Boehner: We’re fine with defense cuts

[Redfairen]

Source: Washington Post

The sequester put in place last year was supposed to be so unpalatable that both parties would have to come to an agreement. But House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) tells the Wall Street Journal that, now that tax increases are dealt with, the defense cuts in the deal don’t scare him.

He has significant Republican support, he said, for letting the defense cuts (along with drastic domestic spending cuts) take effect. “I got that in my back pocket,” he said. The sequester is “as much leverage as we’re going to get” to force Democrats to cut entitlement spending.

President Obama, he argued, was more worried about the sequester’s effect. “It wasn’t until literally last week that the White House brought up replacing the sequester,” Boehner said. “They said, ‘We can’t have the sequester.’ They were always counting on us to bring this to the table.”

Boehner also previewed his plan for the fight over the debt ceiling. Both he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) say they will refuse to even discuss raising taxes again, and the speaker won’t give up a demand that every increase in the debt limit be equally matched by spending cuts.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/01/07/boehner-were-fine-with-defense-cuts/

[Kber]

1. OK - then I guess we're all cool then?

[liberal N proud]

2. Domestic spending cuts = Medicare and Social Security

Which have nothing to do with the deficit or debt.

[Myrina]

3. Cool, let's cut military spending by 90%

We still have a big enough arsenal on hand to blow up the planet, several times over.
I suspect we won't need anything "new" for about 20 years, unless technology radically changes.

Take a portion of the spending earmarked for defense and turn it toward R&D for infrastructure, clean energy, building schools & nature preserves, and training teachers/scientists/future geeks. The rest can go toward the debt and funding existing domestic programs like Food Stamps, Medicare/Medicaid and SS.

[maddogesq]

6. IKE SPEAKS, EVEN FROM THE GRAVE.

[think]

16. Fatastic clip! TY for posting /nt

[maddogesq]

20. You are most welcome. Funny thing is...

IKE wouldn't be allowed--even in the peanut gallery--at a GOP convention, much less receive a nomination. The good news is the the Pubs are a divided lot now, and will have to swing back towards the center as a matter of survival. Then again, that may be a tall order given the existing factions that include the Neocons, the Teabaggers, and other thugs of all shapes and sizes.

[Andy823]

15. I totally agree

And we could also take away subsidies and tax breaks for big oil, corporate farms, benefits for congress they really don't need, and any other corporate welfare out there. I am sure we can find a lot of things to cut besides programs that actually help those who need them.

[Tagish_Charlie]

17. It's not like

we need aircraft carriers, thermonuclear weapons and cruise missiles to defend against a bunch of radical malcontents living in caves in Tora Bora

[Third Doctor]

4. He is lying through his teeth.

[leftyohiolib]

12. of course he's lying he's a republicon

[Zorro]

5. He's bluffing

[DCBob]

7. The MIC will not be happy with that comment.

I suspect his phone might be ringing now.

[Fearless]

8. Ok then. You go with that.

Pretty brave now that you've got your job back for a bit.

[UpInArms]

9. that's terrific!

Who would have thought that I'd ever agree with Boner?

Am ready to slash that military budget - and want to remind him that Social Security does not add to the deficit - it has been hijacked to pay for the military spending.

[Historic NY]

10. Social Security is not an entitlement, you paid for it....

every week in payroll tax deductions.

What are entitlements, are all the little perks and benefits elected officials enjoy at the taxpayers expense.

[Schema Thing]

11. actually that's what makes it an entitlement

Contrary to popular stupidism, the word "entitlement" refers to "something you are entitled to; owed, even", not "something you FEEL entitled to but are not".

[They_Live]

13. Thank You.

That's what I say to myself every time I hear that word.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Waiting for Cheeto to walk that back in 5..4..3..2..1 n/t

[bemildred]

18. Nothing really mattered except taxes on the rich, and he lost that one so ... nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. Bluff City

The sequester doesn't touch Medicare or Social Security. Boehner's conference can't sit for $550 billion in defense cuts. Boehner has no leverage. Obama made sure that the sequester didn't touch those programs. Boehner's whistling past the graveyard. There will be new revenue. They can whine and scream all they like, but it's coming.