that cost overruns as far as procurement is concerned is an insult to American tax payers. There are many efficiencies that can still be imposed.”
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Let McCain sell one of his houses and make up the difference...
You did mean one of his wife's houses, right Ursula?
This neo-con just doesn't get it.
The one thing about a presidential race is, you know the basic philosophy that the majority of America supports and doesn't support.
The majority rejected the neo-con agenda in 2008.
Of course, it was to some big promises that were never delivered which is why Obama is losing some of his constituents (me).
But the philosophy remains the overall same.
He needs to take that tired old trash elseware.
President Obama told First Read's own Chuck Todd at a White House press conference earlier this year that one of the main reasons he couldn't accept the Plan of his own debt commission was the Plan's proposed deep cuts in defense spending.
Senator McCain sounds just like President Obama on this matter...doesn't he?
This is really rich. McCain just hasn't seen enough of the horror of war.
War, war, war, gimme more, more, more. What this country needs is much more war.
If you want to fight the real enemy, he sits in your chamber. It's Mitch.
Ha, sell one of his houses, like Buffet should send a check--love it. Here's the Teapublican plan...spend like crazy on defense but collect no taxes, because that will make the US strong. Brilliant!
If Teapublicans were sincere about reducing the debt, they would propose war bonds and the draft. *crickets*
Seriously, McCain is the last of the establishment, a dying breed, for the GOP has been hijacked once again by the super-sized Bircher-Birthers Moral Majority Teabagger combo.
Sorry McCain, nothing is worth borrowing money for, or printing funny money for, not even military. Remember, the supercommittee is only being asked to put a band aid on the big problem. If you wont buy bandaids then you're a cheap bastard.
P.S. I voted for you because you got blown on on the deck of a ship. Don't spoil my opinion of you.
Scott:
Do a little research on the deck incident, and you will discover it was McCain himself who precipitated the problem. Go look on the net and you will be shocked by some of the information you will pick up about his military days.
Had it not been for his lineage - Dad and Grandpa carried full Admiral rank - he would have been taken off the line long before he was shot down.
The only reason I tell you this is because I bought into the whole war hero story. The truth is quite depressing.
Great posts.
Dumb ad to my right.
The headline should read:
McCain: Old Man Yells At Clouds!
Here's my favorite Mickey:
McNasty: Old Man Yells At Pigeons on Park Benches...
Old man yells at woman from Alaska that has a screw loose: "HEY, bayBEE!"
Then I guess he is a supporter of the Buffet Rule...
MUST increase taxes and income from current levels if we want to keep the ameneties our government provides, plain and simple.
You get what you pay for... (sometimes.)
Senate Republicans Say New Plan Would Create Five Million Jobs
By Corey Boles
Senate Republicans unveiled a wide-ranging economic plan and said it would create five million jobs, while calling on President Barack Obama to meet with them to find areas of agreement on policy.
The Republican plan includes items on the GOP wish list, including repeal of the health-care law and the Dodd-Frank financial-sector regulatory overhaul, and limiting the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies to enact rules affecting industry.
It also includes a call for a widespread overhaul of the corporate and individual tax codes, setting top rates at 25%, and would push forward the creation of a window allowing U.S. multinationals to bring overseas earnings back onshore at a lower tax rate.
The plan is supported by the majority of the 47 Republican senators.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/10/13/senate-republicans-say-new-plan-would-create-5-million-jobs/
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The utter paucity of new or even innovative ideas from both sides of the aisle while claiming their rehashed, unpassable "plans" will add "millions" of jobs is the main reason why the "Hermanator"'s 9-9-9 joke and candidacy is being taken seriously.
At least it's different...
dangerfield-
Sounds like something worth taking a look at.
Though...
Not at First Read, of course.
One: what is your alternative to Dodd-Frank? Do you believe that financial derivatives should only be traded on open, public regulated exchanges, or should large banks and financial institutions be able to trade in secret on their own privately created exchanges? Should consumer financial protection issues be handled by up to seven federal agencies with unclear and overlapping authority, or by a single agency? Two: what do you put in place to insure the working uninsured and force insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions, and not price insureds out of the market because of major medical issues (hint: tort reform isn't the answer)? Three: How do you avoid using every economic downturn as an excuse to weaken health and safety laws and regulations? And other than the cement plant regs which effect only a handful of plants, the regs directly effecting the Koch Bros. paper mills, and those effecting coal utilities, name two new or proposed EPA regs that need to be scaled back?
