Posted on 02/10/2013 6:58:52 PM PST by SkyPilot
Sen. John McCain, a top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is calling on President Barack Obama to provide leadership to end the standoff over sequestration and the looming budget cuts for the Pentagon.
"What I would like to see is the president call the [party] leaders over to the White House and say, 'Look, we've got to solve this problem,'" McCain said on "Fox News Sunday." "All he does is go out and make speeches."
Tens of billions of dollars of spending cuts under sequestration will kick in on March 1 unless Obama and Congress act to prevent them. And Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other Pentagon leaders have warned those cuts could seriously harm U.S. national security.
"Republicans and Democrats are responsible for this new 'cliff,' and I'll take responsibility for it for the Republicans. But we've got to avoid it, we've got t\o stop it," McCain added. "The president is the same one that during the campaign said, 'It's not going to happen.' He just dismissed it."
"The world is very dangerous," McCain said. "The men and women in the military deserve better than what we're giving them."
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
It was agreed to in 2011, and both sides say it was so lousy that it should not have been implemented. The Democrats would not reform entitlements, so Jack Lew at OMB in the White House dreamed up the "Super Committee" which was supposed to reform entitlements, and the Democrats walked out of the meetings and it all collapsed.
What do you propose now to break that bill?
"Break" the bill? You make it sound like stopping the evisceration of the military is akin to "breaking" the Covenant of Abraham. Well, to "break" this bill there should be modest entitlement reform. Raise the Medicare age to 67 and change the Cost of Living calculation for Social Security. That will take dollars out of my wallet as I am retired military, but it has to done.
The problem with this action is, if Obama injects himself into the decision process he can be blamed,he would have to LEAD,and what we know about Mr.voting PRESENT,that is an anathema to him.
MR.MCCain save your breath,the thing you are good for in Obama’s world is an object for blame,nothing more
Did you see him at the Benghazi and Hagel hearings?
John McCain: The grand inquisitor
He sure ran a terrible campaign against Obama, but most in DC would argue that he probably one of the toughest negotiators around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7J6dRkJjOI
God bless the hapless Boehner, but if the GOP was smart enough to send McCain to these negotiations, the White House would think he was Kurt Russell in "Tombstone" compared to Boehner.
Our national will is being sapped because of: Entitlements
The "Super Committee" would not act because of: Entitlements
Our debt is exploding because of: Entitlements
Entitlements
The military was cut by $487 Billion (over ten years) starting in 2011. They are trying to absorb that cut (that was real dollar cuts, not baseline budgeting), on top of a Continuing Resolution that has sapped the DoD budget. Sequestration is the final knife that will cut 25% in Operations and Maintenance (at least) and has to be cut between March and September.
my: 78% Of Combat Brigades Will Skip Training Due To Sequester, CR
Navy: Lincoln Refueling Delayed, Will Hurt Carrier Readiness
Obama had actually agreed to a chained CPI COLA reduction for Social Security back in December. It was Harry Reid that who was so angry he actually burned the proposal in his Senate fireplace (true story). The media reported that.
Obama just hinted at the Democrat retreat in Leesburg VA that they might be "angry at him" very soon, but they had to stick together.
I think an Entitlement reform compromise is closer than most people thing. I agree, it is going to be very, very, very difficult. But there is hope. If we don't do anything, we are going to become Greece (or worse) very soon. The problem is not the military budget - it is entitlements.
It is difficult to say the least. I would not change any age qualifier and COLA should be tied to food and transportation costs. (yeah right).
Entitlement reform would start with reduction of numerous fed agencies. NEA, EPA, TSA, etc.
Pipe Dreams I know
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