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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:
It's become evident that Obama only understands how to spend the Nation into debt. It's no wonder he has never had a working budget. Incompetence in high places.
President Obama can only spend what Congress approves. Place the blame where spending belongs...on congress.
OK, so President god sign it into law when he won't listen to his on commission and now he warns it will hurt the economy. Hey Dumbarse you did it...Mr. Open, Honest and Transparent! Go back to Obummerland!!!
There goes Obama being "divisive" again...
...by trying to cajole Republicans into acting responsibly!
I really like President Obama 2.0!
...because Republicans are abusing the filibuster AND the Constitution.
Re-wrap the tin foil!
"It's true that you cannot filibuster a budget resolution in the Senate, because the Budget Act provides special rules for consideration of a budget resolution, including a time limit on debate. So the Senate can pass a resolution with only a majority vote. However, the resolution does not take effect when the Senate passes it. It takes effect in one of two ways: if the House and Senate pass an identical resolution, usually in the form of a conference report; or if the Senate passes a separate Senate Resolution (as opposed to a concurrent resolution, which is what a budget resolution is) that says the House is “deemed” to have agreed to the budget resolution passed by the Senate.
But there are no special procedures for the simple Senate Resolution required by this second, “deeming” process, so it is subject to the unlimited debate allowed on almost everything in the Senate. If you do not have the support of 60 Senators to invoke cloture and end a filibuster, or prevent a filibuster from even starting (because everyone knows 60 Senators support cloture), you cannot pass such a deeming resolution in the Senate."
http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2012/02/parliamentary-procedure
It amazes me how uninformed, yet vehemenntly arrogant these people who defend this POTUS truly are.
But we all know now how Obama in fact won a second term. The uneducated vote, that's for sure, judging by all of these "I forget history as recent as yesterday" posts.
RE-Elect
So tell me the last time that a “deeming” process came to a vote in the Senate. Just when did Harry Reid send a Senate Budget to a joint Committee? Just when did the Senate Democrats do any of the required steps to get to a point where the Republicans could filibuster a Senate Budget?
So sad that you don't know how your own government works and how your party abuses parliamentary procedure to obstruct meaningful action.
"The "deeming" resolution filed today by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) adheres to the reduced discretionary spending levels established in last summer's Budget Control Act.
"The deeming resolution I filed formally sets spending for 2013 at the levels Democrats and Republicans agreed to in last summer's Budget Control Act, and ensures that we can enforce those levels," said Chairman Conrad. "Those who continue to claim we do not have a budget are either not paying attention or are seeking to deliberately mislead the public. The Budget Control Act established the key components of the budget for 2012 and 2013. By formally setting the spending limits and enforcement levels for the year with today's filing, the Appropriations Committee can now do its job of reporting spending bills that are within budget levels agreed to by both Democrats and Republicans."
Although last year's budget process was unusual, due to the high-level negotiations between the White House and Congressional Democrats and Republicans over raising the debt limit, the resulting Budget Control Act achieved all of the essential elements of a traditional budget resolution. In many ways, the Budget Control Act was even more extensive than a regular congressional budget:
It has the force of law, unlike a budget resolution that is not signed by the President.
It set discretionary caps for 10 years, instead of the one year normally set in a budget resolution.
It provided deeming resolutions for two years, improving enforcement of budget points of order.
And it addressed entitlement spending and revenues by creating the "Super Committee," which was given explicit authority to reform entitlements and the tax code. The Super Committee process represented an enhanced version of the reconciliation process that can be established under a budget resolution. And it was further backed up with a $1.2 trillion sequester."
http://budget.senate.gov/democratic/index.cfm/pressreleases---statements?ContentRecord_id=deb0f3a0-ae31-44ab-aeab-bf1c999722fa
This is not a budget, this is opposite of Obamas promised transparency, if you do not have a written budget, you are an illegal president, Mr President. He should be arrested, then fired. Then fire Biden. Were are screwed.
You will retract that statement sooner than later, when you figure out what he did to you Harbinger.
