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Subscribe to RSSThe automatic spending cuts, just days away, would cut $85 billion a year, having an impact on federal food inspectors, TSA officers, Department of Defense and civilian workers. NBC's John Yang reports.
President Barack Obama used his bully pulpit Tuesday to warn of calamitous consequences for the U.S. economy should the automatic spending cuts known as the “sequester” go into effect next Friday.
The president warned that the automatic cuts, totaling about $85 billion over the course of this year, would prompt job losses, weakened national security and canceled government services – among other consequences.
“So these cuts are not smart, they are not fair, they will hurt our economy, they will add hundreds of thousands of Americans to the unemployment rolls,” Obama said in a statement at the White House. “This is not an abstraction; people will lose their jobs. The unemployment rate might tick up again.”
The speech featured no new, concrete proposal from the president detailing how he would prefer for Congress to replace the sequester.
NBC's Chuck Todd says it may feel as though the sky is falling (once more) but it's likely the spending cuts will go through March 1, the government will come up with a compromise deal, and they'll punt something else down the road.
Democrats in Congress released a plan last week that called for $55 billion in new revenues from closing tax loopholes and deductions, and additional cuts by $27.5 billion to each the defense and discretionary spending budgets over the course of the next decade.
Obama’s speech was otherwise spent reiterating points he’s made for the better part of the last two months. He said that any sequester replacement should be “balanced” – shorthand for a combination of new tax revenue and spending cuts – and Obama urged lawmakers to approve a shorter-term replacement for the automatic cuts if they couldn’t reach consensus on a broader package by the end-of-February deadline.
Rather, the president, who was flanked by first-responders whose jobs Obama said would be threatened by the sequester, was making use of political optics and the presidential bully pulpit to pressure Congress to act.
Still, the urgency appeared to have little effect on Republicans, who dismissed the president’s remarks as unserious about reaching a solution.
"Once again, the president offered no credible plan that can pass Congress – only more calls for higher taxes," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a statement.
President Barack Obama voices harsh words toward Republican lawmakers Tuesday while speaking about looming budget cuts.
“Today's event at the White House proves once again that more than three months after the November election, President Obama still prefers campaign events to common sense, bipartisan action,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement.
Indeed, many Republicans have treated the sequester as a fait accompli; Congress is out of town this week, and lawmakers would only have a handful of days next week to act upon the sequester. Some Republicans have also argued that even if the sequester is replaced, its $85 billion in cuts should set a baseline for offsetting cuts in other areas of the budget.
“I have to say, though, that so far, at least, the ideas that the Republicans have proposed asks nothing of the wealthiest Americans or biggest corporations,” Obama said of the GOP proposal. “So the burden is all on first-responders or seniors or middle-class families. They doubled down, in fact, on the harsh, harmful cuts that I've outlined.”
The president added, as if to drive home the point: “Well, that's not balanced. That would be like Democrats saying we have to close our deficits without any spending cuts whatsoever. It's all taxes. That's not the position Democrats have taken, that's certainly not the position I've taken.”
This story was originally published on Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:04 AM EST
Leave a Comment:
Sequestration MUST go forward as planned. It's fair to talk about alternative cuts, but in the end, $1.2T must be cut. Get a spine GOP. Don't cave. Make it happen.
If there is one thing weve learned its that the GOP is a bunch of spineless girly men.
There will be a deal done.
Guranteed
markinbecker
Each time President Obama speaks on issues, he is placing the burden on the Republican party. Heaven forbid he actually negotiate or work on a deal. And the grand bargain he left Speaker Boehner out in the cold on doesn't count.
50% could and should be cut immediately from the existing defense budget and the US would still have the most expensive military in the world bar none.
I agree. We have the best military by far. How superior do we have to be. Iran and Iraq fought each other for 7 years and it ended in a draw. We beat Iraq in 100 days.
Take 4 years off and fix the country.
