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Penny Lee and Sue Kelly say both parties are responsible for looming automatic spending cuts
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Video here -- -- Kelly former new York Republican congresswoman good to see you sit crisis in and joining us from DC really former senior advisor.
To senate that Harry Reid good -- -- -- -- Good to see you Dan Bartlett stopped with the President's Day before we -- that I just want to show you some remarks the president made.
On the -- just a short time ago here's the present.
Wrong to ask the middle class to bear the full burden of deficit reduction that's why I will not sign a plan.
The -- the middle class.
So now Republican congress -- simple choice are they willing.
To compromise.
To protect vital investments in education and health care national security and all the jobs depend on.
-- would they rather put hundreds of thousands of jobs at our entire economy at risk.
Just to protect a few special interest tax loopholes that benefit only the wealthiest Americans -- -- corporations.
A -- Republicans saying as Martha Roby ripped -- representative from Alabama said over the weekend.
This was -- the president's fault and even his idea listen.
In his State of the Union Address President Obama himself admitted that these -- -- a really bad idea.
What the president failed to mention is that just a question always says that -- Her -- back hits administration.
During the debt limit negotiations.
All right so let's get to the panel now let me get a penny first in DC.
Penny is not a fair point that this was proposed by the president to sequester.
During those debt limit negotiations.
And -- Washington can you have both sides agree that a deal is that.
That's something that is being proposed -- absolute horrible so let's go ahead and implement it.
I it's pretty is down they what is happening right now on an a lot of that is because.
The consequences of it probably won't be felt for at least another thirty days or or more beyond -- so.
You know the -- now -- in this period where Washington really only deals with the crisis to shore.
And this right now has -- delayed reactions so it could and it kicked this went down they added I can't think it can down the road.
And as far as the criticism that this -- President -- -- idea.
It may have banned in Britain where he originated in and I thought that he had but both sides both chambers both Republicans both Democrats passed it.
So it is.
Something on everybody everybody has a responsibility on the sequestered as bad as it is so -- that would seem to be a very fair argument that everybody's responsible -- they all need to shape up.
I think think this a fair argument no question.
-- on the other hand the idea did come from a couple of staffers in the White House and there was a trade off with it.
The idea was it would be so bad that they would get a budget passed with.
Spending cuts now the president is sitting in the White House talking about Republicans.
In congress he doesn't talk about the fact that.
Democrats.
Voted for this -- It's a bipartisan -- Penney just said it's a bipartisan.
Bad deal for -- for America all right.
So -- how do we fix it heading what do we do next.
Well here we go again that we got hit we had to looming deadlines we have march 27 in which the government actually runs out of money.
To function and others a lot of viewers out there would probably say good.
Government does need to run out of money but there's and then there's also an August were likely gonna face another debt ceiling itself.
Congress is going to delay.
And try to put me recent -- it fixes it within each one of those bills.
To get the larger issue at -- whether shut down the government or let the full faith and credit United States' fault so they'll try to put a -- in there.
Likely what you're probably Tennessee is something coming out of the house which is being originated right -- the house which is.
Flexibility.
The one point two trillion dollars worth of cuts is across the board in the -- is it's just and it has no merit as far as which the program is better so they're trying to say ask.
For flexibility within each agency that they can actually.
Go into those programs that might have a little bit more waste and -- a little bit more fraud waste fraud and abuse.
-- and -- and protect those.
Those budgets in which really need to go towards the nationals the security of our nation or other critical matters so.
That's likely wanna be most -- first compromises that's gonna come out I didn't.
It's -- what do you see waiting to.
Once if I ice I think the sequester will happen I don't think isn't any question that it's going to happen and when you put it in perspective.
It and it's being logged about an app from the White House especially.
There's talking about how it's going to cut education.
And seeing here -- and so forth.
In fact.
That congress has the purse strings they tell each agency of the government how much they get.
But the president.
Appoint secretaries to control those agencies like that a secretary of education.
And so -- And health and human services so the president has a great deal of what latitude in what gets cut where.
So why are they flogging -- -- anger the other thing to thing I think about is it's 85 billion dollars.