A lot of ignorance fresh from FOX's self-contained media bubble!
Teajerks name a country that has used your methods where the economy expanded afterwards?
just name one.........
until then you obviously have nothing concrete to add.......
neither does your president
hes as dumb as a box of rocks...sorry to the rocks...
Tell me who does this???
"If Mr. Obama wins re-election, and his budget projections prove accurate, the National Debt will top $20 trillion in 2016, the final year of his second term. That would mean the Debt increased by 87 percent, or $9.34 trillion, during his two terms."
www. cbsnews. com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/
Worst.President.Ever. Carter can now die a happy man.
true,,,ask a lib..they think we are on the right track...hahahahahahahahahahahahahaahha
low information voters....carter is like jfk compared to obama...
hell obama makes bush look like lincoln.....
CBO data clearly states that most of the debt under Obama is dues to a combination of ongoing structural costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Bush era tax cuts, TARP,
http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/wp-content/blogs.dir/459/files/2012/04/i-2dd8864433cb6763f12b99344d3f8dae-12-16-09bud-rev2-17-10-f1.jpg
Demtothebone, we can sure name some that used Obams theories, and it ain't so pretty, greece is on a slippery slope that may not end very well.
If you had looked at the graph you would see that TARP is reflected in the data. It is a relatively small amount of the debt going forward, but it's still there, so my statement is accurate.
There is still $147 Billion in taxpayer funds that have not been paid yet.
Full list of companies that have failed to pay back their TARP money here:
http://projects.propublica.org/bailout/list/losses
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.”
how many times does people need to remind the president no matter how much they tax the rich it still is not enough money fix the issues. you can tax them but it's not going to solve the spending problem. Middle class has been slammed even since obama took office. the economy is still being help up strings Gas is hig again, unemployment has not changed, obamacare is close by it's all a middle class tax.
taxing the rich & corporation will not save obama's record
Do you ever read any of the articles you comment on?
Plus it is written as if you are playing word jumble.
First, organize your thoughts....think of your reply....write it...read and edit it...then post. It is next to impossible to even understand the drivel you have posted.
President Obama has won most of the fights with the republicans, and he will win this one. The Bottom line is, he is smarter than they are, and they continue to take the bait.
So smart that he has added 4 trillion to the debt in 4 years as opposed to bush in eight and has yet provided anything positive for all that spending?
You know, like employment to start with? Oh...wait...goverment jobs! lmfao
Someone who is sarcastiically belligerent due to a lack of something (anything really with the POTUS) with someone who is intelligently sarcastic are completely two different things. I think you're confusing the president with the latter.
There's a neat way to cut down on the number of disgusting comments I see here. Each time I see a comment containing a pejorative reference to the President, the First Lady, any Democratic or Republican politician or even another poster, I click on the "!" and select "Ignore This Author."
This really cleans up the comments...
is that kinda like burying your head in the sand,,so the problems go away???
just askin
@invisible - so THAT'S how you stay so mis-informed.
I don't ignore authors with whom I disagree. I ignore authors who are disrespectful or use pejorative terms in referring to others of any persuasion.
I want to have a grown-up discussion.
i can respect that..
But eventually you wind up talking to yourself.
Was he a bully on the golf course yesterday
Thank goodness you're focused on the important issues!
You don't have to be a bully when you deal with freakin pu$$ies.......
fascist....
We had this conversation earlier today.....go gives a flying **** about passing a budget?! For years, the GOP passed GWBush budgets that didn't include any war spending on them at all....but that 2+ trillion dollars is still on our debt, isn't it?! When it comes to budgets...Republicans are frauds.
The whole "budget" argument is quintessential GOP.....they would rather pass meaningless numbers on paper to make themselves feel good rather than actually do the work of passing legislation that is beneficial for the people.
leftis...
What war? The one Bush left out in the black hole that the President is taking care of...THAT WAR!!!!!
The war that ran our debt up to the high heavens...THAT WAR????????