I see there are no cuts for vacations, golf, his salary.......
Always hits police, teachers, firemen, military.
KICK HIM TO THE CURB AMERICAN WHILE WE STILL HAVE A COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE CREATURE IS WORSE THAN DESPICABLE.
obama is an ass and needs to be impeached....
mcpaddywack
and you should move to a country where your ideals would be better suited.. try IRAN.
Blonde Coyote
Yeah, BUSH took 1000 vacation days... did we cut his salary or ask for the 171 MILLION BUSH spent on his vacations?
We'll keep Obama, thank you very much.
Maybe if the sequester kicks in Barack and Michelle will have to take their gazillion dollar tax payer funded vacations together.
And paddyiswacked!!!!!!
Common Man-3493893
as soon as BUSH and every other president before that writes a check for their vacation costs...
yes....TODAY!
America is on the verge of complete ruin....and he's loving it. He's achieving his goal while vacationing all over the world at our expense.
I can hear the conversation inside their bedroom now....swatting each other on those big old butts and laughing at stupid Americans as they plan their NEXT vacation!
They are both disgusting creatures.
!
America is NOT on the verge of complete ruin and Obama doesn't love it.
Apparently, you hold OBAMA to a higher standard than BUSH, who has out spent and out vacation OBAMA.
It's about time.....you jerk.
Bush took his vacations at his OWN PROPERTY.
These two buffoons travel the world with no cares at all. Why should they have any...America is collapsing and they are spending our tax dollars.
Time, maybe you didn't receive the word Bush is no longer president, Barack Hussein Obama is.
Oh yes.. My bad.. We are supposed to pretend that when Obama became president.. we had no debt, no rising unemployment, no existing wars going on.
So if by some miracle, a republican wins the WH... In 2016, does this mean anything Obama did is null and void because he is no longer president?
yawn
History is not going to blame Senator this or Representative that, they will blame Mr Obama for not making a deal.
The Republicans represent 37% the United States and you can't ignore them just because you're a Democrat and you're the President. Most blacks don't consider themselves in a party, they are independents, and voted by color instead of party these last two elections. Many street level blacks won't even know what party Obama is in.
This seems like as stupid move for the Democratic President and this ploy of never producing a budget is bad for the future of the country.
So Jim, I'm guessing that you personally KNOW most Blacks.....
You People are STOOPID!!!!!! Beyond Stupid............
Which president has been to 57 states?
I doubt you could name all 50 states, let alone put them on a map
its'aboutpastime.....
Your boy thinks there is 57 states.
Bet he can't name 5 of them.
Ask a true question and I get my person attacked... The truth so hurts...
Blonde..
He made 1 simple mistake in a speech, and now you think he believes there are 57 states?
LMAO. Yeah, a HARVARD GRAD.
Yawn
It'spastime.....
YES! I really think he believes there are 57 states.
He's an idiot...just like you..
CORPSMAN! lol
Hardly 1 simple mistake....I've given you 2 now.
He'd be worse if he didn't have someone else to write his lectures.
Course...he really screws up when he has to think on his feet.
Once again the Grand Old Party in the way. Bye Bye in 2014!!!!
When the sequester happens the Repubs will want to restore the cuts to the defense department. To do so, they will have to introduce a massive SPENDING bill. The Democrats will not go along without it being paid for with new revenue. The Democrats are the Party of fiscal responsibility, not the Repubs.
Honestly let's just crash the economy and get on with the civil war.
Spoken like a true idiot!!!!!!!!!!
All you whining GOPers, KNOCK IT THE HELL OFF!!!!!!!!
Obama is the President voted for by the majority. He can't fix what was broken by the republicans, if the republicans don't want it fixed.... They would prefer the country go down.... The CREEPS!!!!!
Exactly.. and both parties need to stop their bickering and work together if we want to move forward.
the "majority", when considering all people, didn't vote for Obama......
