E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSPresident Barack Obama said if congressional negotiators cannot draft a full budget by March 1, they should at least come up with a short-term combination of spending cuts and revenue increases in order to stave off deep federal spending cuts scheduled for that date.
"If Congress can't act immediately on a bigger package, if they can't get a bigger package done by the time the sequester is scheduled to go into effect," Obama said, "then I believe that they should at least pass a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms that would delay the economically damaging effects of the sequester for a few more months until Congress finds a way to replace these cuts with a smarter solution."
Charles Dharapak / AP
President Barack Obama turns towards cameramen and reacts to a sound as he speaks in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013.
The sequester, reached as part of 2011 budget negotiations, was never actually supposed to take effect. Rather, its deep cuts, including almost $500 billion in defense spending over nine years, were put in place as a trigger to get Congress to agree to more comprehensive budget and tax reform.
House Speaker John Boehner released a written statement before Obama’s remarks, blaming the president for the sequester and saying he would not support any additional revenue increases.
“President Obama first proposed the sequester and insisted it become law,” Boehner said, adding, “We believe there is a better way to reduce the deficit, but Americans do not support sacrificing real spending cuts for more tax hikes."
In recent weeks, members of Congress appeared to be playing rhetorical chicken over the cuts, with some suggesting they were resigned to the across-the-board cuts.
“I think it’s more likely to happen,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was quoted as saying by the Washington Post last week.
But the White House has stood firm on the self-imposed cuts, with White House Press Secretary Jay Carney underscoring Friday that the sequester was always intended to be replaced.
“The negative consequences of implementation would be bad across the board," Carney said. "That's the point. So Congress needs to do its job."
And the president hinted that revenues would remain central to all budget negotiations, telling CBS in a Sunday interview that “there is no doubt we need additional revenue coupled with smart spending reductions in order to bring down our deficit."
Leave a Comment:
Romney would have had this taken care of before the first budget deadline, and most people would been satisfied with the results. Nice job America.
You mean the Romney that has been exiled from the republican party?
sal, really, really, really, he has been exiled from the republican party? I don't think so, That's like saying dumboma is white! SHI....t, can't say that to loud, the boys in the hood hear that and they'll start rioting. They couldn't believe they voted for a white.
salsaforever.....nice try but we are not fooled. Thou hast no clue, as indeed, Obama dost neither.
America we have a SPENDING problem not a revenue issue. As a federal manager, I can assure you that federal waste is out of control. Federal employees produce reports nobody wants or uses, get paid an average salary with benefits of over $146,578, and most of what we do adds no value. I blame General Officers and High Ranking civilians that continue to promote fluff and refuse to layoff people we don't need. We could reduce the federal workforce by 80% with no impact to mission just by eliminating the fluff (training, conferences, redundant organizations, and all federal agencies formed after 2001. Federal employees do not care about our nation or the American taxpayer. I have been in the system for about 30 years and this is a fact. We throw away your money everyday.
How about a budget already?
The President submitted the fiscal 2013 budget on February 12, 2012.
According to that liberal rag, the Washington Post, Odumba hasn't submitted a budget in four years. 02/04/2013
According to the facts, Obama has submitted a budget every year he has been in office.
The 2013 budget was submitted on February 13, 2012.
The 2012 budget was submitted on February 14, 2011.
The 2011 budget was submitted on February 1, 2010.
The 2010 budget was submitted on February 26, 2009.
It is Harry Reid that hasn't submitted one in four years.
Obama has indeed submitted one. Bcause Reid hasn't submitted one in 4 years now they voted on Obamas 3 times. His budgets were so spend happy all 3 votes were unanimous against it. Thats right, 3 votes and not even 1 Democrat voted for it any of the 3 votes. And this is the guy we expect to spend wisely? Ha!
If we had budgets we wouldn't be going through this crap every few months.
Obama had zero intentions of putting out a budget. The 2014 budget from him is past due. Spending cuts are in the news now and not a chance he puts anything on paper.
Reid won't bring the garbage bills from the House to a vote and rightly so.
Prior budgets were voted down because the Republicans in the House took Obama's proposals and tweaked them, still calling them "Obama" budgets. Democrats wouldn't vote for Republican bills and Republicans wouldn't vote for anything with Obama's name on it.
Just Google Jeff Sessions 2012 budget.
The 2014 budget is past due because Congress stalled so long on the fiscal cliff, all the numbers need to be recalculated.
Yeah you believe that. They got a thousand number crunchers up there that could have plotted these scenarios. It wasn't a huge change, just a few rates. He could have easily have put one out and he won't until the sequester is finalized one way or the other. He does not want to put any cuts in writing.
His idea of cuts in the fiscal cliff was to propose 400 billion to be discussed by congress in a date set in the future. The man will not put anything significant down on paper. You watch, he won't even attempt it before sequester even though this is the perfect time to do it.
