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Obama MIA in budget battle?

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    Top Republicans call on president to show leadership on defense spending, tax cuts

  • Duration 4:43
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Thirty minutes past the hour now and there are new worries about the so called fiscal cliff -- top Republicans ask.

Where's the president on this issue.

Senators John McCain and Kelly -- -- accusing President Obama being MIA in calling on the White House to show leadership to avert looming tax hikes.

And defense got scheduled for the end of the.

-- obligation of the commander in chief.

Is to act like the commander in chief and that would be to prevent.

These cuts which in the words of his own secretary of defense would devastate our national security unfortunately the present this chosen not.

Fear.

-- senator Rand Paul has some thoughts on this he's with me from the hill now senator Howard good morning.

Good morning though.

What do you think is the practical effect.

If these cuts happened on December 31 -- Well I'm one of the few Republicans who actually believes that we do have to look at military spending we've doubled military spending over the last ten years.

And I think we do need to bring the top line number now.

-- the military -- pretty significant in year one and then military spending begins to grow after year one.

If we can eliminate the military's plastering your wine but replace it with real cuts not ten -- cuts the real cuts now I would consider that.

But I do think to make the military more efficient.

We need to audit the Pentagon the Pentagon says are too big to be audited.

And I think that's an insult to the taxpayer you know a year notice over the -- outside in the budgets that you disagree with Senator McCain over that a military accurate.

Yeah I think that we will find deficiencies in military spending if we reduce the top line number and we have to keep in perspective.

That we doubled military spending over the last ten years so no I think we can have a strong defense and spend less.

And it's ultimately the compromise if Republicans are willing to do that.

Democrats than have to be willing to cut domestic spending.

Really both spending needs to come down we have a trillion dollar deficit.

If we don't start cutting everywhere across the board everywhere we're never gonna get there by saying oh.

Military spending sacred went off and it touches and yet you know you have to look at the senator McCain's.

Big point is that the president's been missing it.

And I don't know that I'll get it Rihanna I don't know -- you get it done -- -- -- participation what's your view on home.

-- you not been calling the president I don't get any phone calls back I would like to talk with the president about the things we can agree to.

Went -- met with them before I've told them we need to fix the entitlement I'm still willing to do it even though it's an election year.

I will sit down the president I've called -- but I haven't gotten an answer.

Also we'll sit down the president and there are certain taxes that the deaths and many Democrats agree the corporate tax should go down so we can compete with other countries.

Why wait till after the election the economy actually might perk up it actually might be good for the president to come to us and make a deal.

But he needs to call me back to if you see the president tell me give me at all I got to that check your voicemail.

It appears though this schedule between post election.

In the first of the year.

We'll keep you guys working on Thanksgiving and -- -- possibly Christmas Eve even beyond that.

Because that that now seems to be a six week time frame we're gonna have to get all this done.

If if the deadlines would help us do the right thing I'd be all for it.

Unfortunately in my short experience -- here's what we meet deadlines we usually do the wrong thing and we just kick the can down the road and we raise spending.

We have to make tough decisions now but I just in -- go before the election.

And I think that there are things that we could agree to the threat with the president.

You have to fix Social Security it's out of money you've got to fix Medicare it's out of money.

And we can't just -- new programs on top of programs that are out of money was my initial point about Obama care yes I think complain about -- -- add that on.

When Medicare's already 3540 trillion dollar -- so you may disagree with Senator McCain -- on how you get there.

What you do -- with him on the charge of MIA missing in act right.

And what I do agree with -- that -- McCain also is is that the priority the number one thing we're supposed to do appears provide for the national defense.

The constitution calls for that so if it is a choice of eliminating an unconstitutional.

Program.

In order for deserved national defense I'm all for that.

But -- willing to it to listen to the the idea that there is -- military spending also and that we need to audit the Pentagon and that we need to look at ways.

If you bring the top line number down it will force people -- audit and figure out where money's being wasted thank you senator it's good to have you back and Randy Paula at a Kentucky with us today.

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