Ahh, but the majority elected Obama. According to ROMNEy, 47% of the country didn't matter anyway.
When Romney said he was going to put the country back to work 51% of the people rose up and said no you are not we want our government free stuff.
Actually, people rose up and asked HOW? And Romney said that he would tell us after he was elected.
Romney did tell us how he would lower the deficit. Cut income by 20% and increase expenses by 2 trillion dollars. 47% thought that this was brilliant. But people with an IQ over 95 voted for Obama.
What free stuff? Where is this free stuff you and so many others talk about it. Where do I sign up for it?
This is what happens when you vote in an amateur Chicago politician who never had a job in the private sector.....
Why don't you RUN for President. I am sure that you have a Harvard Law Degree and with your vast experience, you could do 10x better
....it would be very difficult for anyone to do much worse than this current Failure in Charge.......
I don't know, BUSH did worse :)
you are an idiot. Hope you lose your job soon.
Childish comments (towards anyone) would mean something, if they respected your opinion.
HopeisGone must be short the stock market expecting another disaster like we had in 2008. It's over 14,000 today making new 5 year highs.
JimS-459172
Hope generally just likes to whine, complain, and point the finger of blame at Obama and no one else.
To your comment, I agree. My 401k and investments have never been better
Itsabouttime
you must be under 25 yrs old or just started a 401k a few years ago.
The sequester WAS Oblame-O's idea in the first place!
That is what they are saying on Fox and the web sites that cater to the right wing crazies.
Everybody signed off on it, regardless of who's idea it was, congress passed it and it was signed it into law--Ryan stated during his failed run that "sequester isn't supposed to happen," remember that one. Well in 11 days folks it will happen it no compromise is reached. I guarantee, the Republicans will be blamed and blamed big time--rant, rave, spew, scream, won't change the perception that Republicans are dead set against everything and anything the President attempts to accomplish. Why is congress on recess again? Don't thump the President for taking 3 days off, won't fly, when congress is gone more than they are not.
So "sequestration" happens, what then boys? Defense Contractors are already squealing, that sacred piggy is getting the biggest ax, followed by the vilified discretionary spending--here we go, hold on. Send the fragile economy back in recession or will it be a depression.
Republicans simply will not compromise and consider the word to be a dirty one. Republicans may proceed and lets see what the Nation looks like (economically) as well as globally. GOP/TeaBaggers demise is looming come 2014.
Goverment spending cures everything: bad breath, impotence, dandruff, insanity, substance addiction, smoking, headaches, digestive problems, depression, baldness, clogged toilets, Alzheimers, age spots, spiritual confusion, premature ejaculation, flat tires, high cholesterol, low self esteem, poor reading comprehension, nothing on TV, selfishness, bad credit, meeting that special someone, sports officiating, and the list goes on forever.
More government is clearly the answer to all problems, wants, needs and desires, if only you too can become a true believer. After all people should not have to be burdened with choices or responsibilities. And you could get a tin foil hat to wear around too.
The problem with Obama running the government is that he doesn't know anything about what he is suppose to run...
THE SEQUESTER IS obama's own idea.... Does this man take us all for fools? He needs to lead and stop trying to blame everyone else for his problems.
Stupid as always.
Anything that gets done concerning the budget and any bills come from Congress.
FACT
If President Obama didn't agree with the sequester rules in the Budget Control Act, why did he sign it into law?
Or is this just the face of the "balanced approach" kicking the can down the road some more?
And how does the every growing debt ceiling help the good faith & credit of the American taxpayer?
We need a sequester that's 10x as big to stem the tide of OBuma spending. This is a small series of cuts we need to make. Unfortunately Obama is not a leader, knows nothing about economics and is driving our formerly great country to ruin. Anyone who believes Obama is truely an idiot. The Obama future is one of taxes, misery and dispair where perhaps 50% of those eligible to work are supported by the minority that retain a job. Time for businesses to lay off all workers that have Obama stickers on their car.
