Joe Wilson put out this release today:
At midnight tonight, the Department of Defense and other government agencies will fall victim to the President’s sequester. Every American family will be affected by the shifting of funds. In the South Carolina’s Second Congressional District, which I am grateful to represent, the Army’s base at Fort Jackson in Columbia is expected to lose approximately $75 million dollars. Additionally, the Savannah River Site in Aiken and Barnwell will be forced to furlough thousands of hardworking employees and stall critical national missions due to a possible $200 million budget cut. Both of these shifts will endanger our national security. The President and the Senate have refused to negotiate with House Republicans on a possible solution until today. House Republicans have voted twice to avoid sequestration. Our nation has a spending problem and we must address these issues before it is too late and our debt spirals out of control. The President should change course and begin working with both Houses of Congress to tackle the nation debt, which threatens American families. In conclusion, God Bless our troops and we will never forget September 11th in the Global War on Terrorism.
I’m glad that on this, Joe is going the traditional Republican strong-on-defense route, rather than the Tea Party way, as voiced by Mick Mulvaney:
When pressed about the defense cuts, Mulvaney said, “an 11 percent across the board reduction is probably not the best way to run a military. And
I do worry about a hollowed out military – a military that looks the same, but it not capable of performing the missions that we want it to perform. That’s what frightens me.”
But the second term Republican added, “I was the one who offered the amendment to freeze defense spending. I offered a 1 percent across theboard cut to help pay for (Hurricane) Sandy. I’m not one of those Republicans who thinks that defense spending is off the table.
“And that’s why I’ve supported previous efforts to replace those reductions with other reductions. But again, that being said, the only thing worse than those military cuts would be no cuts at all.”
When asked about cuts to other programs, including Homeland Security, education, and owelfare programs, Mulvaney was even more blunt.
“If we have to accept reducing spending in a less than perfect way, then I’ll except reducing spending in a less than perfect way. And keep in mind – this would be the only real spending cuts we’ve actually seen since I got to congress.”
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“If we have to accept reducing spending in a less than perfect way, then I’ll except reducing spending in a less than perfect way. And keep in mind – this would be the only real spending cuts we’ve actually seen since I got to congress.”
-Mulvaney
Huh? What does he mean by “I’ll except reducing spending in a less than perfect way”? Should except by accept? If that’s what he meant is he saying a “less than perfect way” is preferable to not reducing spending? If so how much imperfection in the spending cuts is acceptable before it becomes so imperfect that not reducing spending would be preferable?
Apparently Mulvaney is one of these robotic people that think only in terms of the federal government as some sort of evil entity whereby to make it smaller is to make it better. Given the complete and utter failure of the Europeans to bring about anything but more unemployment through the “magic” of austerity I would suggest folks like Mulvaney are very dangerous to the welfare of America.
“I would suggest folks like Mulvaney are very dangerous to the welfare of America.”
More dangerous than the people who got us into this mess? I’ll gladly try some austerity over spending trillions that we don’t have. The party’s over… time to clean up.
Na dip Fort Jackson and the SRS are two giant government employers in Wilson’s district. The SRS is probably the most likely of the two to see major cuts. He isn’t acting out of some noble idea like responsible leadership or responsible governing, but out of selfish interests, like his own reelection in 2014. Wilson is behaving like any rational, self-interested individual would act to protect their cushy Washington salary and benefits.
I don’t know what Mulvaney is thinking seeing as one of the largest employers and economic engines in his district is Shaw Air Force Base.
Seems as though the Republicans have dropped lets blame this all on the president meme, and have now adopted the sequester is better than no cuts at all meme. If you can’t find the scalpel then just use the rusty saw.
Joe Means (Government) Jobs!
It is difficult for me to appreciate this man but, when given the rare choice, I prefer lawyers in private practice.
I’m curious, does this mean that Michelle Obama and her extended family’s use of Air Force One will or will not be allowed under these budget cuts? I’d hate to think that she’d have to resort to flying Coach like rest of us commoners. I did hear that they are making Biden travel by train.
Joe Biden has chosen to commute by train for decades now. He’s a cool dude.
So then why has he had over 8,000 taxpayer funded flights to his house since being elected? He’s on the train because he’s being told his flights home have been stopped.
Over 8,000 flights in four years? What does he do, ride a plane all day? Do the math!
I second Kathryn’s question. Even giving the most generous interpretation, 8000 flights over the entirety of Biden’s public career (1972-present) comes out to 200 per year. That strains credulity.
I thought Joe commuted driving his Trans-Am. The president of vice!
Someone watched Good Times last night.
I would if I could.