Cuts in place, Obama and GOP brace for next fight
WASHINGTON (AP) — Severe spending cuts now the law of the land, President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans refused Saturday to concede any culpability for failing to stave off what both parties acknowledged was a foolhardy way to slash $85 billion in federal spending.
The still-fragile economy braced itself for the gradual but potentially grave impact of the across-the-board cuts, which took effect Friday night at the stroke of Obama's pen. Hours earlier, he and congressional leaders emerged from a White House meeting no closer to an agreement.
Even as they pledged a renewed effort to retroactively undo the spending cuts, both parties said the blame rests squarely on the other for any damage the cuts might inflict. There were no indications that either side was wavering from entrenched positions that for weeks had prevented progress on a deal to find a way out: Republicans refusing any deal with more tax revenue and Democrats snubbing any deal without it.
"None of this is necessary," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday. "It's happening because Republicans in Congress chose this outcome over closing a single wasteful tax loophole that helps reduce the deficit."
The president said the cuts would cause "a ripple effect across the economy" that would worsen the longer they stay in place, eventually costing more than 750,000 jobs and disrupting the lives of middle-class families.
In the Republican-controlled House, GOP lawmakers washed their hands of the mess, arguing that bills they passed in the last Congress to avert the cuts absolved them of any responsibility. Those bills passed with little to no Democratic support and were never taken up by the Senate.
"We've done the work and shown that these choices can be made in a responsible, thoughtful way," said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington in the GOP address.
Obama was holding out hope that as Americans start feeling the effects of the sequester — the term used for the automatic spending cuts — public pressure will force lawmakers back to the table. Ever wary that such fiscal fiascos could jeopardize the rest of his second-term agenda, Obama vowed in his weekly address to keep pushing reforms on immigration, preschool, gun violence and transportation.
But attention was already turning to the next major budget hurdles, with less than a month to negotiate a plan to fund the government beyond March 27 and a debt-ceiling clash coming in May.
Hopes that a measure to undo the spending cuts could be wrapped into a March deal to keep the government running dimmed Friday when both Obama and House Speaker John Boehner said they'd prefer to keep the two issues separate.
"I'm hopeful that we won't have to deal with the threat of a government shutdown while we're dealing with the sequester at the same time," Boehner said.
The still-fragile economy braced itself for the gradual but potentially grave impact of the across-the-board cuts, which took effect Friday night at the stroke of Obama's pen. Hours earlier, he and congressional leaders emerged from a White House meeting no closer to an agreement.
Even as they pledged a renewed effort to retroactively undo the spending cuts, both parties said the blame rests squarely on the other for any damage the cuts might inflict. There were no indications that either side was wavering from entrenched positions that for weeks had prevented progress on a deal to find a way out: Republicans refusing any deal with more tax revenue and Democrats snubbing any deal without it.
"None of this is necessary," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday. "It's happening because Republicans in Congress chose this outcome over closing a single wasteful tax loophole that helps reduce the deficit."
The president said the cuts would cause "a ripple effect across the economy" that would worsen the longer they stay in place, eventually costing more than 750,000 jobs and disrupting the lives of middle-class families.
In the Republican-controlled House, GOP lawmakers washed their hands of the mess, arguing that bills they passed in the last Congress to avert the cuts absolved them of any responsibility. Those bills passed with little to no Democratic support and were never taken up by the Senate.
"We've done the work and shown that these choices can be made in a responsible, thoughtful way," said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington in the GOP address.
Obama was holding out hope that as Americans start feeling the effects of the sequester — the term used for the automatic spending cuts — public pressure will force lawmakers back to the table. Ever wary that such fiscal fiascos could jeopardize the rest of his second-term agenda, Obama vowed in his weekly address to keep pushing reforms on immigration, preschool, gun violence and transportation.
But attention was already turning to the next major budget hurdles, with less than a month to negotiate a plan to fund the government beyond March 27 and a debt-ceiling clash coming in May.
Hopes that a measure to undo the spending cuts could be wrapped into a March deal to keep the government running dimmed Friday when both Obama and House Speaker John Boehner said they'd prefer to keep the two issues separate.
"I'm hopeful that we won't have to deal with the threat of a government shutdown while we're dealing with the sequester at the same time," Boehner said.
I would challenge anyone to find a federal elected official in the last 20 years who has done anything to improve America. Â Income inequality, huge deficits, excessive regulation, excessive privatization, class warfare (which both parties are guilty of), manipulation of the media tool. Cuts that aren't even cuts (just cuts in growth), the term trickle down economics, which is an oxymoron. Â The real culprit in this mess, IMHO, is the middle class. Â We give up more and more of what we built all the time. Â We love ten second soundbites. Â We growl and grumble when the president tells republicans the sequester is their fault because they won't allow one cent in tax increases (which they just did). Â we shake our fists when republicans tell democrats it was all the president's idea (even though they voted for it). Â While all the fingers are being pointed, our borders will be less secure, our war fighters will be less supported, our airports will be more clogged, our food will be less safe, tax evaders will get off scott-free, and we will be less prepared for an emergency. Â We have a $16 trillion deficit, and are spending $1 trillion more than we make. Â But we also bring is a $1/2 trillion less in revenue as a percent of GDP than we did in 2004. Â Now, what we need is a little thing called a compromise. Â We need more revenue, and we need less spending, so now it's the executive and legislative branches jobs to find a reason to make that happen, not a reason to keep it from happening.So...GET TO WORK, OR GET OUT!!!
We got 60 million for Syria though. Lets tax 60 billionaires 1 million each and send it over to a cesspool. Break it down and look at it.
All you that voted for any of these incumbants have no one but yourselves to blame. You Washington tards elect the same people over and over. You are to blame.
@Kemo Sabe Not just the Washington ones!  Every state has done the same thing over and over to get us to this point!  Diapers and politics:  time to change them when they're full of Stuff!
The greatest aspect about these news stories regarding politics is the pictures. In this one Boehner looks as if a bad case of diarrhea has just loaded his pants and Obama often looks as if, well, much the same. As for substance, both parties are little more than a bad case of unending political diarrhea that has gone on far too long. Let's see, Obama blames Congress, Congress blames Obama, Republicans blame Democrats and Democrats blame Republicans. And then we have the news pundits who do not really know crap about anything spouting their BS on the various cable "News Channels" whose only real intent is stirring a political pot of hate on both sides and so on and on it goes. Well, I am a Reagan Era Republican, referred to as a RINO in today's version of the Republican Party, so I guess all those like me can do is stand aside and watch each party do its best destroy the other while the country sinks into a sea of irrelevant oblivion..
@growlerxrunner It's kind of hard to claim non-bias when they (KOMO) make one side look bad in photographs on a consistent basis.  No big deal to me really.  I come to the KOMO site for my liberal news, and Fox for my conservative news.  Then, unlike many, I make up my own mind.  I know what to expect when I come here, and have my B.S. detector activated.
People talk about China owning all of our debt but ignore the QE policies of the FED.
The FED is printing money and buying up Treasuries like a drunken sailor buys tatoos.
The FED is owned and operated by the Banks. The government has little control and virtually no oversight. They create 95% of all of our currency. Only 5% is created by the treasury.Â
The corporations own this country not China. This is why your paychecks and quality of life suffer. Our politicians are merely obeying their employer.Hard to believe a worse mug shot of him could be had.
@Commenter87643Â Product of the lamestream media. lol
To Snoopy:
Well your president called himself dumb. So I don't even need to say it. He said the cuts are dumb, and he is the one responsible for them. The white house put the sequester into the debt ceiling deal in 2011. So I guess he is calling himself dumb. Which makes you clueless.
Btw, you folks always use those liberal buzz words like "Corporate Welfare" yet you neglect to actually look into what they are. It's because you live in a Robin Hood fairy tale world, and you don't really pay attention.
You don't understand that economic activity creates jobs which creates tax revenue, and since their is still plenty of unemployment, and low GDP, there will be low tax revenue. But to you the answer is to attack the very source of what creates economic growth. You seem to think that somehow 1% can pay for 99%. Again, it is your Robin Hood fairy tale world you live in.
@Release The Cracken Wake up Cracken, time for your sleeping pill!
Our strongest economy was when taxes were at least 35%. I felt the Bush tax cut should have all expired.
Your telling me I don't understand the economic activity, as you apply what sounds like trickle down economics-a huge failure. Reagan had to raise taxes becuase it failed.
"Again, it is your Robin Hood fairy tale world you live in." No, you want to cut welfare programs then you must also cut cororate welfare as well, Why should we pay for super rich people for thier toys. They use a jet to fly to a business meeting they get a tax write of but the same jet flies them around forv pleasure.
@Release The CrackenIf you give the rest of the money that's left to the top 1%, how much economic activity would you have? Will the "Job Creators" create businesses out of boredom? There wont be any demand as there is no currency to purchase anything. You have to put money into the hands of the consumers in order to create demand. Top down economics do not work and there is no historical evidence to prove it does.
Who lives in a fantasy world?To Release the Cracken: Wow, your really of yourself. As for the liberals or who ever voted for Obama-this is not news. We want the tax increases on the 1%. We know GOP gave on some taxes and Obama gave on spending, I see you failed to mention the spending cut part.
Obama wants to close corporate welfare loop holes, something many of the GOP canidates put on the table
So, yea we got the predient we wanted. The problem is, you guys got the Tea party you thought you wanted. Your speaker can't manage his own party because it under the control of people who have no business being in charge. The speaker is under threat from the tea party and the NRA-one heck of a way to run a country.
Also, you guys keep booting out your smart republicans and replacing them with idiots. You guy guys won't aknowledge one of your best chances at the white house becuase he complemented the president-you guys are sick.
Obama has not lied, you just have not listened to him. I don't feel I'm stuck with Obama, but I do feel like I'm stuck with people like you. Heck, Reagan would not meet your standards.
FYI: 11 GOP Governors are breaking ranks with the GOP congress and jumping on Obama health plan. They also are distancing themselves from the GOP congress.
So we liberals as you call us don't need to shut as much as you eed to know which way the wind is blowing.
@snoopy84Â btw Snoopy, I did mention the spending cuts that Obama put forth. It's called the sequester.
@Release The Cracken You did not mention spending cuts becuase it would upput holes in your story line. The taxes you say he got a year ago did happen and the spending uts  came in that same package.
- BREATH - The world will not come to an end.Â
Enjoy the following intermission......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLrSw0jr2zw
You can continue to read and post while listening..... :)
@K. Coleman
This music video was a nice Sunday surprise, thanks  I've not heard the Moody Blues is years.  I got pulled into the visuals and noticed the money press.  Â
Any bill passed by either house in Congress should have to be voted on by the other house. Neither house should have the right to stop the bill comming up for a vote.
So Obama puts the sequester into the grand deal that raised the debt ceiling back in 2011. Let me repeat for all you short cited liberal folks. Obama put the sequester into the debt ceiling deal. It was his idea... thinking that he could get republicans to agree to tax hikes when the time came to vote on the sequester. Isn't it obvious that the cuts target mostly the things that would make the republicans look bad, and Obama doesn't mind cutting... like defense. He left entitlement out! If it was the republicans idea, entitlement reform would have been part of the deal.
So as part of the fiscal cliff deal in January, the sequester was kicked down the road and republicans agreed to tax increases and expiration of Bush payroll tax cuts. Let me repeat..... REPUBLICANS GAVE OBAMA TAX INCREASES. Can you hear me liberals? Taxes have been increased
So now here we are addressing the sequester.... once again...... and what does Obama want?........ you guessed it.. tax increases. Even though he got his tax increases in January.
The republicans won't agree to anymore tax increases because they are smart enough to know it will hamper economic growth, and we've already increased taxes. It's time for real entitlement reform. But Obama will have none of it.
The only thing that has helped the economy in the last four years is Bernanke's monetary policy. Not the fiscal policy coming out of washington.
So liberals need to sit down and shut up. They got the president they wanted, now live with your fate.
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@the unvarnished truth @Release The Cracken I'm trying to think beyond kindergarten...  who is odumbo?  Oh are we actually trying to have an intelligent conversation here/? Â
The President of the United States has zero control over the Fed. Â The fact that the Federal Reserve is completely independent is a large part of the monetary problem with the United States. Giving an un elected cartel complete control over the monetary value of our currency is bad policy... Â yet it's been going on for a century. Â
Yet so many fools like to come up with clever names for whichever politician they currently hate the most. Â It's gradeschool namecalling at best. Â
@the unvarnished truth @Release The Cracken Inflation is definitely a risk, and it is a real threat.
But the monetary policy has forced investment into the stock market, because people are terrified to invest in bonds when rates are that low. When capital flows into the stock market, people's investments rise again. So there is a benefit, regardless of the fact that money is being printed. Low rates have helped me get through the difficult years under the Obama administration, because I definitely can't rely on higher wages from my employer when they are paying more for health insurance, and low economic activity.
Low rates have lowered my payments on certain adjustable loans I pay for my investments. So there are a few answers for you on how monetary policy has helped people like me.
He's smelling Obama's lying stench. I would make that face too.
@Release The Cracken Since Obama was not nearby when the photo was taken, I think the stench originates much, much closer to home...
@JLS1950 @Release The Cracken Obama lies so bad, I can smell the BS from here on my couch in Washington State
@Release The Cracken The administration must work with Congress. Congress must work with the administration.  If they can't work together..  sequestration.  You can't blame only one side.  Unless  you're a mindless idiot drone. Â
@JLS1950 @Release The Cracken Here we go. Another liberal trying to prove how smart they are because they can't back up their argument and their President is a fool who cannot work with congress.
@Release The Cracken @JLS1950 There is a term in psychology called "projecting".
Well Mr. so called president, emperor want to be, remember this was your choice two years ago.What part of, the socialists have not been able to pass a budget in over 4 years did not factor into that decision?
These photos are getting ridiculous.Â
vote them out and force them to take a 15 percent cut in pay and operating expenses
The president said the cuts would cause "a ripple effect across the economy" that would worsen the longer they stay in place, eventually costing more than 750,000 jobs and disrupting the lives of middle-class families.
They don't do anything that doesn't screw the middle class. Â I wish I could put money down that they are not going to be effected. Â
@FBrumfield "eventually costing more than 750,000 jobs and disrupting the lives of middle-class families."
 Been there, done that!
Folks, this is a link to a petition to stop paying all of these yahoos until they fix this mess. Please sign on.
https://www.change.org/petitions/the-off-of-the-pres-of-the-u-s-a-nat-congress-and-nat-senate-stop-payment-of-these-portions-of-the-federal-government
Even if it doesn't work, we can send a message to them saying we are not going to put up with their nonsense. 3% to them doesn't even register, but to us it's a killer.
@SargeMcCÂ Do you really think that a petition is going to do anything?
@FBrumfield, Maybe not. But to just sit back and not try to do something is unacceptable to me. I am a survivor and a fighter. I will do all I can to help save the real and deserving Americans. The backbone of this great nation. I will not give up. I will not stop. I will see freedom returned to Americans or die trying.
@sleever, So what are you doing to change things and make America a better place? What is your contribution to improving the economy? I' m not being snide here, I just want to know if you've got a plan to make our problems better.
@SargeMcCÂ Signing an online petition and pretending it's doing something is simply patting yourself on the back for the sake of patting yourself on the back.
@SargeMcCÂ I will sign the petition. Â But I am a realist and know it will do no good.
@FBrumfield @SargeMcC A petition is start. I would like to see a million plus march into DC, surround the capital building while congress is in session and don't let them out until they do thier JOB!
@snoopy84Â I wish a petition would have an effect, but it will not. Â Remember the Tea Party and their march in Washington? Â All the press did was make fun of them and call them names.
  The liberals act like Nazi's, believing they alone are better than everyone else and that conservatives are mindless idiots that do not get it.  It's impossible to reason with a zealot.  I use this forum as an example, and we all know who the ones are that are legends-in-their-own-minds. You simply cannot deal with them.
@snoopy84 @FBrumfield @SargeMcC Do it then snoopy!  Put your money where your mouth is.  You want to see a million people march on DC.  One million starts with one. Â
@FBrumfield @snoopy84 @SargeMcC I agree. The problem is, our senators and reps are doing a good job and most states feel the same about thiers. So we keep reelecting them. ( not saying we like or not like our reps, just making a point). It is always the other states reps who needs to be replaced.