You pathetic dolt...we are talking about budgets here. Absolutely right, the wars aren't paid for...which is why they are on the debt now. You ripped Obama for not having passed a budget....I reminded you that Bush passed budgets but they were fraudulent....so your argument is stupid. But, I'm used to that from you.
Ah, BmoreBabe. Here I was being proud of being from Baltimore, home of the World Champion Ravens -- and then I read some of your posts. Please change your name to DundalkBabe so no one will understand where you are from. Please, do Baltimore a favor. Or even better, how about going with D.C.Babe, or InsideTheBeltwayBabe --that has a nice ring to it.
he went with tiger to score some hookers...dont blame him,,have you seen his husband???
scary
NO! Have "you" seen his husband?????????
Texsas..you are a COMPLETE idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ left is stoopid, while you are lyao help you dummy friend "TEXSAS" out of his hood.....
"His husband"... stoopid!!!!!!!!
bmore...that was funny
i have seen the lump in michelles dress..that dude is hung....lol lighten up
So, Texsas...You go around looking for lumps..../ Stoopid FREAK!!!! Gotta be a republican dude looking for lumps....to damn funny NOT!!!!!
President Subprime McDowngrade's expansion of the welfare state: a new class of individuals so enriched by government largess that they have lost all motivation to work.
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2011/12/most-terrifying-economic-chart-of-2011.html
Someone please help me out here... Did the ReThugs in Congress say that if "they" did not come up with a solution, they would forfeit their salary....retro back to 2009?????????
That should help a little bit!
Obama's America - where upward mobility is a sin and playing the "victim card" is a virtue.
I cry for our future...
Rubbish!
Bushes America- economic collapse with no regard for the exploding deficit!
protect the corporate wealth at all costs!
Profit from war is the number one priority!
Deficits dont matter!
Educate yourself, Johnny -
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2011/12/most-terrifying-economic-chart-of-2011.html
Even more education Johnny since you don't seem to pay attention to anything other than Obama's two cheeks.
www. cbsnews. com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/
"If Mr. Obama wins re-election, and his budget projections prove accurate, the National Debt will top $20 trillion in 2016, the final year of his second term. That would mean the Debt increased by 87 percent, or $9.34 trillion, during his two terms."
That article is a year old, but the facts cannot be denied, unless of course you're riding the Obama train. Because the same spend-in-chief is still in office and is still adding to this countrie's debt like he's been given an Amex black card.
If anyone needs an education its you rightwing fools who would follow your war profiteering traitors right off the economic cliff. The rest of us? We are moving on without you.
Spending growth under President Obama is at the lowest in many yrs which is a fact that youll ignore.
The real spender was good old Georgie Boy who spent us into oblivion and grew the Govt at a rate youd be proud of. So much for smaller Govt huh?
Now go away.
Yawn.....no facts Johnny. You are an idiot without facts, ideas or an opinion of your own outside of that spoon fed propaganda this administration is feeding you.
Keep blaming everyone else. It's the uneducated way! Hence the Obama base!
Johnny spending went down due to lower tax collections during the Obama created mess. As far as move along without us, yes you are, good luck, bet you change your tune soon.
Still can't stand the truth can you Johnny.
Obama's poor leadership is devastating the economy, never mind the sequester. If it hits, Obama will still be able to select where exactly the cuts fall. See number 8---
TWELVE TRUTHS ABOUT LEGISLATION
1) Any law the electorate sees as being open to being perverted from its original intent will be perverted in a manner that exceeds the manner of perversion seen at the time.
2) Any law that is so difficult to pass it requires the citizens be assured it will not be a stepping stone to worse laws will in fact be a stepping stone to worse laws.
3) Any law that requires the citizens be assured the law does not mean what the citizens fear, means exactly what the citizens fear.
4) Any law passed in a good cause will be interpreted to apply to causes against the wishes of the people.
5) Any law enacted to help any one group will be applied to harm people not in that group.
6) Everything the government says will never happen will happen.
7) What the government says it could not foresee, the government has planned for.
