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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:
"I was for them before I was against them." Obama is an idiot.
this is why yall elected a black prez..when it goes south,,blame the moolie
alllalalalalalalhahahahahahahahha
I hope the sequester goes into effect... but it probably won't. It is laughable to imagine a measly 5% reduction in spending is unmanageable... if you had to cut your spending by 5% you could undoubtedly do so with minimal effect on your lifestyle. Methinks the politicians are like chicken little crying "the sky if falling, the sky is falling".
The politicians cannot allow the sequester to go into effect because it would demonstrate that all their dire predictions were BS... which is exactly why I do want the sequester to happen.
It's not even a real cut, merely a cut int he increases. As such it doesn't really do any good. We nwwd a 20% cut across the board just to approach Bush's spending levels.
Creating false fears! After every war we have reduced the military strengths! Besides it was Oboma that first introduced this crap that he now blames the Republicans for! Impeach POTUS for violating his oath of office!
Gary -
That was when we had a normal-sized military. Our military has been well below normal manpower levels ever since Clinton cut the military budgets. Why else do you think we've had to put personnel on back-to-back deployments, use National Guard troops (who are supposed to be used state-side only), and mercenaries like Haliburton and Blackwater?
To all you Liberals out there..............Google.."South Korea Satellite Night Picture"....what you will see is the obvious 38th parallel dividing line.........everything to the south..South Korea..."capitalism"...............north of the 38th parallel (dark)..."socialism"...North Korea...........which would you choose?...................Pretty much a no brainer, but then that's asking for a lot..........
Who gives a @!$%# about Korea dingbat?
Your Honor I rest my case........................
really obama i think you have been the one that is f ucking us
The Great depression sold to you with lies by Georgie Boy and his gang of thieves.
Yep you sure did build that!~
After that act you clowns have no leg to stand on.
How bout them magic panties Mitt?
Johnny.....why don't you produce some facts to back up your absurd claim. What lies?
What lies?
You must be kidding me?
The weapons of mass destruction lies.
The Saddam is funding terrorist lies
ect ect ect
The weapons of mass destruction have nothing to do with the recession. Try again.
Makes you wonder what happened to those 18 or so budgets that have hit Harry Reid's desk in the last 3 1/2 years. Obama is lying as usual.
Actually you Republicans have a monopoly on the lies.
Sorry
You lose
Here a summary of your hero Johnny
President Obama rules of engagement: Find a distraction away from the main topic. Term one would be Health Care, Term two would is guns. Never submit a budget of any kind. When borrowing and cuts are a few weeks away just throw a bone to the media and claim services will be cut to the elderly (aka tug on your heart strings) When all else fails blame Bush.
"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."
This guy is a complete fraud. Calamitous consequences?!! Oh well he might actually be correct! This country just might find out what a liar he is. If I could, I'd call him on it. I'd let the deadline go past and see just what happens when less then 1% of the GNP is cut from the budget.
I might be wrong in my thinking but my thoughts go like this: If I owned a company and one of my products could be potentially dangerous to people, why wouldn't I as the owner put as many people on a project as necessaqry to fix what is wrong before it injures someone.
Now let's look at this sequestration issue. Here is a president who is making claims that if this issue isn't resolved there could be wide spread terminations of first responders, teachers, doctors, etc., etc., etc.
My question to anyone out there is this: if it is so bad that all this could happen, why 1) does the president go play golf in Florida (on the American taxpayers dime) and not stay in Washington working on this issue and 2) where the hell is Congress? Why they are on a weeks recess. Recess right in the middle of a potential catastrophy (according to the president)? Why aren't they in Washington working to solve this issue? AND THAT GOES FOR BOTH PARTIES?
I'll tell you why. It's because both political parties are liars when it comes to sequester. And the presidenty is particularly reprehensible because he is trying to frighten the American people into believing it will cause major harm if sequester isn't prevented. (Actually it's like the teachers unions when they want a raise - tactical approach of holding your kids education hostage unless their demands are mety. Also reprehensible behaviour).
It will hurt the economy moron.
You know, the one you Republicans destroyed and are always bitching about?
Ah yes, another sanctimonious lib spewing their vomit. You and your progressive ilk are complete and utter morons. Got stick your head in the sand...and leave it there.
Sactimonious?
No just telling it like it is.
You republicans collapsed the economy.
Now own it and stop blaming others for not fixing it fast enough.
The 16 trillion bucks we're in debt will devastate the economy as well. Unfortunately, the libs solution is more spending to put us even deeper in debt. No amount of taxing the rich will get us out of this disaster.
But Dick Cheney told us that "deficits dont matter" while he was running it up.
Spending growth is way down under Obama compared to Bush.
What is your point?
You have none
Ohhhh
dr man
You are not a smart person
If you were you'd be complaining about the $1.4 trillion deficit that Bush left Obama to clean up....
Which has been going down
But of course you already indicated that you aren't smart
Why don't you complain about YOU not being smart?
