Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Panetta talks sequestration with reporters at news conference (Hints At Entitlement Reform)
Examiner ^ | 13 Nov 12 | Robert Tilford

Posted on 11/13/2012 3:53:14 PM PST by SkyPilot

During a press conference following a wreath laying ceremony at Punchbowl National Cemetery in Hawaii, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta responded to a reporter’s question regarding the whole issue of sequestration.

"Sequestration" is a fiscal policy procedure adopted by Congress to deal with the federal budget deficit. It first appeared in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Deficit Reduction Act of 1985. Simply put, sequestration is the cancellation of budgetary resources - an "automatic" form of spending cutback.

----------

And, you know, as you know from my own history dealing with budget deficits, in order to do it on a fair and effective basis, you have to look at the key areas of the federal budget. The fact is that, you know, we have addressed the discretionary area, we’ve taken almost a trillion dollars out of discretionary area and out of defense alone, almost a half a trillion dollars just out of defense."

"I think the responsibility now, both Republicans and Democrats, has to be to look at the entitlement area, what savings can be achieved on entitlements and what additional revenues need to be on the table as well. Every budget agreement that I've been a part of has involved entitlement savings, it's involved revenues and it's involved discretionary caps", he added.

“And I think those are all the pieces that have to be discussed and put together in ultimately a budget agreement that can not only avoid sequestration, but that can avoid the other problems that we're going to confront on a fiscal cliff”, Panetta said

(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: defense; entitlements; panetta; sequestration
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last
To: Pearls Before Swine

When most people retire, they stop receiving their salaries and begin SS, which is much less than their salary was.

Without my savings plan, investments, retirement from my job, and SS, I’d have to take a cut at 65.

But, those who have been on welfare and haven’t worked, have no reduction in benefits at 65. What a country!!


21 posted on 11/14/2012 5:25:42 AM PST by jch10 (7th generation Floridian)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot
Remember one thing though - Medicare and Social Security is currently funded by taxes and debt. There is no magic bank of money in a lock box that was never touched. It SHOULD have been that way, but it isn't. They are Unconstitutional and should never have been allowed to see the light of day.

Fixed it for you
22 posted on 11/14/2012 6:00:43 AM PST by i_robot73
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SaraJohnson

Unfortunately, that TOO would be SS and Medicaid. The amount paid out greatly exceeds that paid in (even with the measly 1% return rate).

Again, we’re debating using the other teams rules and verbiage.

We should be screaming about privatization (own it, cash it out, pass it on after death) vs. a government ‘promise’ that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans (especially if one dies before claiming cent 1)

We should be screaming NO re: means testing. How would I know, at 15, if I’d be rich or not at 65? But, if I AM, you keep all the $$ I put in??


23 posted on 11/14/2012 6:05:29 AM PST by i_robot73
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

Thank you.


24 posted on 11/14/2012 7:57:56 PM PST by annajones (Please Act)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot
the pubs will cave and STILL get blamed .....

raise the taxes on the rich and then do nothing else....squeal about it...make a lot of faces...warn that its not enough but the rats won't allow it....

but the pubs should not be the ones cutting anything...if we have any hope for Congress and the Senate in two years...

25 posted on 11/14/2012 8:06:12 PM PST by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

I always get a laugh at some groups “demanding” jobs....these people wouldn’t work no matter what...some people are just lazy....


26 posted on 11/14/2012 8:08:48 PM PST by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Pearls Before Swine
but if you get the magic disability SS, you get MUCH MORE than you normally would....

my sil has been on SS TWICE...once for tweaking her neck and she was able to stay home for the entire time her kids were young and then she got a puffy job and worked a little here and there....

she fell off her ladder a short distance and from that episode she got back on SS diability for good...her and her good for nothing husband BOTH on ss disability ...its been a fun game for them....

27 posted on 11/14/2012 8:12:20 PM PST by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Pearls Before Swine
but if you get the magic disability SS, you get MUCH MORE than you normally would....

my sil has been on SS TWICE...once for tweaking her neck and she was able to stay home for the entire time her kids were young and then she got a puffy job and worked a little here and there....

she fell off her ladder a short distance and from that episode she got back on SS disability for good...her and her good for nothing husband BOTH on ss disability ...its been a fun game for them....

28 posted on 11/14/2012 8:12:35 PM PST by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

The entitlements that Leon Panetta (Secretary of Defense) is hinting at are military retirement packages and long term medical costs. They’re looking to entirely phase out the old system and put the military on a 401k style plan.


29 posted on 11/14/2012 8:27:38 PM PST by Steel Wolf ("Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master." - Gaius Sallustius Crispus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cherry

Young people can work very hard as a single parent to make 45k in an honorable respectable position in a high tax state and next door may be a couple scamming the system, not working, and pulling in 60k between them. And when they are in danger constantly of loosing their job we wonder why the “safety net” government seems so appealing.

It isn’t envy of the scammers, but it is recognition that the wolf could be at their door from job downsizing or from health issues and this government that we have let grow into the Nanny may be their only fall back.


30 posted on 11/14/2012 8:38:26 PM PST by KC Burke (Plain Conservative opinions and common sense correction for thirteen years.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Steel Wolf
Just wow.

Liberal Lexicon:

Slackers and Moochers

___________________________________________________________________________

Providing for Deserving Americans

Man living as an ‘adult baby’ is cleared of Social Security fraud


31 posted on 11/15/2012 3:27:25 AM PST by SkyPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: cherry
but if you get the magic disability SS...

Doesn't that "just" accelerate retirement? I had a friend who got a fatal cancer when he was about 60 and considered magic disability SS. He said it would just bump him up to his full SS amount that he would have earned as if he were 66.

It's a sweet deal for your SIL, but the amount she gets--even at the younger age--is still determined by her work history and SS contributions, I think? Is that the case?

32 posted on 11/15/2012 7:22:41 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine (Cynical about the political process. Who, me?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: dalebert
how does the saying go? “We deserve the government we vote for”

What about the other 49.5% of us?

33 posted on 11/15/2012 7:26:06 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine (Cynical about the political process. Who, me?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Pearls Before Swine

I am guessing they consider us over ruled and we dont matter.


34 posted on 11/15/2012 7:41:57 AM PST by dalebert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson