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The nation’s capital was enveloped in a familiar kind of gridlock late Monday, as Republicans again demanded that President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats act first to put off $85 billion in automatic cuts slated to take effect on Friday.
“The president says we have to have another tax increase to avoid the sequester,” House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said of the hefty and indiscriminate spending cuts. “Well, Mr. President, you got your tax increase. It's time to cut spending.”
Related: Obama to govs: Push Congress to avert cuts
As Congress returned to work following a weeklong recess, the Obama administration and lawmakers appeared no closer to resolving the automatic spending cuts before their Friday deadline. While both Democrats and Republicans bemoan the cuts as potentially catastrophic for the economy and the national defense, both sides have been locked in a virtual staring match over the sequester.
Republican House members publicly call on President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to come up with a plan to avoid looming automatic spending cuts.
The end result is that the cuts seem likely to take effect, if only for some limited period of time, come Friday. Both sides spent Monday posturing rather than working toward a solution.
For their part, the House GOP is content to rest upon the two bills they had passed in the last Congress meant to offset the $85 billion in spending cuts with a series of additional, alternative cuts. Democrats, led by Obama, had rejected that alternative as “unbalanced” because it did not include some measure of new tax revenue.
But, buoyed by stronger approval ratings than congressional Republicans, the president has also been generally unwilling to budge from his stance that a sequester replacement would have to include new tax revenue – likely through closing loopholes and deductions – in addition to other spending cuts.
“Unfortunately, in just four days Congress is poised to allow a series of arbitrary, automatic budget cuts to kick in that will slow our economy, eliminate good jobs, and leave a lot of folks who are already pretty thinly stretched scrambling to figure out what to do,” Obama told a bipartisan group of governors at the White House this morning.
The president leaned on the governors to pressure their respective states' congressional delegations to support a compromise agreement.
Obama has relied increasingly on these public events to make his arguments to the public, pursuing a sort of "outside" strategy meant to rally pressure on lawmakers to strike deals on a range of issues. For instance, Obama will travel to Newport News, Va., on Tuesday to highlight the negative toll the sequester would take on that region's defense industry.
For their part, Republicans have derided the president as spending more time on campaigning against the GOP than working toward a deal.
"Instead of using our military men and women as campaign props, if the president was serious, he'd sit down with Harry Reid and begin to address our problems," Boehner said Monday, referencing the dire warnings of furloughed workers and potential pay cuts for some employees involved with the nation's defenses.
Boehner and the rest of the House GOP appeared no closer to relenting on their demand that any final compromise originate in the Senate. After a roller-coaster past two years in the House, in which conservative lawmakers often threatened to upset delicate agreements Boehner had struck with Obama, the speaker has adopted a strategy of deferring to the Senate on many top legislative matters.
Before the recess, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and the rest of the Democratic leadership unveiled a sequester proposal that would offset the impending cuts with new taxes on corporations and the ultrawealthy, more modest defense cuts and additional cuts in discretionary spending.
"Congress has the power to prevent these self-inflicted wounds," Reid said Monday on the Senate floor. "We have the power to turn off the sequester."
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio responds to President Barack Obama's remarks to the nation's governors earlier today about how to fend off the impending automatic budget cuts, Monday, Feb. 25 on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Amid the pessimism about the prospects for a deal, Boehner half-heartedly told reporters that "hope springs eternal" that an agreement could be reached by Friday.
"The president can sit down with Harry Reid tonight and work with Senate Democrats, who have the majority in the Senate to move a bill. It's time for them to act. I've made this clear for months now, and yet we've seen nothing," he said.
This story was originally published on Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:18 PM EST
Leave a Comment:
Donate $500K to Obama and you can meet with the Pres to discuss your concerns. Worst President ever! Now he is selling his time in the WH.
Yeah, that's it, tax us to death in the middle of a recession. Always good for the economy huh? I will be glad when this phony is out of the white house. And his little dog too. HA.
Got cut off because of post. Again, Obama has hired over 6000 new government employees since he was elected. Also 130 czars at $150,000 per year. You all have bee had and love it.
You can't pay people that much, they will turn evil. We must tax them into oblivian!
Federal Government Employee numbers are up under Obama State government employees are down thanks in large part to a majority of Republican Governors trimming the fat.
Just more of Obama's lies and deception do the research and educate yourself.
Wrong....
"The government sector of the economy shrank during the first three years of the Obama administration, but the private sector grew more rapidly than it did during the first three years of either of George W. Bush’s terms in office."
I can't post a link but the quote and the charts are at nytimes website. The info was backed up by Forbes.
FK'n lying asss hole.The fk'n nytimes is a liberal paper that lies out of it's asss just as you FK'n liberal asss holes do.You cock s-u-c-kers wouldn't know the trueth if it jumped up and bit you in the asss which wouldn't take much because you liberal dems are assss all over.FK you all.
