Obama Blames GOP — Again — For Sequestration

[Draggingtree]

Human Events:

Obama Blames GOP — Again — For Sequestration

By: John Gizzi

2/19/2013 12:25 PM

Tuesday morning, flanked by uniformed police, facing a crowd that included “first responders” and activists from private groups such as the National Arthritis Foundation, President Barack Obama issued his latest warning on sequestration. He said that those drastic cuts will hurt individuals such as those in the auditorium of the Executive Office Building unless Congress comes up with an alternative plan by March 1.

 

“We can’t do these sad cuts,” declared Mr. Obama, pointing out that what he called the “automatic, brutal spending cuts”

[Draggingtree]

Obama Seeks Sequester Scare

 

By Chris Stirewalt

Power Play

Published February 19, 2013

FoxNews.com

“[Do Republicans] protect investments in education, health care and national defense or do they continue to prioritize and protect tax loopholes that benefit the very few at the expense of middle and working class Americans?”

 

-- White House statement on pending, automatic spending cuts.

 

Would Republicans rather your house burn down than raise taxes on rich people?

Today, president Obama is certainly suggesting that they would. He is appearing with firefighters and other first responders to renew his call for tax hikes on top earners to offset part of automatic spending cuts set to kick in two weeks hence.

 

Obama’s argument is that Janet Napolitano and her team at the Department of Homeland Security will have no choice but to cut off subsidies for local fire departments

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/19/obama-seeks-sequester-scare/

[Draggingtree]

His Idea: Why Did Barack Obama Propose It?

 

 

By: Erick Erickson (Diary) | February 19th, 2013 at 02:09 PM | 15

Today, Barack Obama spoke out about the pending sequestration flanked by first responders and others. What he did not mention was that sequestration was President Obama’s idea. Today, President Obama said: Emergency responders like the ones who are here today — their ability to help communities respond to and recover from disasters will be degraded. But sequestration was his idea. Border Patrol agents will see http://www.redstate.com/2013/02/19/then-why-did-you-propose-it/

[Valin]

The sequester blame game

Paul Mirengoff

2/20/13

 

The Washington Post reports that, as the sequester approaches, our politicians are focused not on dealing with it, but on attempting to blame ther opponents. No suprise there.

 

In analyzing the politics of sequestration, it might be useful to separate two sets of consequences for which blame may attach. In the short term, politicians from one or both parties may be blamed for the inconveniences associated with cuts in government services. In the intermediate term, politicians may be blamed for adverse economic consequeces associated with a large cut in spending.

 

(A third set of consequences would be the impact of the sequester on our military capability. But it’s not clear that these consequences would carry political implications. In any event, this matter deserves a separate discussion).

 

(Snip)