NATIONAL DEBT - $16,556,543,934,094.00 and growing! The thing that is very important is to remember that obama wants this number to keep climbing. His goal is to tear this country apart in order to have more and more people dependent on the federal government. The more people who look to Washington to solve all their problems means more political power for obama, democrats, and socialism.
President Obama has cut the national deficit and spending.
republicans did the opposite.
bye Bye now
You are not wanted
Johnny forgot to mention the attacks of 911 and the expansion of government agancies such as TSA and Home land security.
The expansion of the military, and two wars.
All with Democratic support,
Liberals and their mememories, selective at best.
Ladies & Gentlemen: PLEASE READ the post above (#116.1)....cut the deficit and national spending ?
then read it again....the village has lost its idiot, truly
If it makes ANY sense to you,....... shoot yourself
Good special on MSNBC last night about how Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice lied us into the Iraq war. With statements from the people who knew they were lying at the time.
The pathological lying marxist in the White House continues his lies to the American people
It is the budget function of state and local govts to fund emergency responders. This is not a legitimate Constitutional function of the Federal Govt. Any funding we may be doing for ER's should be discontinued.
Larry- you are an ass
Once again Larry shows what an amateur constitutional scholar he is.
Obama and the Dems are moaning now about Sequestration but look how Obama framed it in a Press Release after the deal was signed
Fact Sheet: Bipartisan Debt Deal: A Win for the Economy and Budget Discipline
Bipartisan Debt Deal: A Win for the Economy and Budget Discipline
Removes the cloud of uncertainty over our economy at this critical time, by ensuring that no one will be able to use the threat of the nation’s first default now, or in only a few months, for political gain;
Locks in a down payment on significant deficit reduction, with savings from both domestic and Pentagon spending, and is designed to protect crucial investments like aid for college students;
Establishes a bipartisan process to seek a balanced approach to larger deficit reduction through entitlement and tax reform;
Deploys an enforcement mechanism that gives all sides an incentive to reach bipartisan compromise on historic deficit reduction, while protecting Social Security, Medicare beneficiaries and low-income programs
Enforcement mechanism established to force all parties – Republican and Democrat – to agree to balanced deficit reduction. If Committee fails, enforcement mechanism will trigger spending reductions beginning in 2013 – split 50/50 between domestic and defense spending. Enforcement protects Social Security, Medicare beneficiaries, and low-income programs from any cuts.
The Deal Includes An Automatic Sequester to Ensure That At Least $1.2 Trillion in Deficit Reduction Is Achieved By 2013 Beyond the Discretionary Caps: The deal includes an automatic sequester on certain spending programs to ensure that—between the Committee and the trigger—we at least put in place an additional $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction by 2013.
Consistent With Past Practice, Sequester Would Be Divided Equally Between Defense and Non-Defense Programs and Exempt Social Security, Medicaid, and Low-Income Programs: Consistent with the bipartisan precedents established in the 1980s and 1990s, the sequester would be divided equally between defense and non-defense program, and it would exempt Social Security, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, programs for low-income families, and civilian and military retirement. Likewise, any cuts to Medicare would be capped and limited to the provider side.
The Enforcement Mechanism Complements the Forcing Event Already In Law – the Expiration of the Bush Tax Cuts – To Create Pressure for a Balanced Deal: The Bush tax cuts expire as of 1/1/2013, the same date that the spending sequester would go into effect. These two events together will force balanced deficit reduction. Absent a balanced deal, it would enable the President to use his veto pen to ensure nearly $1 trillion in additional deficit reduction by not extending the high-income tax cuts.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheet-victory-bipartisan-compromise-economy-american-people
can we be fact based. If we continue on the same trajetery we are on we will hit the wall on spending in approx 25 years. Not today, not next week, nor next year or even five years from now.