8) When there is a budget shortfall to cover non-essential government services the citizens will be given the choice between higher taxes or the loss of essential government services.
9) Should the citizens mount a successful effort to stop a piece of legislation the same legislation will be passed under a different name.
10) All deprivations of freedom and choice will be increased rather than reversed.
11) Any government that has to build safeguards into a law so that it will not be abused is providing guidelines for abusing the law without violating it.
12) Any legislator up for re-election will vote against a bad law if and only if there are enough other votes to pass it.
http://freedomkeys.com/vigil.htm
Go away paid troll.
no one cares what you say or think.
Johnny doesn't like the truth. It's like kryptonite to him.
The Party of stupid wouldt know the truth if it smacked them in the defcicit. Ooops nevermind!
Who said I'm affiliated with any party? Guess your stupidity knows no bounds! Common sense, which you sorely lack, as well as reading comprehension skills (or you wouldnt be on Obama's teet) are completely missing from your life.
I'd suggest you try to form an educated opinion before posting again.
I'm so tired of all of this. It's like toddlers in a sand box. "I know you are, but what am I?" "You did it first!" "Rich people are bullies!, let's get them!" "He's got more toys than me!" "Why does he have a bigger piece of cake. " Every single one of them from the President to the House Speaker to the Senate Majority Leader, every single one of them are millionaires fighting a propaganda war so the ill informed people of the nation will line up on their side. None of them have any morals or wisdom. I once heard the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. These people are not wise. We need help.
Let's get this straight...with $85 Billion in cuts from $3700 Billion budget that is going to increase 8% anyway, (just so you know, 8%=$296 Billion) we really have a NET $211 Billion increase in Government Spending.
And this is going to shut down the economy?
Obviously spending cuts alone will be disasterous and so would revenue increases alone. President Obama is correct in calling for a balanced approach. We need revenue increases and sensible spending cuts and it is all up to Congress to make it happen. I am sure that a reasonable bill that accomplishes a long term sensible fix to the deficit will be signed by the President. The bill on the credit card for two perviously unfunded wars is due and must be paid. Not paying for them at the time and deferring them is now hurting our economy. Everyone must both give and take in a grand compromise that will get the job done. Kicking the can down the road will not solve anything but delay the inevitable.
He got revenue increases, now he is going to do some cutting, or he gets to see his sequester take effect, with no one to blame but him self, not congress.
Blah blah blah.
He always threatens the worst if he doesn't get his way.
Sequester will kill us. Fiscal Cliff will kill us. If don't bail out auto industry will kill us.
Why not stop complaining, playing golf, and taking vacations and do some work and mediate like every other President before you!!
The sequester is just another straw-man created by Obama to scare the public and stir resentment against republicans. That's pretty much been his method of governing since 2009. Really people, it's just a nickel from each dollar the government is currently spending. The amount of money our government loses every year through just fraud, waste and abuse alone is greater than that. If we can't absorb an 85 billion dollar spending cut, how are we ever going to resolve our trillion dollar a year deficit spending problem? Sorry liberals, using common sense and basic math would tell you can't simply tax your way out of this problem. The $85 billion is just a drop in the bucket from what really needs to be cut from the budget if America ever hopes to become financially solvent again.
Hmmm...most estimates show a loss of between 750,000 and 1,000,000 more jobs, due to government layoffs and layoffs by industries, which depend on government, such as defense.
I seriously doubt those people will be voting Republican in 2014.
There can be no deal because Boehner can't get a deal within his own Party. The only pro-active Republicans in Congress are Tea Party people, whose proposals can't find a majority vote and who refuse any compromise proposal.
We're watching the break-up and end of the Republican Party.
In other words, Bob is saying the President is brilliant.
We'd need to cut the budget by 40 percent (or raise revenues, either through economic growth or tax increases/reform, or some combination) in order to balance it.
Those people won't vote repub anyway...they made their bed w/libs.