Let's all stop trying to figure out who's at fault because they BOTH share the blame in the Sequester. Obama's administrations may have agreed to it because of the last Debt Ceiling fight...which shouldn't be happening anyway...(Need to pay the bills regardless)....Boehner's office/staff presented a Power Point presentation to members informing them they're going to get what they want, More republicans voted for the bill than democrats because of this supposed fact.....So they're all guilty of a bad game of poker...trying to bluff each other. Now that we're here how do we FIX it? There is no such thing as NO NEW REVENUE...If you believe this then try budgeting your household finances on cuts alone. It can't be done. You need to CUT and bring in REVENUE. It's that simple.
Cut the wasteful spending, consolidate agencies...streamline Medicaid and Medicare to make them more efficient and solvent and these things will reduce spending and save us billions. We have a Medicare Part D that is not really paid for that needs to be dealt with or done away with and work it like we do for the VA.
There's HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS in Corporate Welfare and tax breaks/subsidies that can be reclaimed. There's just so much of it because the tax code is a mess. Companies are literally writing off yachts, jets, mansions, game tickets...Many are storing money offshore to reduce taxes. It's all legal but if we stop it we can reclaim billions.....There's more..just search (corporate welfare) and you will be surprised what companies are doing...while every year the you might wound up owing the federal govt' in taxes....
Oh, and whatever plan Boehner and the GOP said they passed has expired with the last congress. The president has a plan on the table that is balanced. It's more than enough to cover the $85 Billion. It's been out there since the beginning..It's at the whitehouse website...along with the Fiscal Year 2011, 2012 and 2013 Budget. They presented the balanced deal and McConnell laughed at it....So when they keep saying..."where's the president's plan?"...What they mean is (we want something different...we want it our way or no way)...The plan is there. The "SPEAKER" can bring it up for a vote...If they vote down this balanced deal then they'll need to replace it.
obama is free to submit a bill to the senate for passage. Hasnt done 1 yet and 5 years and he isn't about to start now. Quit blaming eveyone else and look in the mirror. Tell hoar harry to vote on it or shut up.
House Republicans like to be paid $174,000 per year to cry in front of the camera that they won't do their job. That amount does not including their health care, office, staff, expenses, and generous pension benefits.
Instead of working, they say it is the Senate who has to do the work and House Republicans will vote no on anything the Senate passes.
Debbie-525743
Do the dems in the House work for Free?
Take that into consideration and look at the work calendar. They get paid two the three times the working couple and take more days off per year than most hard working Americans...and many of them aren't really good at what they do in congress.....
Dems don't work for free but right before Boehner sent everyone home Dems were demanding to stay in Washington to get something done....Not Boehner...he sent everyone home for about 10 days....WHY? There's work to be done for the American people.....
Right and Barry went on vacation twice for almost a month.
Let it happen, and live up to what you say you would do instead of finding a way to avoid it. Cut the damn spending and get us back on track, to hell with the ecomony it will survive.
cut spending alone will not balance the budget. This is a favorite mantra but it's not the total solution. You could cut out Medicare and Medicaid alone and the budget still would not balance. And either way...the government NEEDS to spend money. There's other vital economic services the government spends money on we all need.
What NBCnews wont report is that this was all Obama's doing to begin with. Let it happen. (And I'm a federal employee who is going to lose pay!!) Anything to stop listening to the blatant lies coming from Obama.
His plan is on the table...Boehner won't even bring it up for a vote......And I worked federal government for many many years, I worked as a federal contractor as well..I work for local government...and it's going to hurt us as well....Boehner knows that if he brings Obama's plan up for a vote...the Dems will vote for it and the majority of repubs won't. It will pass...because it's balanced with cuts and revenue (eliminating various corporate and wealthy/rich tax deductions and subsidies).....But Boehner won't do that.
"Republicans again demanded that President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats act first to put off $85 billion in automatic cuts slated to take effect on Friday."
This is because #boehnersnotaleader
As long as the modus operandi of the GOP is obstruction and refusal to compromise, cooperate, or even do their jobs the American people are s.o.l.
Republicans can blame the President as much as they want but as long as their purpose is to undermine the President they cannot avoid culpability. They are only interested in power and money. But too many Americans don't see the truth that's playing out right in front of them.
So as long as voters keep buying the heifer dust that the GOP and its propaganda machine faux news puts out the American people will continue to be mucked ....
Shameful.
The sequester was Barry's idea you do know that right?
Barry's idea of compromise is to give him all he wants.
The Republicans are not obstructing they are preventing this Radical Leftist in the White House from causing any more damage.
