Courtesy of Mish.
Republicans don’t want military spending and Democrats don’t want cuts in social programs. The best thing to do would be doubling or tripling the cuts, but compromise tends to work in the other direction.
Thus one should not be surprised by this can-kicking idea: Republicans Propose Job Freeze to Avert Defense Cuts
Republican members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees revived a proposal to avert automatic spending cuts by reducing the federal workforce through attrition and freezing congressional salaries.
The legislation would save $85 billion through Sept. 30, the same amount as the across-the-board cuts that would be divided between defense and domestic programs, said Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire. She was among lawmakers presenting the plan at a news conference Wednesday in Washington.
The automatic cuts, called sequestration, will take effect March 1 unless Congress and President Barack Obama agree on an alternative. Tuesday, Obama urged lawmakers to propose a short-term package of reductions and tax-code changes, such as limiting tax breaks, to delay the reductions.
“The president gave us a proposal that cuts defense spending once again,” Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon of California, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said at the news conference. He called Obama’s plan “irresponsible, unacceptable.”
Sequestration a Brainchild of Republicans
Excuse me for pointing out the truth: Sequestration is a brainchild of a Republican House. Instead of accepting 10-1 spending cuts to tax hikes that was on the table last year, Republicans kicked the can to 2013 believing Romney to be a shoo-in for president.
It did not work out that way, as I warned at the time. Now, Obama’s “I am willing to make hard choices” offer is off the table (assuming of course it was ever really on the table).
Now Republicans whine about the automatic spending cuts to the military that they agreed to (expecting them to go away under Romney). And in the meantime, Republicans accepted a boatload of tax hikes and got absolutely nothing in return.
Defense Cut Fearmongering
Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stepped up to the plate, fearmongering about the defense cuts. “My fear is that there is a dangerous and callous attitude that is developing among some Republicans and some Democrats that these dangerous cuts can be allowed to take place in order to blame the other party for the consequences,” said Panetta.
It’s long overdue we get rid of Neanderthals like Panetta, so I look forward to the appointment of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary….
