You're watching...
Republicans accuse White House of trying to keep Americans in the dark about losing their jobs from impending defense cuts
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
Major controversy brewing over these automatic defense spending cuts that could take effect early next year if lawmakers cannot reach a deal.
Thousands of Americans at a minimum could lose their jobs and now according to reports.
The Obama administration is urging companies to hold off on issuing the pink slips.
And some believe is because those layoff notices would go out just before Election Day South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham.
Republican and a member of the senate armed services and the Senate Budget Committee sir good morning -- you.
Good morning what are we to make of this.
Would you make I think I think it's pathetic politics I think our commander in chief is sitting on the sidelines kind -- -- problem rather than solve it.
In the Republican Party has its fingerprints all over this problem what is the problem.
When the super committee failed to ever achieve one point two trillion dollars in cuts.
Over the next decade they sequester.
Which in Latin means dumb politicians destroying the fans.
The -- because golf sequester says that he failed super committee we're gonna take 600 billion dollars the Defense Department as a punishment.
We've already taken 487.
Billion dollars out of this department if you have these automatic defense cuts the cost of the super -- committee's failure.
Here's what Leon Panetta our defense that face it.
Would be the consequences.
It would did decimate our defense it would cripple us in terms of our ability to protect this nation.
It would be the he -- ship without sailors it's a brigade without bullets it's an -- -- without enough trained pilots.
It's a paper tiger would be shooting ourselves in the head.
And our commander in chief is plain stupid games with the law.
In January 2013.
The -- the -- sequestration hits through under the law.
The companies have to give their employees sixty days notice.
In if they don't they have to pay -- sixty days of wages so the Department of Labor under the Obama administration's telling the company's you don't have to.
Abide by the law this is ridiculous.
This makes Eric Holder -- like a good lord wow.
Strong language -- senator.
Well that's a strong dumb thing we're doing and by the way my party.
Has their fingerprints all over it it was the Republican leadership who agreed with the concept.
If the super committee thing sold.
Let's have decimating the Defense Department as one of the consequences.
The party of Ronald Reagan would never allow that happen here's my solution if the politicians failed to do what's right -- the country.
Are the politicians and keep the -- Would -- yesterday I think the White House said that the military personnel will be spared.
It's just suggesting that the company come and other areas try to guess the -- -- -- yet that -- -- until I have that correct yeah yeah you.
Did this is these aren't the commander in chief.
Of the United States who has the ultimate loyalty and responsibility.
He's having his executive branch say ignore the law you don't have to -- these notices -- it would hurt my reelection.
And by the way we're not gonna hurting me the soldiers -- hacking -- soldier go to war if they have no look look at Clinton remember war warts is.
After war one we decimated our defenses and you had to train but -- -- and cardboard.
So what good is it to have a bunch of people sit around without equipment.
If sequestration goes in the thick and you can't do anything.
To the personnel side that means there are no modern weapons to fight the war in the -- there will be no stealth technology.
All the old old stuff stays around and there's no misstep is the dumbest solution in the world.
Ever Republican in every Democrat owns this.
We should be trying to fix it cannot suggested.
Fix it for one year we can't do the whole team in years between now and the election of defense fascinating hobby any extended for a year or not and -- -- -- every big shots.
-- find alternative cuts in the budget.
Beginning in January 15 billion comes out the Defense Department on top of the 487.
Billion we've already cut.
-- ways to.
Help the Defense Department save them from these devastating cuts.
Look work together to find savings and other areas there are some dollars you could still find in the -- and the defense budget but sequestration.
Destroys the Defense Department it starts in January less fun to -- your solution.
Let's work together to take the first year off the table so the next congress can deal with this responsibly before we set in motion.
One point one million layoffs.
And I got problems that I want to bring you back to some -- more serious charges here and that is that you're saying the White House the president.
It is urging defense contractors to disobey the law.
Bill because it but there is a sixty day notice required that would mean what the first of November.
Because of the cuts are going to be enacted on January 1 that's -- the notice would go out that he would be layoffs correct and if that's the case that's about five days before the election that's a quick.
-- -- There's some states that require ninety days notice be clear as to what Lindsey Graham this thing about this White House.
Their legal reasoning in the Department of Labor advisory opinion makes no sense unless the laws changed -- required to issue the warn act notices.
January is the drop dead date they're saying that this may change.
It's possible that it might change therefore you don't have issued notices.
That's crazy if any come on -- does he follow the law what would be the strategy for such advice.
Why would they I think I thought.
There's only one -- -- they don't want the layoff notices that yet ripe for the election they don't want.
This administration to be held responsible.
For -- one point one million Americans in the defense industrial complex losing their job.
The cost the congress and the White House jointly.
Have created the dumbest idea in the history of -- congress they're known for dumb ideas.
They don't want to.
To put the public on notice he should be doing the show I'm not -- if Roger Ailes is -- how about doing an hour show on sequestration.
Tell the public what happens to the finest military in the history of the world if we let this again in January so they're Department of Labor reasoning makes no sense legally.
I think is politically motivated and you can't zip personnel from this because if you do that then you have nothing to fight -- Senator thank you for your time.
Our bonds takes suggestions all the time -- -- we'll see about this one.
Senator Lindsey Graham Republican from South Carolina.
Who is known to happen this plan now things.