The current sequester, or across-the-board spending cuts, was developed as a way to break up a deadlocked Congress during the major debt ceiling debate of 2011. As a result of 2011’s Budget Control Act, both Obama and the Democrats and Speaker Boehner’s Republicans agreed to draconian discretionary budget cuts. These cuts were to take effect in the near future unless a comprehensive, long-term budget deal was enacted.
These are the type of comments that play to the Leftist base ignorant, childish generalities that really have no more meaning than a 1st grade Nanny Nanny Boo Boo.
NBC should be ashamed.
Feisty has no substance. Think nasty $5 hooker with STD's. People basher, off target, juvenile, agenda riddled, but $5 nonetheless. She'll flame out out of control and go spinning into the ground when she figure's out the slam down coming.
The feds hit all of our paychecks with a 2% spending cut to all of our budgets, yet they panic when a 3% cut happens to them. Ironic.
Can I just have the $25,000 Moochelle spent on that cocktail dress with the big "M" on the front? Who the fluck does she think she is, Spiderman? She ruined the entire oscar night for us. In other news...Obama going on another campaign run while sequester looms...just another joke on the uninformed party. Hey democrats, feeling used YET?
Check the mirror pig...G. W. Bush raped this country of money and lives......I think back in 2005 it was reported that we spent $150 Million on Bush's inauguration. What, you think his wife wore a Wall-Mart special......
Tax loopholes need to be eliminated. Tax rates need to be restored to Clinton era rates. The maniacal so-called defense spending needs to be drastically cut. End the ridiculous spending on the war on drugs. Quit building useless border fences, fining an employer of an illegal 100% of the employer's net worth will end the illegal immigration problem. Once the Repubs have done those things they can then take up the subject of entitlements, but not one cent of entitlement cuts until the afore mentioned is done.
We just had a major tax increase in January of this year.
Secondly, this doesn't cut spending, only the rate of growth in spending.
And just to prove that liberals like "concerned citizen" either lie or are just ignorant. Here is the latest update from the CBO dated February 7, 2013
Total Receipts Were Up by 12 Percent in the First Four Months of Fiscal Year 2013
Receipts in the first four months of fiscal year 2013 totaled $886 billion, CBO estimates, $96 billion more than those in the same period last year. Compared with receipts in the first four months of last year:
http://www.cbo.gov/publication/43915
"most of the gains came from a combination of higher wages and salaries and the expiration of the payroll tax cut in January."
Did you expect that 2% payroll tax temporary cut to be permanent ? Did you see any Republicans clamoring to not allow its expiration?
Also , you have a beef with people getting higher wages and salaries ?
Just what is your gripe besides griping for griping's sake?
Liberals have been posting here that Republicans have to agree to more tax increases before Democrats agree to any spending cuts.
I'm pointing out that tax revenues are UP and that doesn't include the TAX INCREASES put in place in January by Obama and the Democrats.
It also barely reflects the new taxes that took effect in January from Obamacare
As to the 2% payroll tax holiday, I was against it from the beginning.
Why would I have a "beef" with people getting higher wages and salaries?
Finally, just for your information I'm not a Republican. I find most Republicans to be far too liberal. I left the Republican party in 1970
Let's just insist that all members of Congress go without lunch, without free limo service, without free trips around the world, without their healthcare, without vacation and WITHOUT PAY until this is all solved!!! Did you ever wonder how far and fast Congress would run if a million pissed off taxpayers suddenly showed up on the mall in DC demanding they fix the economy NOW?
I read where Meals on Wheels funding will be cut. I volunteered for this organization a couple of years ago and there are sick elderly people that will go without eating when the cuts come. I hope the people in government enjoy their steaks tonight.
It's the end of the world as we know it. The sun will not come up.
Try being confined to a wheelchair, no car, no one checking up on you and go without food for a few days then check back.
No worries Missy. Meals on Wheels will survive. Dems are trying to scare you.
Dems! 100 words or less tell us why defense cuts are bad.
Well lets see......where to start on this....both Dems. and Repubs. have screwed up our once great country to all hell.....i believe it started when an wacked out arabe thought it would be a great idea to fly some planes in 2 buildings, he knew this would change us forever. He hope that our government would destroy our liberties and freedoms....we our leaders fell right into his plan. More spending on security servalince taping, ect. not just over seas but now here at home. this stuff is not cheap and at the same time once you give this kind of power to the feds, they will never give it up. Now they want to buy and let drons fly, this is not cheap either, how long will it be till they if not already supplied these drones with wepons? The feds state and county police are full of power hungry people jumping at this. Now wait look we have a great reson to disarm the americans as well.......I think letting our government on the federal level go broke may not be a bad thing for the average mans freedoms. I SAY LET THEM GO BROKE> lets see if they are will to take a pay cut like everyone else has. or mabey even better find a republican and or a democrate standing in the unemployment line......welcom to the new United States, were broke, our leaders have us parrinoid of the world and our government, and 1/2 truths. if that.
