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“President Obama will urge congressional Republicans to avoid automatic budget cuts next month by appearing Tuesday with a group of emergency responders who might have to absorb some of those cuts,” USA Today writes. “The group of emergency responders who will stand beside Obama at 10:45 a.m. are "the kinds of working Americans whose jobs are on the line if Congressional Republicans fail to compromise on a balanced solution," said an addition to the White House schedule.”
“Congress must replace upcoming ‘dumb’ across-the-board budget cuts with targeted spending cuts and sweeping changes to tackle the nation's debt without restricting economic growth, the former co-chairs of President Obama's debt commission say in a revamped bipartisan proposal for fiscal restraint,” USA Today writes. “Erskine Bowles, Bill Clinton's former chief of staff, and former senator Alan Simpson, a Republican from Wyoming, were scheduled to appear at a Washington breakfast hosted by Politico on Tuesday to promote their renewed call for fiscal restraint under the banner of the Campaign to Fix the Debt.” They write in an outline of their proposal: "The mindless, across-the-board cuts from sequestration would reduce the deficit, but represent the wrong approach to budgeting.”
Bob Woodward on FOX News Sunday said the sequester was the White House’s idea, but that everyone “has their fingerprints on this.” “First of-, it was the White House, it was Obama and Jack Lew and Rob Nabors who went to the Democratic leader in the Senate Harry Reid and said this is the solution, but everyone has their fingerprints on this and it is everyone's - it is the policy and it is law, what is important about it is, it is a governing travesty.”
Stories that will only increase as the sequester deadline nears… The Boston Globe: “Massachusetts will lose more than 60,000 jobs, much of it in the defense industry, and $127 million in federal research funding, harming a critical sector of the state economy, if Congress allows across-the-board spending cuts to go into effect in March, according to a report released Friday by Representative Edward Markey of Malden.”
WTOP radio: “Virginia's governor to Obama: Don't let sequestration happen.” McDonnell writes in a letter to the president that the sequester is “already having a significant adverse effect on the Commonwealth.” He adds, “When fully implemented, they could force Virginia and other states into a recession.” He says the government needs to “cut spending” and even calls the debt “immoral,” but in a “not in my backyard” twist, McDonnell writes, “We just ask that you don’t put a disproportionate share of the burden on our defenders of freedom.” Here’s McDonnell’s full letter to Obama.
The sequester would equally cut domestic programs and Defense.
Vice President Biden “will be speaking Thursday at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, which is just a few miles away from the scene of the Dec. 14 massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown,” AP writes.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hits the speaking circuit, where she could make “close to $200,000 per speech in the U.S. — and as much as $750,000 in the high-priced Asian and Middle Eastern markets,” the New York Daily News writes. “Bill Clinton earned $13.4 million on the speechmaking circuit in 2011, according to the most recent financial disclosure statement Hillary Clinton filed as secretary of state.”
First Lady Michelle Obama cut her hair because she’s having a mid-life crisis, she told Rachel Ray. "This is my midlife crisis, the bangs. I couldn't get a sports car. They won't let me bungee jump. So instead, I cut my bangs." The do was first seen on Jan. 17, her 49th birthday.
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Members of Congress have had over 18 months to fix this, but did nothing.
Members of Congress are the only ones who had the power to write legislation to change this.
How much was each member of Congress paid since this became law on August 11, 2011?
They were paid all that money and they spent over 500 days refusing to fix this.
They had a deal 18 months ago. Obama agreed to $800,000,000,000 in new taxes but backed out when the Senate asked for $1,200,000,000,000 in new taxes. If not for Obama and the Senate failure to agree with each other this would have been solved 18 months ago. Instead Washington focuses on politics and the next election iinstead of solving the hard problems.
This is Obama's legislation he suggested it, he signed it, he didn't deal with the deficit, he owns it.
"How much was each member of Congress paid since this became law on August 11, 2011?" Debbie, the way I see it, they were paid way to much for the non-work they are doing. It is an old argument, do we go forward or do we stay in the past. Everyone including the president knows we need to choke the chicken, but they are unwilling to do so, with enough revenue to make the difference. Its about time we do replace some of or most of congress with people willing to work, more then one week a month.
