Obama warns will veto Republican spending cuts

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama warned Tuesday he would veto a spending bill crafted by his Republican foes because its deep cuts risked crippling a tentative economic recovery and harming national security.

"The administration strongly opposes House passage of HR 1," the White House said, warning that if the measure reaches Obama without major changes, "the president will veto the bill."

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danarhea said:

Good for the GOP House members.

1) For the first time ever, we are seeing Republicans push for deep cuts in defense spending, while Democrats oppose them. WTF? But you know what? The Republicans are right, just as Democrats were right when they wanted to cut defense. There is not excuse for the defense spending we have now, which is bloated beyond all recognition. By making deep cuts, we force the government to make tough choices, and to cut the fat. Bravo for the GOP on that front.

2) Education? During good times, I don't mind a few government outlays, with the goal of keeping America at the forefront of technology. However, these are not good times. We need to concentrate on stopping the fiscal bleeding right now, and as soon as we are on a decent economic footing once again, then we can consider education. But now is not the time. Controversial decision, but I agree with it.

3) Here is where things get a bit dicey. The OMB has estimated that the proposed Republican cut would cost about a million jobs. But I believe that the cuts need to be made. First of all, the government should not be in the business of creating jobs. Let employers do that. Secondly, government job creation is not going to help if we cannot reign in the deficit. Going deeper in debt is going to result in the loss of even more jobs. Better to kill some jobs now with good policy than to kill many more down the road with bad policy.

Many years ago, I said that the chickens would eventually come home to roost if we did not get spending under control. Well, time has borne me out, and the chickens are here. In fact, I suspect that, somewhere, Col. Sanders has a smile on his face. We simply waited too long to address this problem, and there are now no easy fixes. Whatever is done is going to hurt. We should have heeded the warnings of economists who made this prediction years before. But there should also be no crying over spilt milk. The pain is here, and we are all going to have to deal with it. I suggest that we deal with it in a logical manner, before it gets much worse, which it will if we don't address it now. Now is not the time to bury our heads in the sand and claim that everything is going to be OK. In our present condition, that would be fiscal insanity.

Article is here.

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danarhea said:

Good for the GOP House members.

1) For the first time ever, we are seeing Republicans push for deep cuts in defense spending, while Democrats oppose them. WTF? But you know what? The Republicans are right, just as Democrats were right when they wanted to cut defense. There is not excuse for the defense spending we have now, which is bloated beyond all recognition. By making deep cuts, we force the government to make tough choices, and to cut the fat. Bravo for the GOP on that front.

2) Education? During good times, I don't mind a few government outlays, with the goal of keeping America at the forefront of technology. However, these are not good times. We need to concentrate on stopping the fiscal bleeding right now, and as soon as we are on a decent economic footing once again, then we can consider education. But now is not the time. Controversial decision, but I agree with it.

3) Here is where things get a bit dicey. The OMB has estimated that the proposed Republican cut would cost about a million jobs. But I believe that the cuts need to be made. First of all, the government should not be in the business of creating jobs. Let employers do that. Secondly, government job creation is not going to help if we cannot reign in the deficit. Going deeper in debt is going to result in the loss of even more jobs. Better to kill some jobs now with good policy than to kill many more down the road with bad policy.

Many years ago, I said that the chickens would eventually come home to roost if we did not get spending under control. Well, time has borne me out, and the chickens are here. In fact, I suspect that, somewhere, Col. Sanders has a pretty big grin on his face. We simply waited too long to address this problem, and there are now no easy fixes. Whatever is done is going to hurt. We should have heeded the warnings of economists who made this prediction years before. But there should also be no crying over spilt milk. The pain is here, and we are all going to have to deal with it. I suggest that we deal with it in a logical manner, before it gets much worse, which it will if we don't address it now. Now is not the time to bury our heads in the sand and claim that everything is going to be OK. In our present condition, that would amount to fiscal insanity.

Article is here.

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PeteEU said:

I think it comes more down to what spending cuts are being proposed.

If the Republicans follow the usual partisan bs crap, then it will be "left leaning" programs through out the federal government, while keeping the sweet deals for themselves. I have read that they are forcing the military to keep weapons programs it does not want because of some GOPer wanting it because it benefits his state hugely. That kind of "spending cuts" is not good.

Not to mention I read that there was hundreds of amendments and earmarks in the proposals at the moment.

If that stands, then he should veto it. If the military does not want a weapons system.. then for god sake dump it! Be fair in the cuts, dont just target the weak. Go after bankers and big business give aways and so on too, if the weak and poor have to pay for the miss givings of the elite Washington types. The only way the US can get out of this cluster**** the Republicans primarily put them in, is to do a bi-partisan hack and slash without consideration of partisan politics.. doubt it will happen though.

Also I have no doubt that if Obama looses in 2012, then the Republicans will suddenly say ..."deficit and debt dont matter!" again. :roll:

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Dr_Patrick said:

Sadly, it is no longer about what is in the best interest for the American people. It really has come down to a matter of partisan bickering and it is getting royally old.

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Councilman said:

I'm still waiting for a Statesman to emerge from the pack of partisan masses and put forward logical initiatives and spending reforms that are based on the needs of the people and the Nation, not on "The Party" or self aggrandizement.

The defense budget could use some sensible cuts and I believe that the Federal Government should have nothing to do with Education other than setting standards and nothing else. That would require no more than a few people and very little funding.

The school have failed and the cost are bloated beyond belief because of unions that protect piss poor teachers and they have out lived their usefulness.

We also should consider ending Foreign Aid to all but a very few.

No Tax increases are acceptable and if there were deep enough cuts and reduced restrictions on business over dumb-ass things like the Delta Smelt or some rat in a field the economy might recover and with it tax revenues would increase all by themselves.

And that would help a great deal and there are so many more laces where Government doesn't belong.

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diablo45 said:

it is in the best interests of the american people to concern themselves with the second great depression we just dodged instead of the deficit red herring. gop policies of tax cuts for the rich, tough love for the middle class led to the trainwreck of 08...and now you fox viewers want more of the same

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danarhea said:

Who says it's FOX viewers who believe this. I don't watch FOX News at all, as I believe it is a propaganda channel, and not a news channel at all.

This is about decisions. Living within our means is logical. In real life, if I go out and spend all my money, and borrow until I am unable to borrow more, and then spend all that too, I am then unable to eat and keep a roof over my head. I would end up under a bridge. Our government is doing exactly that. You don't somehow believe that there are consequences for that kind of behavior? The dollar has lost 98 percent of it's 1913 value. Gee, I wonder why?

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diablo45 said:

easily solved by taxing the privlidged and corporations instead of further decimating working people

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