Cut em loose now, and maybe they will blame the right party...DEM
Perhaps I'm confused here. Obviously, Obama wants to raise taxes at any opportunity, but what exactly has he offered to cut ... other than Defense, of course? Certainly, he has not offered to cut his precious Obamacare - which added (or will add) many billions to the deficit. It appears his concept of "balanced" simply means "raise taxes on everyone."
Obamacare actually saves taxpayers money.
The sequester allocates one-half the cuts in spending to Defense and the remainder to other discretionary spending.
Are you serious with your statement? He has laid out billions in cuts.....PLUS, lets not forget the BCA of 2011 that cut well over $1 trillion. Your argument is flat out nonsense.....it doesn't even come close to being truthful.
Obamacare is the first thing done in health care that actually tries to address exploding health care costs....what have the Republicans come up with? Selling insurance across state lines? Give me a flippin' break.
Saves money, have you seen the GOVERNMENT projections on what health care will cost us, ya 20 thousand per family, ah that would be working families. Hmmm bet that puts a lot of people on the govenment sponsored HC plan real soon, bet thats what Obama wants. No it will not cost less, especially when they let the ILLEGAL aliens let us pay for them too.
DocLogic
Just what programs were cut? Just how much was each Dept. cut?
US tax revenue $2,170,000,000,000
Fed Budget $3,820,000,000,000
New debt $1,650,000.000,000
Natl debt $16,271,000,000,000
Sequester cut $85,000,000,000
OK let's reveiw with some perspective (less zeroes for clarity)
Annual family income $21,700
Money family spent $38,200
New debt put on credit card $16,500
Outstanding debt on credit cards $162,710
Effort to cut spending $850
Really? Stop the liberal talking ponts and get real or we are all headed for disaster - we can not tax our way out of this
The left wing media is even breaking apart on this one...
Wolf and Gloria coughed it up on CNN this morning...let the cat out of the bag for the low info voter.
Obamey orchestrated the sequester and CNN confirmed it...sorry libbies
The 'Sequester' Was A Brilliant Idea And Obama Should Be Proud Of It.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-sequester-was-a-good-idea-2013-2#ixzz2LNEMGc5G
Right....the sequester is Obama's deal......
Except back in August of 2011 John Boehner said those famous words, "I got 98% of what I wanted."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-20086598/boehner-i-got-98-percent-of-what-i-wanted/
Either you are completely misinformed or just completely stupid.
The right wing dings have very selective memories. Just like thier LOSER canidates.
ooooooooo that was a come back, looser looser looser, come back when you get to the 4th grade.
You are right, it was his idea and it prevented an economic meltdown when Congress passed it. This belongs to congress, they passed it.
Short hairs, fisted, apparently you have been putting too much peroxide in yours and it has affected your thinking. Mr President, hope you twist in the wind with this, YOUR plan by the way, and no you didn't put forth a plan other than spend money, so get off your ass and do your job. I am sure Reid and Pelosi are being real helpfull as well.
Why not stop your lying and bullying odumbo you idiot. Make some valid spending cuts and stop blaming everyone else for your worthless existence as a prez. You want to be the great leader show some leadership instead of blaming everyone. You always sensationalize about these cuts that will take place and you only highlight the ones that affect your minority crowd but you could really give a shist because it will help you and your stupid dems to raise taxes. Stop lying and blaming and start doing.
Ignore This Author
$85 billion in cuts on a budget of $3.8 Trillion ...2.2%..but according to Obama and the uniformed lefties the sky is going to fall..what a joke..not even a pimple on the Donkey ass's behind!
Obama will go down in history as the most destructive president ever elected. His spend and tax is making the country more and more dependant on the government. As many communist have done, he is vilifying the rich and big industry, milking them to get more money into the Governments hands so the government can control all aspects of our lives. When will you sheeple wake up and realize he is destroying our country.
Stoned, those are Democrat numbers and loaded full of shyte.
You will thank the Republican party soon for saving the US from the Dems.
Right...Bush did such a great job. I can hardly wait.
They saved us from carter, they can do it again.
4.5% unemployment...$1.85 for gas....killin terrorist...not bad