Why do you think congress is either slow walking or filibustering every Obama proposed nomination, or any bills that hit the floor. The GOOPer TEAGAGGERS are eating the CLOCK to block any government business. They failed to make the President a one term president, so they are determined to kill any progress in the recovery of the American economy. All Sunday they either said that President Obama would not meet with republicans, or lead, or he was pushing his agenda. WELL HOW IN THE FUK CAN HE BE DOING ALL THREE?
All executives must multitask. They should have a clear plan and be able negotiate
with unreasonable people. We do it every
day in the real world so why can’t Washington.
You answered you own question in the first sentence Urns02. Tea people republicans can't multitask.
Mo, That might be true but who is the excutive that is adminstrating our federal government? I hope we are not relying on the junior members in the House to lead us out of this mess. If TeaParty leads on the cuts the sequestrations will just be the start.
I would rather McDonnell talk to Congress. The ball is in their court right now. If they fail to act there is nothing more President Obama can really do. The Congress knew about sequestration and, so far, has failed to do anything about it. If they allow it to happen the onus is going to be on them with the lion's share of the blame for job losses and going back to recession.
Since Boehner and Reid are not really leaders woth their salt and those next in line aren't much better I suspect we will see sequestration happen or, maybe, they'll either kick the can down the road with some stop gap measure or there'll be some 11th hour deal that will stop the sequestration with some sort of compromise on everyone's part. (what should have already happened)
Half of the problem is that politicians are more concerned about blame than problem solving. I have yet to see any problem solved by blame.
When U. S. Senators, who are suppose to be the Leaders of this Country can Admit that they are HOLDING VENDETTA'S and GRUDGES against one of their Own, Chuck Hagel, because, he disagreed with them ON THE WAR in Iraq and it was PROVED beyond a DOUBT that he was CORRECT, we have a PROBLEM of Governance when these TACTICS are used to BLOCK a Qualified Nominee to SPITE A PRESIDENT.
So, McCain and Company decided to Block his Nomination as Secretary of State. How SUBVERSIVE is that for this Country when you have a Political Party using BLACKMAIL Against the President on his Nominees to get Information when IT HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
They are PENALIZING PEOPLE who want to serve this Country. When will the PRESS STAND UP AND POINT THIS TRAVESTY on the Integrity and Intelligence of Individuals who want to serve this Country and have Served the Country?
Former Senator Hagel was not in Government during Benghazi. Why did they not question Kerry and hold up his nomination. He was in the Senate, especially since Secretary Clinton took full Responsibility for it. Why was Kerry not grilled on how he would handle it?
Ted Cruz needs to go back to Texas. He has already proved that Texas MADE A BIG MISTAKE voting him in as a Senator over anything, especially this Country.”
SHAME, SHAME for these Men to Call themselves Responsible U. S. Senators. They can keep up this Charade of Blocking everything the President says and does and the Country in the meantime continues its speed towards the Crapper in dealing with the Rest of the World while this CLOWN CAR on the GOP/TEA SIDE of the Aisle continues their Political Posturing.
GOP/TEA becoming such a Clown Car they even OBJECT, BLOCK THEIR OWN IDEAS, and Other Sane Republicans just to continue to spite this President.
In his effort to solve the fiscal cliff issue, Mr. Obama did request as a piece of negotiation, the sequester.He used this as a tool, with no expectation of seeing it come to fruitation. "He was for it, before being against it" is often used in the Progressive view of governing.
Now he's campainging on the sins of having this be placed in effect, as he negotiated for originally. And the liberal media is promoting the Republicans as the evil party that created the sequester and the party who will be blamed.
Heck Mr. Obama, why not blame George Bush for the sequester?
Can you not accept accountability for your actions?
The government spends 10.5 billion a day so the cuts that Barry and the rest of you leftists are fretting over is about eight days of spending. A mere drop in the bucket.
I know why don't Barry and Meesh take the whole gubment on their next vacation I'm sure they are due for another soon.
Wonder how many you can shove onto Air Force one?
Libs are the silliest people.