Every other American thinks it sucks to have a fellow citizen that isn't smart.
Like you
We need to show a little compassion to government employees over the sequester. Government employees expect large amounts of money, benefits and the best of everything. Now they find themselves devastated because they may have to live within a budget. Just think of government employees as pampered house cats all of a sudden put out in the wild and made to fend for themselves. Thats what it will be like if government employees have to live within a budget.
True
But let's not forget the tax breaks to the wealthiest 1%
Let's start with the facts....
During the debt-ceiling debacle, neither side could agree Then the President throws the sequester into the mix after declining the solution from the Simpson Eskine Bowles commission he requested. So, here we are in January 2013 with nothing solved and the sequester pushed back to March 1, 2013. So, the Republicans give on the tax increase on those making over $450k. (At this point all you see are smug Democrats who stuck it to the rich people!)
No one wants to play....So, now the same people who offered up a solution back in 2010/2011 (you know that commission that Obama set up and offered up a solution???) are now saaying this could impact how his presidency will be viewed at the end of this term. All of a sudden it is the Republicans fault.
Let's be fair... Obama gambled and the verdict is still in the air. They will make cuts only as long as taxes are gain raised against the "rich". Now, let's be honest. We can no longer sustain the entitlements that have grown since 2008. You can't tax your way out of this debacle, because if you do what is happening in Europe will happen here (Remember France raising the tax to 75% and the money makers leaving???). Welfare was not set up to sustain generational help! It was setup to give a HELPING HAND to those at or below poverty. A helping hand is not "give me money so I can sit on my *** and wait for my check!
No, I do not count Medicare and SS as entitlements. I have worked for the last 38 years and paid into both. How is that an entitlement? I have also worked 3 full and/or part time jobs at minimum wage (as a college grad) just to put food on the table and pay bills.
I say it is time to set term limits for Congress, no retirement or benefits for those who don't put in at least 20 years, and if you can't do your job, you don't get paid!
It is time to put aside all the childish bs that is the Presidency, Senate, House and political parties. Do your job, do what you were elected to do, and do what is right for all Americans, not just the 47%, the 1%, but all Americans.
If you don't have at least some form of a job at the end of 1 year, all subsidies that you collect end!
Let's start with the facts
The GOP will obstruct anything and everything
If you refuse to acknowledge those facts...
You refuse reality
Lin -
Do you honestly believe that either program will be there when you retire?
Face it, when you get back much more than you ever paid in, that amount ovewr what you paid in is an entitlement. And what about those who never paid in at all yet get SSDI or SSI.
These programs may not have started as entitlements, but they have ended up as entitlements.
Right-wing Republicans extort. They do not negotiate.
Extortion is in keeping with the criminal mindset of the right-wing Republicans who seem to favor tax evasion for their handlers under the guise of loopholes and transfer payments, conspiring to oppose all the President proposes despite harming American citizens, warmongering for money, bogus economic arguments (e.g "lowering marginal tax rates creates jobs"--disproven by the Congressional Research Office whose report the Republicans ordered, then banned), frivolous opposition to environmental and workplace safety regulations, blaming women for conception consequent to rape, and on and on...
The degradation of the Republican Party during a span of a decade is appalling. Because of the criminal behavior and crazy talk of the majority of Republicans, none will ever again receive my votes and donations.
Can u imagine?
People actually support this group of crooks.
Its sickening
Croacker: you forgot to mention that we Republicans/Conservatives really really hate little children, old people, clean water and clean air and pretty much everything else that makes life worth living.
Now, on a more serious note; you must be suffering for an extensive amount of fecal material in your bowels.
OK "Juanita". Im sure thats your name and you are a Republican.
Get lost
Johnny: ...it is my name and I'm a conservative and a registered Republican. Why do you find it hard to believe that a woman with an hispanic name is a republican? I'm an American first and foremost and make up my own mind about our current issues..and no, I prefer not to be lost....but thanks anyway.
Like the 50's,the GOP is out dated,and irrelavent
Fact 1: Obama owns the sequester:
www. chicagotribune. com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-deficits-20130220,0,1191274.story
"During the epic deficits-and-debt donnybrook of mid-2011, two top aides to President Barack Obama proposed an ultimatum so onerous that Congress and the White House surely wouldn't let it happen."
Fact 2: Obama has added 45% to the debt in his FIRST term as president. He did in 4 years what it took Bush Jr to do in EIGHT.
www. factcheck. org/2012/02/dueling-debt-deceptions/
Q: How much has the federal debt gone up under Obama?
A: During his first three years in office, it rose $4.7 trillion, an increase of 45 percent.
But keep lying to yourself croaker...because all you're doing is croaking on BS that anyone with common sense can see right through. Liberal lies and spoon fed propaganda from a do nothing administration are only for the uneducated and gullible.
The only people that would defend such a horrific administration are those that have something to lose when his kingdom of lies starts to crumble. And believe me...it's coming.
