President Obama laid the blame for a series of spending cuts that start today at the feet of Republicans in his weekly address.
In his remarks Obama said the $85 billion in cuts -- known in Washington as "the sequester" -- have "already started to inflict pain on communities across the country."
He called the cuts "not smart" and said they'd "hurt our economy and cost us jobs. And Congress can turn them off at any time – as soon as both sides are willing to compromise."
The administration has been accused of overstating the affects of the cuts, and Obama said -- as he did Friday -- that "while not everyone will feel the pain of these cuts right away, the pain will be real. Many middle-class families will have their lives disrupted in a significant way."
He said beginning this week, businesses that work with the military will have to lay people off and communities near military bases will suffer.
But he said, "It's happening because Republicans in Congress chose this outcome over closing a single wasteful tax loophole that helps reduce the deficit."
He's called for a mix of spending cuts and tax revenue to avoid the sequester; Republicans want solely spending cuts. But Obama argues that a majority agrees with him.
"We just need Republicans in Congress to catch up with their own party and the rest of the country," he said.
Though Obama failed to get Republicans to agree to the mix, he vowed in the address to "push through this paralysis" and press his agenda, including preschool for all children, an increase in the minimum wage, an overhaul of the immigration system and gun violence prevention.
'We just need Republicans in Congress to catch up with their own party and the rest of the country'???
Hah! if the they caught up with their own party, your sequester wouldn't be the only thing you'd be dealing with O-blame-o...
Posted by: garbonzo333 | March 03, 2013 at 09:30 AM
I would ask you, where else, might lie the blame?
Posted by: Thomas Nass | March 02, 2013 at 07:29 PM