Boehner to hold 4 p.m. sequester press conference

MarketWatch ^ | 2/25/13 | Robert Schroeder

[illiac]

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- House Speaker John Boehner will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. Eastern to discuss the across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester, his office said. Without a deal, $85 billion in gradual budget cuts will begin on Friday,

[SkyPilot]

What did he say?

He has absolutely nothing to new to say.

At all.

Here was gist of it:

1. I am dug in.

2. The Pentagon is lying about extent of the damage (even the 4-star Generals who testified to the contrary) All of them.

3. I am dug in.

4. Obama is using the troops as props because of the fiscal damage coming, but there really isn't fiscal damage, even though these are deep cuts, but not really, and yes, hundreds of thousands will be furloughed, but I don't believe it, and and besides that's all Obama's fault anyway, and what time do the bars open around here?.......oh look! A gum wrapper......

[Terry Mross]

No matter what happens, obama will get the credit if it turns out well. Republicans will get the credit if it turns out bad.

I predict Boner will say obama is not being nice so “we have to do what’s best for America and not let these cuts go through”. Then the media will start slobbering and all get tingles up their legs because their leader whipped Boner’s ass.

[cuban leaf]

My foundational perspective: It will turn out bad and I don’t care who gets the blame.

My viewpoint, since 2008, has been that this is the Tatanic. It is dead in the water and sinking. I follow the rantings about getting a new captain and crew with interest, but what I focus on is getting the tools and supplies necessary to buld my family a life raft from deck chairs, etc., and be able to defend it.

The stern will slip under the surface, and a lot of people will be dog paddling in freezing water. The only question is when, not if.

I want to see the sequester only to see what happens. It’ll be, uh, fun.

[Hoodat]

The other 17% probably do not even know that we have a debt problem.

The other 17% couldn't spell C-A-T if you spotted them the 'C' and the 'A'. (But they do know how to use an EBT card)

[kevao]

85 billion is what % of the 4 or 5 trillion $ federal gov budget?

The Federal budget is approximately $3.5 trillion. The question that needs to be asked is, if the $85 billion sequester funds pays for the Pentagon, the TSA, police, fire, prisons, schools, school lunches, food safety inspections, border patrol...then what the hell is the other $3.49 TRILLION being used for?

[cuban leaf]

The Federal budget is approximately $3.5 trillion. The question that needs to be asked is, if the $85 billion sequester funds pays for the Pentagon, the TSA, police, fire, prisons, schools, school lunches, food safety inspections, border patrol...then what the hell is the other $3.49 TRILLION being used for?

---

It’s worse than that. The ANNUAL budget is $3.9T. The ANNUAL sequestration hit is $22b.

To put it in perspective, imagine a family with a $35k annual budget being asked to cut $220. Oh, and over $15k of that annual budget is put on the credit card.

This whole thing is beyond silly. It’s why I stopped taking these clowns seriously years ago. It’s like watching a bunch of five year olds on an airplane going down in flames, scurrying around wondering what to do.

[Hoodat]

Bend over in the style of our new Secretary of State.

[woodbutcher1963]

Also, they know where to line up to get their free phone.

[KittenClaws]

The cuts are going to be blamed on the GOP.
__________________

What is it with people who stand their ground (something the GOP has not done in many moons) worrying that they will be “blamed” by those who obviously don't understand the situation anyway.

[redgolum]

Do you want to win elections? The GOP is acting like they don’t want to.

[Lancey Howard]

I’m tired of them calling this a “spending cut”.

Yep, somehow the Republicans keep pushing away their golden opportunity to say, "Slight reduction in spending increases." The cowardice and / or stupidity is scary.

[Lancey Howard]

Since tax hikes are a non-starter, what would you propose?
Thanks in advance for your reply.

[Lancey Howard]

Since tax hikes are a non-starter, what would you propose?
Thanks in advance for your reply.

[redgolum]

There will be tax hikes.

We both know that. People and corporations seem to want the services and welfare the Fed and State Gov provides, and there has to be a way to pay for them.

We can pretend all we want to that tax hikes won’t happen, but that seems to be what the people want. With an aging population going on entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, they will not accept any cuts. With the public sector (and that includes defense) not willing to make any cuts either without blowing up the Republican party, that leaves taxes.

I don’t want higher taxes, but if the GOP wants to get elected in the next ten years they have to concede some on that front. If that means ending some subsidies and tax credits, (which is a tax increase) on businesses and individuals, then so be it.

