Today, The Obama White House Released A New Report Detailing Their Devastating Defense Cuts:
The Obama White House Released A Detailed Report On The Defense Cuts Set To Take Place In 2013. “President
Barack Obama on Friday detailed how roughly $120 billion in cuts to the
Pentagon and domestic programs will be applied if Congress doesn’t shut
off a planned “sequester” before the end of the year, casting blame on
Congress for failing to bring spending and taxes into line and address
the nation’s $16 trillion debt.” (Austin Wright and Jonathan Allen,
“White House Releases Sequester Details,” Politico, 9/14/12)
The Report – Which Tried To Blame
Republicans For The Cuts – Noted That Most Defense Programs Will Receive
An Approximately 10% Cut. “The overview: There would be a 9.4
percent cut to most defense programs — except those exempted in the
sequestration law — and a 10 percent cut to a handful of other Pentagon
accounts that are not subject to annual congressional appropriations. …
The president and his Democratic allies say that Republicans have put at
risk the nation’s defenses…” (Austin Wright and Jonathan Allen, “White
House Releases Sequester Details,” Politico, 9/14/12)
But President Obama’s Effort To Distance Himself From These Cuts Won’t Work – His Administration Proposed The Cuts Last Year:
President Obama’s Administration Was Behind The Idea Of “Massive Defense Cuts.”
“The book ‘The Price of Politics,’ by Washington Post Associate Editor
Bob Woodward, makes it clear the idea for the draconian spending cuts
originated in the White House – and not in Congress. According to the
book, excerpts of which were obtained by POLITICO ahead of the Sept. 11
release, President Barack Obama’s top deputies believed the prospect of
massive defense cuts would compel Republicans to agree to a
deficit-cutting grand bargain. Then-OMB Director Jack Lew, now the White
House chief of staff, and White House Legislative Affairs Director Rob
Nabors pitched the idea to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.),
Woodward writes.” (Austin Wright, “Bob Woodward Book Could Bolster
Republican Attack On W.H.,” Politico, 9/7/12)
“The Idea For The Draconian Spending Cuts Originated In The White House – And Not In Congress.” “A
forthcoming book could give new ammunition to Republican hawks eager to
blame the Obama administration for looming, across-the-board cuts to
the defense budget. The book ‘The Price of Politics,’ by Washington Post
Associate Editor Bob Woodward, makes it clear the idea for the
draconian spending cuts originated in the White House – and not in
Congress.” (Austin Wright, “Bob Woodward Book Could Bolster Republican
Attack On W.H.,” Politico, 9/7/12)
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“Simply Put, The White House And The Democrats Were Going To Be Able To Sell A Deal To Their Rank And File Because Of Defense Cuts.” (Bob Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, p. 204)
President Obama’s Top Deputies, Including Jack Lew, Pitched The Idea Of Defense Cuts To Senator Harry Reid. “According
to the book, excerpts of which were obtained by POLITICO ahead of the
Sept. 11 release, President Barack Obama’s top deputies believed the
prospect of massive defense cuts would compel Republicans to agree to a
deficit-cutting grand bargain. Then-OMB Director Jack Lew, now the White
House chief of staff, and White House Legislative Affairs Director Rob
Nabors pitched the idea to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.),
Woodward writes.” (Austin Wright, “Bob Woodward Book Could Bolster
Republican Attack On W.H.,” Politico, 9/7/12)
Vice President Biden, On The Defense Cuts: “This Is A Dangerous Area, But We Should Look At It.” “On
the national side, including Defense, the State Department, Homeland
Security and Veterans Affairs, Lew said, ‘We are beginning a strategic
review – a fast strategic review is being initiated. But it’s possible
to talk about the numbers without Defense being on the table.’ ‘Veterans
Affairs,’ Biden interrupted in some wonderment. The military was
sacred, and it could be political suicide for Democrats to consider cuts
for vets. ‘This is a dangerous area,’ he acknowledged, ‘but we should
look at it.’” (Bob Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, p. 115)
Republicans In Congress Have Made Efforts To Avoid The Implementation Of President Obama’s Defense Cuts. “The
House of Representatives voted Thursday afternoon to pass the GOP’s
plan to replace the sequestration or automatic cuts that would have
slashed the defense budget with another set of budget reductions that
curtail domestic programs.” (John Parkinson, “House Passes Bill Stemming
Defense Cuts,” ABC News, 5/10/12)
But Now That The Cuts Are Threatening To Devastate Jobs And National Security, President Obama Is Quick To Blame Others:
President Obama’s Defense Cuts Could Put As Many As 1.5 Million Jobs At Risk.
“‘Sequestration ($1 trillion in cuts) assumes across the board spending
cuts with losses peaking in the 2013-2014 time period, with 1 million
to 1.5 million jobs lost and that could increase the U.S. unemployment
rate by nearly 1 percentage point in the near term,’ said Lt. Col.
Elizabeth Robbins, a spokeswoman of the Department of Defense.” (Sean
Gorman, “Rep. Randy Forbes Says 1.53 Million Defense Jobs Are ‘At
Risk,’” Politifact, 10/12/11)
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta
Says Defense Cuts Will Result In The “Smallest Ground Force Since 1940,
The Smallest Number Of Ships Since 1915 And The Smallest Air Force In
Its History.” “Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spelled out a
doomsday scenario Monday that he said could occur if Congress fails to
take action to avoid a $1 trillion cut in defense spending over the next
decade. Panetta, responding to a letter from Republican Senators John
McCain and Lindsay Graham, said cuts of nearly $100 billion a year would
leave the United States with its smallest ground force since 1940, the
smallest number of ships since 1915 and the smallest air force in its
history.” (David Alexander, “Panetta Spells Out Budget Cut Doomsday
Fears,” Reuters, 11/14/11)
Secretary Panetta: “Guarantees That We Are Going To Hollow The Force And Devastate Our National Security.”
PANETTA: “And let me tell you something if sequester goes into effect,
you can throw all of this out the window. Sequester doubles the numbers
of cuts, does it through that crazy formula, and guarantees that we are
going to hollow the force and devastate our national security.”
(Secretary Leon Panetta, Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee On
Defense, U.S. House Of Representatives, Testimony, 2/16/12)
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