We need term limits. No more career senators ot reps. Look a Boehner, he is not going anywhere. The worst that could happen to him, he looses his speakership.
@FBrumfield @snoopy84 @SargeMcC NOW we're talking!
@snoopy84 @FBrumfield @SargeMcC They have had their chance do do the job.  It is time to remove all of them from office and not by waiting until the next election.  It is time to start a recall of every one of them and ban them from public office.
One of the best pics I've seen yet of Boehner.
@what? He looks like he needs his blanky and a nap. Maybe a fresh didy too.
@SargeMcCÂ A little more fiber in his diet wouldn't hurt either.
Right now they are all a bunch of dumb arses. This is not government, it is a movie "Nightmare on Pennsylvania Ave" I just wished it ended in two hours.
Boehner cracks me up. He always looks like he is pouting or on the verge of tears.Â
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@Exiled_Patriot Yup... that's Republicans all right. When they cannot get their way, they set out to destroy everything... they would rather destroy the nation than accept defeat or any compromise..In fact, they would rather destroy the nation than actually submit to and be ruled by the government of The People.
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@the unvarnished truth @JLS1950 Evil minions?  Omg..  watch out for Darth Vader! Â
I don't own anything. Â This is typical Republican posturing. Â In my household, when we have a budget crisis we try two things - cut spending and earn more money. Â Republicans don't want their poor rich friends to spend a penny more in taxes.... Â because that would be a penny more than the big fat zero they're already paying. Â
@JLS1950 @Exiled_Patriot sorry this is a Republic not a democracy. Scarry Barry may have won the election he has to bow to congress.
@Exiled_Patriot @JLS1950 So wait...  he has to bow to congress to sign the order that he wanted?  Huh?
@JLS1950 @Exiled_Patriot sorry you Odumba wanted this sequestration thinking he could force congress to increase taxes. Guess what he lost. He had to bow to congress and sign the order he wanted to have two years ago. The only thing I wish is that it really cut 2 trillion in spending over night.
@Exiled_Patriot @JLS1950 Hmmm... I've not seen any scars...
Congress isn't accepting any bowing from anyone - the Republicans there are all just acting like petulant children throwing temper tantrums and throwing and breaking everything in sight - their own and others - to show how "angry" they are.Â
They are not truly angry about anything except the embarrassment of being caught in their own lies again and again.
@JLS1950, "accept defeat", "submit and be ruled"?? Who the hell are you??? These aren't the words of an American. Government of the People, By the People, For the People, yes, but this is not about 'submit and be ruled'.Â
@SargeMcCÂ You really don't understand our form of government, do you? Where all citizens submit to one another on some issues for the greater good? Or did you imagine that all those boys in the American Revolution, in the War of 1812, in the Civil War, in the Spanish-American War, in WW-I & WW-II... all went to battle because they were personally enraged against an enemy...? We submit to one another because we know that when we stand together, we are stronger than if we each stand alone - and when we look beyond what it is it for us, we make ourselves and everyone else a bit richer.
But Republicans and TEA Partiers and a whole gaggle of selfish people who call themselves "conservatives" have decided that they can just stand alone - that they do not need to stand with their fellow Americans or with their fellow men in any way. They have decided that they do not "need" government - any government, ideally - but can just be free "sovereign citizens" (as long as they can find someone richer than themselves to kiss up to in most cases.)Â
If you are unwilling to submit to and be ruled by the Constitution of the United States of America - to respect the rights of other people as much as and even above your own - then don't imagine that you are any patriot: you are just a selfish little person pretending to be something you are not.
@Exiled_Patriot Ok, thanks for summing up one of the reasons we're in this mess in the first place.
@what? Congress passed not one, but two bills.  Neither one went anywhere.  So what, waste your time on a third?  I do not see the Democrats take responsibility for anything, just throw mud at the other side and call names.
@what? @Exiled_Patriot grid lock is good. When they can't and won't raise taxes it warms my heart. When they are forced to cut spending it makes me dance. And when it upsets the dictator in Chief I am really happy.