It's Reids job to submit a budget, its the law. He hasn't done it in 4 years. If he didn't like what was in the house budget put up his own or bring up the house budget and ammend it he has the votes to get ammendmants in. Why did he do neither?
The democrats wouldn't vote for anything with Obamas name on it either. It was voted on in the Senate and in the house and didn't get one vote in either! So you wanna talk about a garbage proposal, how bad does something have to be for your own party to vote it down unanimously 3 times!!!!!
The budgets weren't tweaked. The numbers were verbatim as proposed by Obama. An open invitation was offered in the house and senate that any incorrect numbers were open to be changed and no one found anything wrong or different. Just because the huffington post says that doesn't make it so.
Go pull a copy of it and a copy of his budget proposal and you will find them the same.
The reason they did that is because the Democrats wouldn't do as required by law, what we pay them for, and submit a budget. As the president now, they don't want to submit to paper what their real spending wishes are.
Did anyone really expect anything different from Oblahblah but a short term fix?
Talk about inept.
He's proposing a short term fix because Congress is failing to act and the clock is ticking.
You realize this sequester, to have these cuts if they couldn't agree, was Obamas idea? This is his puppy.
jp, how long has it been since Harry's boys(dem control) have passed a budget? About the pres, his last two budgets, didn't get one vote, from the rep or dems. That tell you how bad it is. What has backfired on the GOP? Either pass a budget, with lots of cuts or the cuts dumbama doesn't want will be put into place!
I'm really shocked that dumbama, hasn't blamed the republicans for getting his wife pregnant both times.
B0's long term fix is to spend us down the toilet.
Ok let's see, Roselle wrote
"What ever would we do without a daily dose of drama resonating from DC!"
And that would be president Obama's proposal?
"Taking us to the edge on a monthly basis, is NOT a effective way to promote stability and confidence!"
Finally she is admitting the president knows little except how to postpone and deflect until everyone is faced with yet another crisis.
"When these Congress critters work only a handful of days a month, damn near impossible for them to get ANYTHING done, let alone immediately!"
And the president is in what, Minnesota today? On his endless campaign tour. Perhaps someone should tell him he was actually marginally reelected and he can get off the campaign trail and go to work. Oh and Roselle, those congress criiters who only work a handful of days a month are republicans AND democrats. Well hold on, Maybe Pulosi is working hard on another of those "insider" trading deals. So the ones not working are ALL of your people as well as the ones your critisizing. So like what exactly is your point? If it's that none of them including Obama are worth a damn then I would have a hard time agrueing with that. But if it's that Obama is actually doing something we would have a bit of a disagreement. He is proposing a SHORT term solution again with minor tax cuts and More revenue But AGAIN he is not saying where these cuts are. Perhaps it's in the department of ding dong in the land of OZ. Just how long will you all excuse his inaction? Untill he leaves office? Maybe when he leaves office plus 4 years? When?
8,830,026: Americans on Disability Hits New Record for 192nd Straight Month
February 5, 2013
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Terence P. Jeffrey
(CNSNews.com) - The number of American workers collecting federal disability payments climbed to yet another record high of 8,830,026 in January, up from 8,827,795 in December, according to newly released data from the Social Security Administration.
This is the 192nd straight month that the number of American workers collecting federal disability payments has increased. The last time the number of Americans collecting disability decreased was in January 1997. That month the number of workers taking disability dropped by 249 people—from 4,385,623 in December 1996 to 4,385,374 in January 1997.
As the overall number of Americans collecting disability has increased, the ratio of full-time workers to disability beneficiaries has decreased.
In December 1968, 1,295,428 Americans collected disability and 65,630,000 worked full-time. Thus, there were about 51 Americans working full-time for each person collecting disability at that time. In January 1997, the last time the number of disability beneficiaries declined, 4,385,374 Americans collected disability and 104,900,000 worked full-time. Thus, there were then about 24 Americans working full-time for each person collecting disability.
In January 2013, with a record 8,830,026 Americans collecting disability and 115,918,000 working fulltime, there were only 13 Americans working full-time for each person collecting disability.
What's your point? Every one collecting SS Disability paid for it through payroll deductions. Think of it as insurance.
I think Obummer and company are about to get a dose of reality, the first they've had. Stop wasting taxpayer money.
Someone ask F redhead, why with 4 years of complete control of Congress, the Dems couldn't pass anything that was good for all of America. Why is Obama spending $330 million to remodel the white house ? Started in 2010 and stopped in 2012 because of the election and now started up again. Where is this money coming from? When are the IOU's going to be paid back into Soc Sec and funding provided by the govt for all the people collecting without ever paying one fricken dime into their entitlement. Medicare was funded by the working class and their employers as well as the total Soc Sec fund.........
link please specifically on the White house "remodel".
There was an article on the remodel yesterday on MSN. Maybe you mised it. It is for the remodel of the west wing which included a new oval office. And yes his figures cwere correct.
