Defense cuts looming, GOP senators launch tour to warn of impending "devastation"

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), rght, and Sen John McCain (R-AZ), left.

/ Photo by Astrid Riecken/Getty Images

(CBS News) Amid mounting concerns over $1.2 trillion worth of automatic spending cuts slated to go into effect next January, a handful of Republican senators are launching a multi-state campaign aimed at highlighting to voters the "devastating" impact they say cuts will have on the defense department, and national security in general.

In a series of town hall-style events in four battleground states -- North Carolina, Virginia and New Hampshire - Sens. John McCain, Kelly Ayotte and Lindsey Graham will "sound the alarm" about why they believe the cuts must not be enacted.

"President Obama's own Secretary of Defense called the looming defense cuts under budget sequestration 'devastating,' likening them to 'shooting ourselves in the head,' and yet to date, Congress and the Obama Administration have done nothing to stop them from going into effect," said Senators McCain, Graham and Ayotte, in a joint statement on Thursday. "We look forward to visiting communities in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and New Hampshire to sound the alarm about the profound negative consequences of these cuts to our national security and economy."

The across-the-board spending cuts are the result of a bipartisan congressional committee's failure, late last year, to come to a deal to reduce the deficit. A law that tasked the so-called "supercommittee" with reaching that deal dictated that the automatic cuts, which will hit the defense department with about $500 billion in reductions, would go into effect in the event that no deal could be reached.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said yesterday in a joint House panel addressing veterans issues that he "sure as hell" hopes the so-called "sequester" cuts are not enacted.

"It would be, as I've said, time and time again, a disaster in terms of the Defense Department, as far as our budget is concerned and as far as our ability to respond to the threats that are out there," he said.

McCain, who like Graham and Ayotte is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, voted for the bill last August, along with 18 other Republican senators. Graham and Ayotte opposed the bill, which passed by a vote of 74-26.

Still, Republicans have largely targeted President Obama for the eventual enactment of the cuts, which Romney has argued reflects inherent flaws with the president's overall military strategy.

"Strategy is not driving President Obama's massive defense cuts," Romney said Tuesday, in remarks at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). "These cuts would only weaken an already stretched VA system and our solemn commitment that every veteran receives care second to none. I will not allow that to happen."

"Don't bother trying to find a serious military rationale behind any of this, unless that rationale is wishful thinking," he said.

Mr. Obama, in remarks to the VFW the previous day, argued that Republicans were attempting to shirk responsibility for a measure for which they helped to pass.

"There are a number of Republicans in Congress who don't want you to know that most of them voted for these cuts," he said. "Now they're trying to wriggle out of what they agreed to."

Graham and McCain, along with a handful of Democrats, have floated an idea to delay the cuts by a year, but that plan has gained little traction among Republicans.

[vincenttan1]

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Vincent

[hillzhaveays]

by forrestt56 July 27, 2012 8:04 AM EDT
Wrong. The money does not come from the employer, it comes from the employee who works 40 hours a week to make the products that the employer sells to make money and without whom the business would not exist.
Your description of a Nanny State is wrong also. Americans who pay American taxes deserve benefits from American Government.
________________________________________________

Look up Payroll Tax einstein. BTW, if the business doesn't exist, the employee's job doesn't exist. As well, if taxes get raised the business will most likely shave off expenses elsewhere, like labor costs, meaning your job einstein, or else pass the expense on to the consumer, like higher prices. Get it einstein?

[forrestt56]

The employee can get a job elsewhere the employer will have no employees an no business. BTW I have a job without some greedy employer. What's the need for that Einstein slur?

[forrestt56]

Maybe we can route some of that 1.2 trillion away from war in other countries to healthcare for all American Citizens and stop the damned insurance companies from draining our hard earned incomes.

[hillzhaveays]

The only money devoted to war in other countries is in the $707 billion you idiot, and it's only a fraction of the $707 billion. Smarten up.

[forrestt56]

hillzhaveays, You show your lack of intelligence and non validation of any statement that you make by calling names like an immature child? The amount of millions dos not matter. The United States can transfer war money to money helping American Citizens who have already paid into the government with their taxes. This country does not need to be constantly at war, though I am sure you are the kind of person who would like it if we were.