Think about 85 billion dollars as opposed to the trillions.
Of dollars that are we have are actually running in -- but any budget.
The it's the -- problem is no one wants to admit that they need to make the cut on the other hand.
That Simpson Bowles people are talking again about the fact that it has to be both sides it has to be both tax cuts -- -- cuts.
But John the Republicans -- another tax increases the Republicans talking about both the presidency has -- taking in about balanced approach it.
Well do we trust the president anymore.
I don't side I don't know you're awesome -- any other.
I'll I'll check the facts not just that backs this eight and I'll check the facts -- with the taxes are saying is that.
Because of that budget control act that started at one point two trillion dollars worth of cuts that have been out there and that are put into law right now that will go into effect.
Other fact is that with the recent negotiations that just occurred at the end it.
A December you saw a revenue increase of about 600 billion dollars so.
You have both spending cuts for Democrats especially green to -- spending cuts and revenue raising.
Goalie -- Republicans have said absolutely absolutely no more revenue we just all need to do it on the -- So we do and I agree with some -- -- that we do need to have a better and a more balanced approach and that includes cuts.
Revenue raises an entitlement reforms that really is until you deal with entitlements you really -- only talking on the margins of everything else.
So yeah.
To me he's essentially a city that everybody says Simpson Bowles has the ounces why don't we just do it -- and you tell me when we don't do it that think another thing about the east of this whole business on the sequester.
Is it would take the budget back to.
-- the budget of 2007.
I don't think that the country was hurting terribly badly with what was spent by the federal government in 2007.
What -- -- what this.
It's not really early into an appalling recession that too -- -- has risen -- well -- that wasn't a problem because of what the government spent.
The answer that the Obama administration wants to spend an enormous amount of money and put us further into debt.
What is more important about this 85 billion dollar -- Is it's really an attached to a budget that's for a new spending cuts.
It's not olds but it's not going back it is so bad reach into it and it's so people are saying well we're going to be cut.
It means that -- your budget is not going to go up.
You're going to have to live within whatever you've been getting from the federal government prepare for the senate didn't -- hasn't passed a budget for well it's going on for years now.
And so -- there hasn't then this argument going on and nothing real has happened nobody's been really hurt.
And it hasn't it hasn't affected.
People in the ways that they -- the fear mongers are doing -- you know it it's crazy that people are so afraid of cutting.
We need to cut and Simpson ambles set note.
They've -- it you know I have.
Very and then -- Richard you know why some symbols hasn't passed yet is because you're dealing in the political reality vs -- fiscal reality.
And the political reality -- that for every single one of those cuts there is that constituency.
And a lot of that constituency is quite loud depending on what that cut may or may not be and -- you have this paradox on the one side.
You know you have the American public saying cut cut cut cut maybe not my cut and the other saying that we don't we don't want her we want to raise taxes on wealthier we want it.
Keep taxes as low as possible and the two don't square monetary early they just simply don't square up.
So when you put something out there yes.
You know I think we should have -- one point two trillion dollars for the cuts in -- gonna take some bite to it.
But it at this same time -- -- -- -- comedy Kansas pressure like.
Save the firefighters say the nurses say the teachers -- -- And that political contacts you know whenever wind the representatives go back home and they hear from their constituency.
Well when you said -- I didn't think you manage the cuts that affect me.
That's when you get the stalemate so unfortunately.
We're gonna have to make some really top decision.
It's a good point is this -- that nobody really everybody talks about the cuts but nobody really wants them -- effect on them or an important -- Of their constituents.
You have a White House that's politicizing this in a very strong way no longer says it's congress that needs students shape up here and get this done.
It's the Republicans he says he's talking no longer about congress but the Republicans that politicize this in addition to that he's when he's on.
This morning on television with a whole bunch of firefighters as -- points out firefighters and first responders.
They are all standing behind him as he talks about the sequester.
Now that's -- politicizing how many I mean.
How many times you have to see.
It president and it's been going on for -- many years not just this presidency they stand up in front of television and they put a whole bunch of his special interest group people behind them I don't care -- -- the steelworkers of firefighters there's somebody standing behind them.