I used to think differently. I used to think that government could be cut. But honestly the people on this board proved me wrong. Everyone says they are a fiscal conservative, till their program gets cut. We have people saying that they have to get THEIR SS money, even though it is not possible to fund it. We have people who work for defense contractors demand that THEY don’t get any cuts, even though those of us in the private sector have to take them. We have energy companies making record profits demand to keep their special subsidies and special EPA rulings (which are a much lower standard than just about anything else) who will not accept anything else. And that doesn’t even mention the school districts that are having to cut 25% of their budgets (as one local school in Illinois is having to do) because of budget cuts.

The GOP needs to get in front of the issue and ask Obama “How will you pay for this?” and demand they get explicit. Ask for real numbers, not pie in the sky fantasies. They also need to realize that if they are serious about cuts, they need to be serious about some of the sweetheart deals that have been made and the pork they bring home to their districts.

In short, it will have to be taxes. No one seems to want to accept anything less than what the government “owes” them, so the money has to come from somewhere.

[redgolum]

There will be tax hikes.

We both know that. People and corporations seem to want the services and welfare the Fed and State Gov provides, and there has to be a way to pay for them.

We can pretend all we want to that tax hikes won’t happen, but that seems to be what the people want. With an aging population going on entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, they will not accept any cuts. With the public sector (and that includes defense) not willing to make any cuts either without blowing up the Republican party, that leaves taxes.

I don’t want higher taxes, but if the GOP wants to get elected in the next ten years they have to concede some on that front. If that means ending some subsidies and tax credits, (which is a tax increase) on businesses and individuals, then so be it.

I used to think differently. I used to think that government could be cut. But honestly the people on this board proved me wrong. Everyone says they are a fiscal conservative, till their program gets cut. We have people saying that they have to get THEIR SS money, even though it is not possible to fund it. We have people who work for defense contractors demand that THEY don’t get any cuts, even though those of us in the private sector have to take them. We have energy companies making record profits demand to keep their special subsidies and special EPA rulings (which are a much lower standard than just about anything else) who will not accept anything else. And that doesn’t even mention the school districts that are having to cut 25% of their budgets (as one local school in Illinois is having to do) because of budget cuts.

The GOP needs to get in front of the issue and ask Obama “How will you pay for this?” and demand they get explicit. Ask for real numbers, not pie in the sky fantasies. They also need to realize that if they are serious about cuts, they need to be serious about some of the sweetheart deals that have been made and the pork they bring home to their districts.

In short, it will have to be taxes. No one seems to want to accept anything less than what the government “owes” them, so the money has to come from somewhere.

[central_va]

In short, it will have to be taxes.

In short raising marginal rates DECREASES government revenues. Fail.

[Lancey Howard]

There will be tax hikes.

We both know that. People and corporations seem to want the services and welfare the Fed and State Gov provides, and there has to be a way to pay for them.

You're on the wrong site.

[redgolum]

Why? Will give up your benefits and money from the state and federal governments?

Who will tell all those on social security “No more”. Who will tell the military and defense contractors “You have no job”.

IF we want those things, they have to be paid for. We lost that along the way. We started paying for all sorts of things without having the money to do so. We sold our inheritance for a bowl of porridge and are mad that there is only an empty bowl left.

Right now, no one wants THEIR program cut. Look at the sequester threads and see all the screaming from those affected. Look at the annual threads about how much SS payments will increase, and see more of the same. Look at the old space program threads and see the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

This is supposed to be a “conservative” site, yet everyone wants THEIR MONEY. That money has to come from somewhere.

If on a site like Free Republic, that self selects for people of conservative interests,and if we can’t have people saying “I will take that cut, and make do”, how in the heck do we expect the rest of the country to do that?

Again, I know that higher taxes will hurt the economy. But what this site has taught me is that very, very, few really care as long as their slop comes down the trough from the Fedgov. If that is the case (and polling suggests it is) then we had better find a way to pay for all that slop. Before China turns off the money supply.

[9YearLurker]

You make a fair point. Suggest a cap on the mortgage deduction or point out that seniors are taking out of Medicare several times what they put into it such that a hike in the eligibility age might be in order or propose the removal of farm subsidies or even taking away ethanol payments or...

[Lancey Howard]

Who will tell all those on social security “No more”.

Why would anybody tell those who have dumped money down the government toilet their entire working lives they won't be getting their own checks?

Start by cutting off illegal aliens; then the bums, deadbeats, and parasites who comprise the Democrat party base; then tell the government unions to suck eggs - - no more "public sector" unions "negotiating" for their Rolls Royce pensions and perks with corrupt politicians; then get rid of all redundant agencies and worthless, ineffective departments such as the Department of Education. (How many hundreds of billions of dollars are we up to?)

Clean up the mess, and only THEN talk to me about more taxes. Starve the beast.