We have a major unemployment problem. We wonder why we are seeing a spike in gun violence due to mental illness. What type of stress factors are unleashed due to high unemployment. Divorce rates go up. Alcohol abuse rises. Surprise surprise. But lets make a future problem our FOCUS today.
Just reduce the cost of our medical to the levels paid for by other advanced economies and you have solved the deficit crisis. Let me REPEAT- we pay more per capita and have a lesser benefit then any OTHER ADVANCED ECONOMY. Just reduce our expenditures in medical and you SOLVE the deficit problem.
So lets solve the medical costs- why are we paying Manufactures Suggested Prices for medicare patients pharmacy needs?That alone will save 300 billion. Why when you look at the data at salaries paid you will see nurses and doctors are not making unreasonable salaries. Hospitals are not a hot farea for venture capitalists looking for profitable investments. But insurance companies and medical devise manufacturers are doing fine.
But lets cut discretionary spending, transfer costs from govt unto the backs of the elderly and pat ourselves on the back.
Its all politics which translates into power and whose money is spent and whose isnt
Let's get this straight...with $85 Billion in cuts from $2700 Billion budget that is going to increase 8% anyway, (just so you know, 8%=$216 Billion) we really have a NET $136 Billion increase in Government Spending.
And this is going to shut down the economy?
Alas, the difference between President Clinton, the "Arithmetician" and President Obama, the "Illusionist".
Osama dead and GM alive? Not hardly. While Obama stood up at the DNC and proclaimed Al Queda all but defeated, something else was happening.
Rememer the "Manufactured Outrage", "Man made disasters", and "Spontaneous Riots".
All we get are lies and distraction from NBC and Obama.
Does anyone realize what is and was happening overseas during the election? We are and were under attack. The Carter clip of Romney was used to deflect the situation the world over, especially in Afghanistan.
Obama stood up in front of us all at the DNC and proclaimed AL-Queda was all but defeated. Guess what. They are not.
Make no mistake the attack on Embassy was was a pre-planned Al-Queda raid on that Embassy. A mob does not take out two Navy Seals without them leaving a massive body count. The images show evidence of mortar hits, RPG;s, and direct and indirect fire. A mob does not do that! A commando team does. This is confirmed by Sean Smith's last email. Then we find out that it was a memember of Al-Queda that we had in Git-Mo that planned and led the raid!
Rice and Obama bold faced lied to us!
Al-Queda just infiltrated joint base leatherneck and killed four including Marines. OUTRAGE!
91 Nato partners have been killed by their own so called "ally". The problem is so bad, JOINT PATROLS HAVE STOPPED.
Even worse, the recent TalibanTaliban attack on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan DESTROYED EIGHT HARRIER JUMP JETS. This is the worst one day loss of aircraft the U.S. ever SINCE VIETNAM. We here nothing about it from the liberal media.
Al-Queda has infiltrated the ranks of our so called "Ally" the Afghan security who have been murdering our people while they sleep.
Joe Biden outed Seal Team six. Al-Queda finds out where Seal Team six operates and takes out 30 of them in a helicopter shoot down. That was a hit. Thanks Joe Biden.
Al Queda and the Talibs control %70 of the Afghanistan. We have lost over 1300 people in the last 3 and half years compared to 625 people lost in the eight under Bush.
Al Queda Defeated? They are eating our lunch.
Lies and cover-ups! Distraction. Don't buy anything this President sales. And those so called fact check sites? They do not even mention these recent attacks or the fact the we are loosing to Al-Queda and the Taliban.
And GM? There numbers are out next week, and all signs are pointing yet another bail-out.
When do the lies, distraction, and failure end???
The “debt explosion has resulted not from big spending by the Democrats, but instead the Republican Party’s embrace, about three decades ago, of the insidious doctrine that deficits don’t matter if they result from tax cuts.”
--- David Stockman Conservative Republican and Reagan's Budget Director
Yep the Bush administration was the most economically irresponsible of our lifetime but now are we supposed to listen to anything these thieves have to say?
