Republicans Want Off The Hook For Voting For Defense Sequester

[ProSense]

Republicans Want Off The Hook For Voting For Defense Sequester

Brian Beutler

Republicans have been been clear that they do not regard deep, looming cuts to defense and domestic programs — the enforcement mechanism at the heart of last year’s debt limit agreement — as a reason to compromise with Democrats and put real tax revenues into the mix of cuts and reforms required to reduce deficits over time.

But in recent weeks they’ve taken things a step further. They’ve disavowed the so-called “sequester” altogether and handed full responsibility for its existence to President Obama — despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of them voted to implement it last August.

“It was the president who came up with the sequester because he didn’t want the debt limit to get in the way of his campaign,” said House Speaker John Boehner at his weekly press availability last week. “Now these cuts are looming and he’s nowhere to be found.”

In a private meeting with his conference, Boehner said the sequester exists, “for one reason: because the President of the United States didn’t want to deal with the debt limit again before the presidential election. Because the president didn’t want to be inconvenienced, he came up with the sequester.”

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http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/republicans-want-off-the-hook-for-voting-for-defense-sequester.php

Mr. Tears, you got 98 percent of what you wanted, remember?

[spanone]

1. no mr. boehner, the sequester exists because republicans tried to destroy the economy

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. and they (and Grover Norquist) made sure that the "Super Committee" was doomed

by making any discussion of revenue increases essentially verboten from the start. They started it, most of them voted for it and said that they got 98% of what they wanted, so they own it just as much as President Obama and the Democrats whom voted for it. Of course, Republicans didn't have to start the whole battle over the debt ceiling in the first place (and they did, that much should be crystal clear obvious) and then we wouldn't even be talking about this now.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. They could have avoided the sequester by sending responsible GOPers to the super committee

Nope. They stonewalled there, too. Now eat that DoD sequester, or deal on top-bracket. Clock's a-ticking, Mr. Boehner.

[Johonny]

2. Poor Boehner if only the speaker of the house had some say in budget matters

oh wait...

[reflection]

3. Nope.

You own it, Boehner. In fact, our country's credit rating was lowered shortly after that because Moody's didn't see any adults in the room that were serious about righting the financial ship. The cuts are coming and you agreed to them. No more kicking the can down the road, you emotionally tempestuous orange-skinned nebbish poltroon.

[ljm2002]

4. So why did they agree to it then?

And Boehner did say they got 98% of what they wanted...


You always hear the same bunch talking about bilked homeowners, saying things like "Well didn't they READ the darned CONTRACT before they SIGNED it? What about a little PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY???"

Yet when it comes to their own behavior, they want to renege and act like it's someone else's fault.

Hey Boehner, et al: YOU VOTED FOR IT, YOU OWN IT. QUIT TRYING TO RENEGE ON YOUR COMMITMENT!!!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

8. And this is the group that used to rail about "READING THE BILL!!!"

their hypocrisy knows no boundaries.

[leftyohiolib]

10. dealing with them is like dealing with bunch of undisiplined children having a tantrum. it's so

frustrating i just want to pull my hair out.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Ah, remember how they gloated and gloated for having forced Obama to "cave"

Long view, motherf*ckers. Now eat the sequester or deal on top-bracket taxes. Your choice, GOPers...

[ProSense]

12. Yeah,

they probably secretly want to cut defense.

[MoreGOPoop]

9. Cry me an orange river, Boner!

It givz me a happy.

[DCKit]

11. That's not the only impossible position the wacky teabaggers have forced the House Republics into...

but it surely is about the worst for PR reasons - damned if you do, damned if you don't. They can either do nothing and we've got drastic spending cuts and automatic tax increases, or they can start working with the Democrats on some reasonable solutions to resolve our national debt and out-of-control military spending.

Since the latter is unlikely (in this universe), I expect the Teahadii will again be kicked into high gear by the Koch brothers and Kkkarl Rove, the MIC is going to freak out, and it's going to get ugly for everyone involved.

If the Dems in Congress and those running against (R) incumbents play this right, it could be a bigger rout than even I'm hoping for.

I can see the headlines in Europe now: America Puts the Adults Back in Charge