I really admire President Obama. I don't agree with everything he says, but....man I admire him! He is going to go down as one of the best presidents we've had during one of the worse times we've had!
Anyone with an open mind can see that part of the problem the Republicans have with him has to do with the color of his skin.
When all else fails play the race card.
You're nuts, go check yourself into the Planter's Peanut Farm. Where is your leader going now with sequester bearing down, oh yeah, another campaign speech and vacation. Aren't you embarrased?
First Obama was for the sequester now he is against it. At least you can admire him half the time.
These same conservatives would be claiming that Obama would NOT be leading if he stayed in Washington. Just like the jokers who complain about the electorate that gave Obama a second term. Nasty and derogatory names at best, those same critics would have been praising the electorate for foresight and wisdom if Romney had been elected.
"Nasty and derogatory names at best"
Never happens on your side right butcher?
A good leader should be able to unite a divided government....this he not. i put him up there with Jimmy Carter my self.
While this is true in a lot of respects...I as a democrat was really hoping the republicans would work with him....It's no doubt we all need to cut spending, eliminate waste and fraud, consolidate agencies to reduce or eliminate redundancy...strengthen our healthcare system (because that's where the biggest cost is)....but we need to cut out a lot of the corporate welfare at our expense...
do you understand Undre Drawn that corporations don't pay taxes, their customers pay the taxes. When you reduce the ability of corporations to make a profit, they then are forced to raise prices. That produces inflationary cycles like we suffered under during Carter.
You can't be serious.....Not only do they pay taxes....there are mechanisms in the tax code that with a little financial fenageling...they wound up paying little to nothing.
Unbelievable! Have either of these parties considered they are both wrong in their positions and they should meet in the middle. This may be very unpopular, but I think the military cuts are the best place to start! So big deal we go from 1 carrier group in the Gulf from 2. With bases all over the region, and NATO carrier groups 1 day away - including the fact the other US carrier groups are a couple days (less than a week) away as well, this is just the kind of cuts that seem logical. If Gulf nations are worried about security, then they should start funding these battle groups - why the american public should pay for other countries defense is crazy.
Obama has presented a plan that has both cuts and revenue from (wealthy/rich in the form of cutting tax breaks they just don't need).....The cuts are within Medicare as well and republicans don't want anything to do with this balanced approach. Like I previously stated...cutting alone is not the total solution. Cutting alone doesn't balance either a federal budget or even a household budget. Both cutting back/out and revenue is needed.
Undre
We just had major tax increases in January. You already got your tax increases. Spending as a percentage of GDP is the highest in 70 years according to CBO figures
Obama has averaged 24.05% of GDP compared to the historical average of 20%
http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/43904-Historical%20Budget%20Data-corrected.pdf
This only goes to show how far Romney was from the GOP. He and Ryan campaigned on reducing loopholes and deductions as a way to decrease the deficit. Now the GOP runs as fast as they can away from that premise after the Dems agree that is the next step to balance the budget. A GOP idea makes all the sense in the world....until the Dems accept it. More hypocrisy from the Grumpy Old Partyy.
Obama said back in 2008 that he wanted to close loopholes...His 2012 Budget Plan at the White House website listed that as well.
obama actually do work! oh, the travesty. He hasn't moved a bill in 5 years. Why would he start now! ....By the way....I forgot,,,on the campaign trail in year 5...is he for sequester or against this week?
We did get Obamacare. The undoing of the Dems. Rate shock will be a big term this fall and the Dems will pay dearly for it in the mid terms.
OBamacare is going to be brutal on the working class and the budget. Its gonna take about 65 percent of the state subsidized programs and throw them to the feds to be subsidized at 5k a on 50 million..I mean, the corporate insurance wolves.
grababrewski: My hope and prayer is that those who voted Republican will suffer the hardest when we go over the cliff. We'll all suffer some, but I believe there is a just God who will allow these evil people to suffer the most severe financial collapse as they reap the consequences of their actions!
Yes...because all of the information showing that it has been working and saving so much money...is the real problem right...even though it hasn't been fully implemented...You know what...if I had no insurance..showed up at the ER I would still get covered on YOUR DIME...at a higher cost to YOU...Why do you think all of the other industrialized countries healthcare cost less than ours...
What cliff TJefferson? the fact that our increased spending over FY2012 is only 2 billion or so per month more rather than 8 billion more per month?
That's the difference we are talking about 44 billion dollars over the next 7 months on a nearly 3.6 TRILLION dollar budget.
Until the GOP in the House can explain how Obama wrote the sequester legislation and passed it with a majority of GOP votes, they own it as much as the Dems own it.
bohner is the problem. go away
How so?