We tried it thier way and it was a complete disaster.
They need to move aside and allow the grownups to govern.
Johnny-3621820
Your wording sounds vaguely familiar. Can you tell me who said that and exactly what caused the disaster?
A Bush disaster seems 10x better than the best Obama success. Woops Obama hasn't had any success other than running up the debt and adding millions of moochers to food stamps and welfare. How many Obamaphones do you have. Are you collecting more than one food stamp entitlement. Do you have an off-the books job to supplement your reported income? Did you vote for Obama more than 10 times. Wake up you're an idiot. If you have a real job you'll be losing it soon. Have a great day you are the epitomy of a dumbed down America. Pls do pray to your God, Obama.
Republicans and their supporters keep avoiding one basic fact:
If the last 3 GOP presidents had NOT signed TWENTY deficit riddled budgets AND saddled Obama with a $1.3T deficit, we wouldnt HAVE A DEBT CRISIS!!! And they created this debt crisis deliberately in order to FORCE privatizing SS and Medicare. In doing so, they have endangered the national security of the United States and our survival as a first rate country! THAT'S the bottom line!!!
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo4.htm
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm
http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/06/tax-cuts-republicans-starve-the-beast-columnists-bruce-bartlett.html
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/12/the-fiscal-legacy-of-george-w-bush/
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/blaming-obama-for-george-w-bushs-policies/
Bruce Bartlett held senior policy roles in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush
administrations and served on the staffs of Representatives Jack Kemp and Ron
Paul.
Obama promised he would fix all that if elected president...Obama knew what he was getting into...but Obama's ego was too huge for him to realize he couldn't do the job...Obama even admitted he couldn't change DC and a bunch of fools re-elected him anyway...failures blame others for the failures...leaders get things done despite other people...
Wrong
He didnt expect the crooks in congress to oppose everything he tries to do. Get it?
u be da idiot....How much for a lid?
That's why I voted for Hillary in the primary. She knew that the republicans would do everything they could to keep the economy in the toilet. Obama wasted 2 years trying to work with them.
They need to make the necessary cuts to Social Security that the GOP want so badly
it's simple:
1. Anyone with a State of Federal Pension is ineligible, all these politicians collecting 2 and 3 pensions (i.e Rick Perry) is ridiculous. The government should only pay once.
2. Cut benefits for anyone who has a net worth of $500,000.00 this information is easily obtained from Tax Returns.
3. People with a net work of $1,000,000.00 or more would be ineligible for SS benefits.
All of the above applies to Medicare and other government programs. Congress and the Senate starts paying for their insurance same as any other American THAT IS ACTUALLY WORKING. Federal and State pensions would be cut or denied under the same rule above.
Of course this will never happen, the GOP and TGOP will be screaming bloody murder and claim this is killing jobs.........
Maybe the people who pay for everything should get some financial benefits for their payments but a bottom feeder like you would think that is unfair
Speak for your yourself catfish. I make a cool mid six figures and probably pay a LOT more taxes than you. I also have paid for SS all of my working life and see no reason to cut it so leeches like Governor Perry can collect multiple pensions. You might take a look at the people wanting to cut YOUR healthcare, they all have the best TAXPAYER PAID healthcare taxes can buy. You might notice the people that want to get rid of minimum wage are all rich. America needs domestic aid NOT foreign aid.
Such a shame that Obama can't man up to the cuts he agreed to and take responsibility. He is our liar and chief and clearly fiscally irresponsible and bent on bankrupting the country. We shouldn't allow him to blame his problem on others. He has divided Americans more deeply than during the Civil War. He is enslaving the country into a future of poverty, dispair, dependence and moochery. The destruction and dumbing down of America is fully underway. Tell me more OBlama....I can't wait to see how you spin things next. I continue to be amazed at how many idiots believe what the anti-christ has to say.
People like you are what's dividing the country.