[rayward73446]

These GOP fear mongers failed to sit down and compromise on anything back when the budget and debt was on the table, even the committee that was tasked with solving these problems failed to act in the best interests of the country. Knowing that failing to reach a compromise would trigger these across the board cuts. They are getting what they deserve, so let the cuts begin! The GOP put us in this spot, now they are wanting to renig on the outcome for no agreement. They should learn the hard way that failing to compromise has a huge downside, their precious defense budget can and will be cut, as it should be. These saber rattling war mongers need to realize that the defense budget has been to too fat for way too long. It's time to reduce it substancially.

[TimeToEvolve]

These brainless idiots from the failed and obsolete Republican party just going around to spread fear and loathing. They have to do this because that is all they have. They have no plans, no ideas and nothing good to say. So they have to frighten the American people. God save America from these people.

[Maerzie]

Well, gee, just stir up another war so your investments perk up again! There is so much WASTE in the military that it's nauseating! The budget probably should be cut even MORE than proposed! They MIGHT get the message not to be throwing new computers, furniture, equipment, and perfectly good food and clothing into the dumpsters. If they lived like civilians have to live, they MIGHT learn to be a little more considerate of taxpayer money that pays for all their wasted luxuries!

[Maerzie]

How many of these GOP Senators have kids leaving for duty in Afghanistan, or how many of thei own kids have already been killed?? Have ANY of them ever been in active duty (not sitting in an office with all sorts of unearned rank on their shoulders)?? I'm sure the answer is ZERO, for all these people so anxious to kill innocent people!

[wayneonly]

The sky is falling, the sky is falling!! The defense budget is in jeopardy and we may no longer be able to finance wars like Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. We might not be able to start a new war in Iran, or Syria, or some other place that threatens our "Big Oil" interests. We might not be able to support our bloated defense industry. That is where ALL defense cuts should be made. But if defense cuts must be made, you can bet it will first affect the veterans health and welfare before cuts are enacted in actual weapons. We must keep the "Big Stick" to keep the rest of the world "in line".

Some have "half jokingly" suggested that the Dept. of Defense needs to be moved to the Dept. of Energy because it is most concerned with defending "big oil" interests. I think it would be better to move it to the Dept. of Education. We as a nation would be better served to educate our children in science and mathematics than to educate them in the "art of war". Yes, we need defense, but we need education more. Yet the GOP is perfectly willing to cut education funding, but totally unwilling to consider any defense cuts. The only businesses the GOP is willing to fanatically support is defense.

[hillzhaveays]

I'll use your numbers then. And you fail to note that 50% of payroll taxes, like SS and Medi, which make up 40% of Federal Revenue BTW, come from employers, not the employee.

Here's a breakdown:
Half of 40% is 20%, so give 20% to the bottom 90 for payroll tax. Add that to the 30% of Federal Income tax paid by the bottom 90, you have .2x.42 or .12+.2 = 32% of total Federal Income, or $700B

Now, add the 20% employers pay in payroll tax, to the 70% of Federal individual income tax paid by the top 10% or .7x.42 or .294, plus corporations 9%, and you get almost 60% of Federal Revenue, or $1.32T.

Excise taxes are less than 3% of Federal revenue and don't add anything to your argument.

My point is that 60% is not that much less than 70% and the 60% is still paid by the demographic that Obama goes out of his way to malign and demonize in his fervent attempts to start a class war aimed at establishing a Government Nanny State. The whole "rich" argument is BS. The "skewing" you talk of is apparently a myth as well.

[hillzhaveays]

this was to arthanyel BTW

[forrestt56]

Wrong. The money does not come from the employer, it comes from the employee who works 40 hours a week to make the products that the employer sells to make money and without whom the business would not exist.
Your description of a Nanny State is wrong also. Americans who pay American taxes deserve benefits from American Government. We would not need the government to offer some of the benefits if the private companies who currently offer them could do a better job of not robbing the American Citizens blind and withholding the product once paid for (health care).

Also: People and corporations who hide their profits and have their tax shelters overseas in other countries do so to avoid paying American taxes. American taxes are what make American Government work. So basically those people and corporations, by not paying their taxes here in their own country force higher taxes on the American Citizens and corporations who do not have overseas tax shelters.
Real Americans Pay American Taxes.

[TJphoto]

"We will keep you safe, we just won't tell how much it is going to cost" Sincerely, The Republican Party.

[Jaylah54200]

This is pretty funny considering that every American with an IQ higher than their shoe size KNOWS "defense" spending needs a HUGE cut.