Posted on 02/10/2013 3:58:56 AM PST by SkyPilot
THE CAPITOL: With the Obama Pentagon excoriating federal lawmakers for their apparent inability to avoid sequestration or to pass a defense spending bill, and the Navy going down to one carrier in the Persian Gulf for lack of funds, GOP lawmakers today defended the latest Republican proposal to stop the automatic budget cuts.
It isn't a mere rehash of a very similar one that fizzled last year, GOP leaders insisted when AOL Defense raised the question at a press conference in the Capitol this afternoon -- although their own staff seem to disagree (click here to read why).
The difference may be less the substance than the timing, they admitted: The situation has gotten so much worse than any solution looks a lot better.
When I asked how the new plan -- to buy back a year of sequestration cuts by shrinking the federal workforce over a decade -- was different from the version proposed a year ago, the first legislator to leap in was the irrepressible and irascible John McCain:
"It's a year later," the Arizona senator said.
"Last year things weren't desperate," said Sen. James Inhofe, who has succeeded McCain as the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee. "This president has done everything he can to hide from the people the devastating effects of the sequestration and the CR" -- the Continuing Resolution now funding the government on autopilot in the absence of a proper spending bill -- but, said Inhofe, recent testimony by administration officials themselves have made clear the cuts would be "devastating."
So, asked another reporter, is the situation "desperate" enough that Republicans would accept further tax increases to stop defense cuts?
(Excerpt) Read more at defense.aol.com ...
Plus, this weird "plan" only pays for the cuts until....September!
The entire proposal buys back less than a year. The government would still have to find the other nine years of sequestration cuts -- almost $1 trillion -- somewhere else. Republicans made it very clear that mandatory entitlements like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, which make up more than half the federal budget, must be on the table.
Until we reform Entitlements, this nation is on a path for disaster.
While the GOP-controlled House has passed stop-sequester bills, "we've done nothing in the Senate," Graham said, directly urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (a Democrat) to schedule a debate.
Does the Senate EVER work?
Addressing President Obama, the visibly distressed Graham went on: "We bear responsibility as Republicans for allowing this to happen -- lead us to a better situation. If you do not, Mr. President, you will go down as one of the most irresponsible commanders in chief in the history of this country."
I think you can change that to "The" most irresponsible commander in chief in the history of this country.
Congress should take a bow - they are no better. The Democrats refuse to reform our chocking entitlments, and the GOP has "embraced" the sequestration cuts (see: Ryan, Paul).
I will point this out....this suggested furlough deal of 22 days between April and 1 October....is likely only phase one. The same issue starts up on the new fiscal year, and another 22 days of furlough likely by January of 2014. Same for 2015, and 2016.
The Republicans have figured out the President’s plan and simply allowed him to walk as far out on the plank as possible. The President woke up this past week and suggested that even a minor deal was now possible. I don’t think you will see anything offered that would be agreeable.
It is the absolute expectation of four years of screwed-up government budgets that will occur, and the legacy for President Obama will likely center on this four-year span. Don’t expect any real deployments or reactions to any hostile threat. I think the best description here....is that the President has become the CEO of K-Mart, and runs an almost bankrupt nation on a daily basis, with no real plan for a better outcome.
Until there’s a budget, there will be no more spending. Pretty straight forward. Also, I would ad that the continuing resolution be taken out of law. It is a cowards play.
Inhofe is absolutely right...you can’t keep running a country on continuing resolutions. Get a freaking budget together first. That is the root of the problem, all else comes after.
Navy Delays Carrier Deployment>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hammer it home GOP:
This is what happens when the President does not lead
in bringing a budget forward for 5 years and clings to his sophomoric no compromise dictatorial approach.
Hammer it home in the media over and over.Start your own campaign.
Let sequestration happen.
Reducing spending GROWTH is contrived as CUTS by the Left and Big Government GOP-e RINOs.
Cut a dollar out of a trillion dollar increase and you are keeping carriers in port and threatening national security...but forget trying to educate the Obama LIVs on it.
Obama is cutting the most necessary and important items, leaving such things as WWII occupation forces and bases standing. Obama will gut defense spending regardless of the sequester. At least with the sequester, the Republicans have some bargaining power to make other cuts.Don't fall for it! I repeat, Obama will gut the defense budget no matter what.
So. That didn't hurt them at all in the recent elections. They even have a political campaign for that.
EXACTLY.
I heard that they propose to cut Dept of Agriculture Meat Plant inspectors for two weeks.
So for two weeks ALL meat packers in the US have to close.
No meat to grocery stores, bologna makers, etc.
Stupid.
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