And nodding their heads about whatever they're saying about some hot button issue.
This is a hot button issue now because we arm bankrupting the United States of America we are letting foreign nationals picked up.
And and sovereign nations pick up.
Whether they're buying into America's such an alarming rate I wonder who was -- America anymore because our debt they're buying our debt.
Penny -- -- and how much trouble we and if we don't fix this do you believe.
I think they'll want to Marion have been okay -- called.
Situation and that's kind of together crux is that you have this need to continue on on a short term basis.
Some of the continued investments to make sure that we don't put that our cells back into recession.
And that seems to be that the focus right now is is -- to the next thirty days or get us to the next you know next year but with.
-- -- we absolutely -- have to address the long term consequences and that's where.
The entitlement reforms have to coming to play.
If we continue to increase of health care costs and we continue on the rise in which we are Social Security Medicare and Medicaid.
We are unsustainable life you know but unfortunately talk about it in these years of 20/20 52032.
Or.
Whatever the case might be -- an -- no one can really grass.
The gravity of the situation.
So and until you're dealing with you know shutting down the government or having the full faith and credit in the -- up in arms.
You know people just aren't -- -- -- -- to -- so unfortunately we're gonna be in -- circular conversation for awhile.
You -- you agree -- was that sort of sadly pessimistic view would still lives on -- unfortunate one of the things that can correct this is we start is if we start teaching.
About America and America's political.
As well as well as policy background in high schools we don't we don't teach this anymore.
And so you get people who think when they vote twice well what's the difference in you know what's the what's the big -- I voted twice.
That is because they don't understand that it's a felony.
I believe it's against the federal law to vote more than two months.
But they don't understand the place of the vote in our democracy.
And why it's how does that help us fix -- budget as well if it -- isn't going to but ultimately that's the kind of address we have I think we have to do we have to educate people and we have to do it without the cynicism.
That you see I think so many people have become so have become so cynical.
About politics -- politics in general I have I I blame this president for politicizing this situation more than it ever needs to be.
He he's he is.
Continuing.
To run.
For that office or for the Democratic Party.
If he hit it proves to me that he really isn't I thought it was very Smart when he was elected.
I was told that by the media I don't think he's so Smart anymore because he doesn't understand that in Washington the only way you can get anything done.
Is with bipartisanship.
You don't win a bipartisan group it is working.
Such as the people working on the on the immigration issue in the senate.
That's a bipartisan group of people bends and what -- what he's done his yesterday undercut.
By leaking of White House immigration plan he undercut both parties he undercut the senate.
It's -- cynical move.
And it's politicizing something that needs work and needs to be resolved until that kind of behavior changes.
-- four and is allowed.
Abide by the president it -- we are never going to resolve these I agree with penny it's going to be a long haul.
-- had it this is the president is so politicized nation of the process that is there is that the -- cools it.
Yeah every president and it can be accused of having you know advocating for -- -- it for their agenda in there for being politicized.
But that but to the part about come from compromise.
The president is willing to sit down and meet with anybody in which he feels that he can advance the ball for.
Unfortunately -- John -- here in the situation that's occurred over the negotiations over budget matters is.
He realizes that even when he's negotiating.
John Boehner cannot deliver his caucus.
-- so therefore it you know and -- it can be a constructive conversation.
He's he's less willing to as a very handy that's -- totally different argument I'm talking about the immigration bill I'll miss Canada with the red dress and I think if I don't I cut and I address the you don't operated at a rapid okay -- on your money on the issue of immigration is.
That it was not in the White House leak last night in fact he wants to make sure that the -- wants to ensure that the bipartisan group -- sort.
He's working on something that he's always that he would be willing to don't want to work on his -- its own ideas in case.
-- structure break stamps so he it was an unfortunately.
All right penny -- former senior advisor to senator Harry Reid and sue Kelly.
Former new York Republican congressman or woman great to see you Bob thank you very much.
As with comments we -- not gonna solve all of these issues.
In one debate around this table and we will revisit the mall as you well know thank you both very much good to see have a great -- are.