This president does not care about the American institutions, he just cares about himself and his family, he is governing like a Shah, the shah Obamahussein I and his horrible wife Michellesoraya I.
You know the Shah was a U.S./CIA puppet right?
And here we go with more tax increases. What will Obama do when he runs out of other people's money? Blame Bush? This guy is a joke! He doesn't give a rat's ass about the American people. He talks about amnesty, global warming and gays. Any mention of doing anything to help the economy? No. Any mention of rising gas prices? No. But everything he does mention will cost billions. So he needs more money. He needs to put on his big boy pants and start taking responsibility for his actions instead of blaming other people.
I'm disgusted, I now agree with Shakespeare, "Let's start over and kill all the lawyers,"
So a president , who has not pass a budget in 4 years, is complaining about spending, and Democrats, who have complained about the military budget being too big for the last ten years, are now saying defense cuts will hurt the economy. How lucky we are to have such SMART people running our country.
Congress is supposed to pass budgets, not the President.
Congress has passed over 15 jobs bills and spending bills and the Democratic controlled Senate has voted on NONE of them. We do not have a DO NOTHING Congress, we have a Do NOTHING Senate.
that was a good try
Same old same Odumma old crap!!! We need more revenue and smart cuts. Which basically means no cuts!!!
I say who cares? This dumb kenyan wants to fail. The faster we get this commie to fall on his fase the faster we can rid ourselves of this cancer known as obummer.
yeah the lawyers are to blame
Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a little honesty?
When was the last time you heard of a Democrat being opposed to defense spending cuts, closing military bases, etc?
The only reason Obama is opposed to the defense spending cuts is because the other side of the coin is the $600 billion dollars in discretionary spending that is also in the Sequestrations. They never mention those cuts when calling for action to avoid the sequestrations. If they can avoid the sequestrations then the $600 billion in discretionary spending is also avoided.
Do you really think Obama is concerned with the $600 billion in defense spending cuts or the $600 Billion he will lose in Entitlement Spending?
Obama only mentions how devastating the cuts to defense spending will be so pass a bill that avoids the defense spending cuts and leave the discretionary spending cuts in place.
Here's some real suggestions.First they need to quit the this party did Dance.They both did,they both take money from lobbyist,they both only do what's good for their party,they both have everyone looking and arguing about it was the GOP it was the Dems.The focus here is not what who did.it's what do the people have to do to get them to do their job,What is best for the country as a whole?It's like America is blind to truth.They treat politics like the superbowl,except less important.Even BOUNcy,she didn't sing at a Presidential inauguration but did at the SB.Shows where her priorities are,though I can't blame her,I don't have much respect for this president or Congress either...
We are toast after 4 more years of Oshambles. Now the Justice Department can kill American citizens. And the Limpwrists cried about Bush and waterboarding.hahahaha Learn to speak Chinese........
Hey my fellow Americans...
They will not do anything (make a decision) until they take our guns away first. Why? They are too afraid to make a move because the only option left to get rid of their irresponsible spending debt is to cause hyper inflation, massive tax hikes and takeaways that you cannot possibly imagine...
Please wake up.....
Why are they doing guns and rights to own guns in politics today?
Om. Om Om.
First there was establishment for homeland security.
Second there is a re-visit to hot topic of gun ownership and rights to own a gun.
om. om. om. the vibes from the future is flowing. om. om. om.
Eye see you surveilance drones. Huh? There is a new technology that makes helicopter blade operate at a new silent level. The idea is that the tip of the original helicopter blade made noises as it travel faster then speed of sound, so it create micro soundbarrier speed booming effect. The new technology allow the blade tip to spin at velocity below sound barrier, so not more sonic boom effect. For example, speed of sound is mach 1, a jet fighter passing sound barrier speed of mach 1 causes a sound booming effect.
These expensive drones can be easy target if you got a gun. So, have a say about your future. make a choice for gun rights.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he got "98 percent" of what he wanted in the final deal to raise the debt ceiling.
"When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the White House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I'm pretty happy," Boehner said in an interview with CBS News on Monday evening.
well guess what Boner you get 98% of the blame NOW!
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he got "98 percent" of what he wanted in the final deal to raise the debt ceiling.
"When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the White House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I'm pretty happy," Boehner said in an interview
By law the Presidenc is required to submit his proposed budget then the house and senate take it up and either accept it or modify it...it then goes to a house/senate committee and sent back to the house and senate for approval...the Pres then signs on to it or vetos it...as for the pres now saying anything about cuts that is new...before it was just tax increase...and he is still talking tax increases...the man can't get his act together
Actually, the President submits a budget request. The House does its budget. The Senate does its budget. None of these budgets is voted on by the other body and no budget is signed by the President.
The budget of each body of Congress serves as their blueprint for legislation of the 12 appropriation bills. Once each of those bills is passed by both bodies, each is sent to the President to be signed into law.