Odumbo, the Pupper Master. LOL
www. politico.com/story/2013/02/obama-the-puppet-master-87764.html
Can any radical right winger admit that Obama inherited a $1.4 trillion deficit?
NO
Can any radical right winger ever admit that a GOP president has NEVER reduced the deficit?
NO
Can any radical right winger admit that the last 2 GOP presidents made their situations worse?
NO
Can any radical right winger admit that the last 2 DEM president made their situations better?
NO
Don't waste your time responding No Sense because you're on ignore.
I do not get into a war of words with unarmed individuals who praise an administration that has done nothing successful in close to FIVE years. You forgot your helmet way back in first grade.....
Dude
You have been proved an idiot
Obviously you hate America and can't stand that everything has improved since the Bush disaster
Sorry you hate America
Americans do better during Democratic administrations than during Republican administrations.
Employment grows an average of 2.8% annually under Democrats and only 1.3% annually under Republicans (Amer. Inst. for Econ. Resrch., Research Reports, Vol LXXV, No. 17, Oct. 6, 2008). Subsequent to the Bush economic meltdown, the numbers shift more in favor of Democrats.
The S&P 500 grows an average of 7.3% under Democrats (inflation rate 3.8%) and only 2.4% under Republicans (inflation rate 3.9%). The stock market crash of the Bush economic meltdown and the strong stock market growth during the subsequent Democratic administration shift the data more in favor of the Democrats.
Many astute investors know this and profit greatly from this knowledge--a reason to support Democratic policies.
Duties of the President:
1. The information the president gives Congress is called the State of the Union address.
2. The president can suggest that Congress pass certain legislation.
3. He can convene (call into official session) both houses. This has been done to deal with national emergencies.
4. If the House and Senate cannot agree on adjournment, the president can intervene.
5. The president receives ambassadors and public ministers of foreign powers.
Funny, but MSLSD isn't talking about all those EPA high officials resigning because they were doing FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, which would archive emails for record, using private personal accounts. Hmmmm. Why wouldn't MSLSD talk about that? Do they not want their lib base to know REALLY what is going on? Is that why they edit videos and 911 tapes?
Sequester was an Obama brain cell... Harry Reid has refused to even bring up for a vote over 30 house bills and 4 budgets. Harry Reid hasn't passed a budget in almost 4 years. Liberals again, just like in the housing crisis which they caused, refuse to man-up.
Funny that libs come up with these hair-brained ideas that we tell them will fail, over and over... think stimulus, obamacare, cash for clunkers, the Community Reinvestment Act... yet when their own ideas fail they blame everyone else... Really? Do you think Americans are just THAT DUMB?
Tell me how many police are hired by the federal government? Local teachers?
Fire fighters?
All of the above are paid with your local taxes.... Feds have nothing to do with them. So may I ask why you believe such a lie?
Who do you think came up with the sequester plan?
It was Obama....
So why does Obama blame the GOP when his own plan is the sequester? To lie again...
Who raised taxes for the rich in agreement with Obama? The Republicans. Who at that time agreed to cuts to get the Republicans to raise the taxes... Obama So he lies again
Wake up folks. The man is a habitual liar. The media is like old Baghdad Bob With famous quotes like
"There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!"
Yes America it is called propaganda. Obama uses it well... Very similar to other famous folks.
Riddle me this, even though the FDA has said any cuts wouldn't effect the number of inspectors, Obama went out today and said we will be in danger from losing FDA inspectors anyway. So why do you think the president told the american people something he knows not to be true?
He also talked of losing state jobs, like teachers and firemen, which have absolutely nothing to do with the sequester. So why do you think the president again told the american people something that isn't true?
Following politics since the 80's i have never seen anything like it from either party. One can disagree on policy and actions, but this stuff is just blatant.
Funny,fox retards are on here because even fox doesent want them,,lmao
Fox? That all you got bullet-LESS?
I can post links from many sources excluding FOX.
You know like these?
www. chicagotribune. com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-deficits-20130220,0,1191274.story
blogs. wsj. com/washwire/2013/02/19/transcript-of-obamas-remarks-on-the-sequester/
www. thedailybeast. com/articles/2013/02/19/who-s-to-blame-for-the-sequester.html
thehill. com/homenews/administration/283747-obama-says-sequester-would-take-meat-cleaver-to-government
www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82772.html
Try again when you can back up your empty bag of propaganda. Anyone who can read can see through the liberal BS being spewed.
Bulletman357
You have no problem distorting the truth out of proportion. At least those on Fox know what they are talking about.
If the sequester happens, you can be sure that Barry will be writing lots of executive orders to get what he wants.
Still,
It needs to happen
Obama said that with a smile.
And the GOP created it.
And now says........Uh oh.....
Hahhahahahahahahahhaha
Does anyone not living in a red neck trailer park think the GOP cares about this country?
Rhetorical question
It was Obama's all the way, Congress approved he's idea.
Common you are...sense you have none
The sequester is just a little reminder to people in government to knock off the krap and get real.
Common you are...man is questionable