I hate to brag, but I contacted my congressmen about the idea that eventually became the super committee. It just made sense that just as all of us do with our own personal finances; when circumstances change-you alter your budget in alignment with those changes. Simple, right? Well with the exception being that if I cut the purchase of Wii games from the budget, my kids don't start lobbying for a new mother. (at least, not yet). I have a son in the Marines, so this issue hits home; I want those who are risking their lives to protect all of us to have every possible weapon and tool and supply at their disposal. I also know that the cuts that need to be made could be accomplished through more efficient management; we've all heard the stories about military beauracracy and how it hinders efficiency, but have we ever demanded that the system be overhauled? All these business people with an understanding of how to accomplish a more fruitful bottom line SHOULD be consulted so that we can cut wasteful spending on things that are just money burners, let's weed them out. Can we please get back to being a people of problem solvers- not finger pointers? We have always been a nation that leads through innovation; lets stop critisizing each other and start co-operating with one another for the greater good. respectfully yours, Pollyanna.
Sure -- we're broke and we only spend as much on our defense as every other nation in the world combined - but -- LET'S SPEND MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The USA spends too much on defense as it is. End the wars, close the bases around the world and bring the troops home. We have these weapons called ICBM's. If a terrorist plans to do something to us on our soil we should just wipe out the nation he/she is from. It could seem a little heavy handed for some but I think it would prove a point... Just kidding about the ICBM part. Bring the troops home and we save billions of Federal Reserve Notes (US dollars) while at the same time pumping billionsback into our economy. The troops from overseas could man our borders and the money they are paid would be spent in the US, not in Germany, Japan, Korea, etc...
Old man McCain has set his priority, WAR. Meanwhile, 14million americans are jobless. Only if he can save his frail body and fight for these jobless americans or better still recruit Sarah again to help him out. Only if the neo cons see the heart of these jobless millions begging to have something doing. Just wishing if shoes can change legs......till then.
Yeah the GOP answer will probably be....
If you don't have a job....join the Military.....
Are economic refugees really volunteers?
I said this a few months back that the GOP would be able to use the "triggers" as a sword against the Dems and effectively dictate the super committee. The argument is simple, "the Democrats are willing to slash the military because they are insisting on tax increases which they know cannot pass the Congress." Tell me I'm not wrong. The triggers don't kick in until 2013, but by then the GOP will have clubbed the Dems over the head into submission.
This would amount to the very DEFINITION of "Bargaining in BAD FAITH"!!!!!!!!
So--we can spend even more on war to destroy other nations (so we can spend even more more money to rebuild what we have destroyed) but we can't spend anything on the citizens and infrastructure of our own country? If SS and Medicare are not sacred cows according to the TPGOP, why should military spending be one? Is there no end to the absolute stupidity of these people?
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
Once again...the GOP wants to change the Rules of the Super (uber duper)
Committee .....and this is after they already agreed to the Rules......
Hmmm. McCain want to say NO>>>to the Super Committee rules......
We should have known this was coming.....it's your GOP all the way...............
Only waste should be cut from our military. Nothing more, nothing less. Making cuts for the principal of making cuts to the military is stupid. Liken it to taking a knife and cutting your OWN throat. McCain is right on this subject. Surely you all must see what is possible on the horizon. If God forbide it should be another conflict, war, or police action, any true american does not want to be caught flat footed.
Yellow-cake from NIGER, please!!!!! The "defense" department budget should be cut in half until they can tell us how they failed to protect us on 9/11. And until those who "failed" to do their jobs are prosecuted for negligence and dereliction of duty, and manslaughter.
Not to argue w/ your premise which I believe is, going too far w/ cuts in military funding will come back to haunt us and weaken us eventually. But what many, evidently including you, fail to accept is that cuts elsewhere can weaken us just as surely and just as much. Allowing our infrastructure to crumble will inevitably weaken our economic base to a point that will undermine us at least as seriously as any foreign threat. Allowing our education system to degrade is an absolutely sure way to destroy our future. Destroying our environment is an attack upon ourselves that is not just a possibility, it is reality. Ignoring the R and D to keep our economy current w/ the world will assure that we will fall from leadership in the world. Its not that military readiness doesn't matter, but just not to the exclusion of many other priorities just as vital.
really, cuts to defense will "truly devastate our national defense."?? We spend twice as much as nearly the rest the world on defense. Who are we defending against, the freaking Galactic Empire?!?
The truth is we could easily cut our defense budget in half and be just as safe and secure as we are now.
The defense department is just one big government-run jobs program!
Exactly @Masokist. We have the best army in the world and are in far too many locations as it is. Cutting some overseas bases and putting new bases and soldiers on our borders will help us greatly. The economic impact is being overlooked by many.
People need to look at Ron Paul more seriously. Do your own research, don't let the MSM make you think what they want. A good start to look into Ron Paul is on Youtube.com.
What does Pain McCain ,who spent years in Hanoi Hilton rather than be released and have to risk his neck again, have to do with winning anything.
Loser,loser,lost.
We spend six times the rest of the world spends on national defense. See any paranoia here.
THAT WAS A BOLD STATEMENT: We passed it We can reverse it! here is an idea, try working with the President! instead of trying to make America fail!!!