Sequester blame game continues days before deadline
Less than one week before the so-called sequester imposes $120 billion in automatic cuts to federal spending, GOP lawmakers and the president are still juggling blame, with each side slamming the other for the failure to secure a deal.
In his weekly address Saturday, President Obama tried to back Republicans into a corner. "These cuts don't have to happen," he explained. "Congress can turn them off any time with just a little compromise."
"Unfortunately," he continued, "it appears that Republicans in Congress have decided that instead of compromising — instead of asking anything of the wealthiest Americans — they would rather let these cuts fall squarely on the middle class."
"Are Republicans in Congress really willing to let these cuts fall on our kids' schools and mental-health care just to protect tax loopholes for corporate jet owners?" He asked. "Are they seriously prepared to inflict more pain on the middle class because they refuse to ask anything more of those at the very top?
"These are the questions Republicans in Congress need to ask themselves," Mr. Obama said. "And I'm hopeful they'll change their minds."
Not so fast, say Republicans who blame the sequester — and the government's inability to replace it — squarely on the White House.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., delivering the Republican address this week, argued that "It was President Obama who proposed — and promoted — the sequester."
"The fact is: Republicans in Congress, right now, will provide the flexibility to make the necessary spending reductions and address our deficit and debt, instead of going through the sequester." Hoeven said. "In fact, House Republicans have already passed two bills to replace the president's sequester."
"So the question is: Why won't he work with us? And the answer, quite simply, is because he wants higher taxes."
Hoeven also lit into the president for "preventing economic growth and private sector job creation," singling out the administration's delayed decision on the Keystone XL pipeline as an example.
"Why, Mr. President, are you blocking a project that the American people support overwhelmingly?" Hoeven asked.
"Clearly, it appears to be because of special interest groups," he said, pressuring the president to ignore "Hollywood activists" opposed to the project and approve the Keystone XL to create more jobs.
"It's time to do things differently, Mr. President," Hoeven said.
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Enough farting around and playing political games with the lives of Americans'
Have the guts to admit that all this BS that's going around is all being done to help Americans achieve a better standard of living and doing something about the amount of debt we have.
If it weren't for you people; we wouldn't be in this mess.
Obama strings are being pulled by George Soros.
The Republicans are dead set against allowing any legislation to be passed to get us out of this mess, because they will lose the backing of the 1%.
Every last one of them is guilty of voting in favor of whatever their largest contributors want.
Obama is the biggest perp of all this crap.
He gets on television and acts like he is on our side.
He's popular because he is friendly and has good speechwriters.
Being friendly and $5 will get you a cup of coffee, (BTW; this is the same cup of coffee that used to cost 5 cents.
Lying through their teeth, playing the blame game and stalling are the three things Obama and Congress do best.
GOD ( someone who our founding fathers and a lot of Americans still believe in; in spite of all Obama's efforts) HELP US ALL.!!!!!
Small wonder that only 22% of Americans will now admit to being a Republican.
Small wonder that the GOP is in total shambles.
No president in the history of this country has spent more in the last four years than your lord and master Obama.
=======================================================
Congress spends, Civics 101.
Well now it's mental-health care workers he's crying wolf about? The poor mentally challenged will have no caregivers to help them? The publics' health will be threatened by these cuts because they will layoff inspectors if sequester is allowed to happen?
The man's a liar and trying to generate public fear. With a build up of fear amoungst people, he's counting on them to whine to their respective Congressman/woman to pressure the GOP into folding. This guy isn't stupid and knows how to get people worked up by telling half-truths.
NONE of his so-called layoffs are going to happen. It simply is not and will not be allowed to happen. They cannot endanger the public by doing these things.
As far as the inspectors being layed off; well it seems to be AGAINST THE LAW to terminate inspectors WITHOUT giving them 30 DAYS NOTICE. And if layoffs happen the personnel that it will affect will be the most expendable emploiyees FIRST. You food supply will be perfectly safe contrary to chicken little.
Base a new one on the constitution and add a balanced budget amendment so that they all cant fritter off our money willy nilly.
Remember republicans will not allow corporations, big oil and the super rich to lose any of their subsidies or tax loop holes. Some are but not limited to...the 4 billion dollars a year congress gives big oil in subsidies. Does anybody think big oil needs or deserves 4 billion dollars a year in taxpayer money when they are the most profitable business in the world?
Republicans refuse to eliminate tax loop holes for corporations while gives them taxpayer money for moving jobs overseas and creating jobs over there. Does this make sense to any rational person?
Those are but a few examples of why the treasury is not being replenished but being drained by republicans and their quid pro quo contributors.
Evidently, they just want to see America burn, no matter what.
Worst. House of Representatives. Ever.