President Obama campaigning against his own budget plan?

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When you -- of the budget showdown as President Obama campaigns against his very own budget idea that.

The White House proposed and he signed into law.

In interviews with local TV stations yesterday the president railed against congress warning about the impact automatic budget cuts.

Will have on this country if congress does not head them off by next week.

This is a problem the congress can solve.

These automatic spending cuts that were put in -- place back in 2011.

Were designed to get congress actually avoid them.

By coming together we're more sensible approaches to deficit reduction.

Remember this is a plan the president and his team came up with.

And then back and -- eleven actually the congress did submit to him the Republican submitted a different plan to try to avoid the sequester.

And the -- that have very different message in the wake of that then.

Already some in congress are trying to undo these automatic spending cuts.

My message to them is simple.

No.

I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts to -- domestic and defense spending.

There will be no easy off ramps on this -- Joining me now Simon Rosenberg -- president and founder of Indiana think tank and advocacy organization also former campaign advisor to President Clinton.

Also mark Jason has a fellow at the American enterprise institute and a former speechwriter for president George W.

Bush.

So I hear your take on those two varying messages mark.

Well it's very simple I mean look this is the president proposed these cuts he's fundamental law he came up with them and he did it by the way for political reason not an economic reason he says it was.

To makes creates a -- if congress would avoid he did it because he didn't want to have another debt limit fight.

Right before the election.

And so he he back and he was saying he would -- these cuts now all of a sudden they're the said there there that fiscal Armageddon is coming.

Both these cuts are so bad.

What is the president doing about it has he propose any alternative cuts the way the Republicans did.

Has he asked for authority from congress to reprogram the cuts to make -- more targeted -- -- met with John Boehner know he's going out and -- campaign events.

With first responders and talking to local TV anchors who -- asking tough questions like what well wasn't this your idea mister president.

So he is campaigning rather than leading and and he should be governing not going out there trying to blame Republicans for his own creation.

You -- -- -- to hear the president tell it.

You would think he had nothing to do -- sequester.

I don't think that's true American I mean I think that everybody was for -- I mean every Republican in the house and senate.

Voted for this John Boehner clearly is seated -- -- in the negotiations.

Back in 2011 this is somebody that was that was willfully created by everybody at the table and everybody agreed tonight it was the White House -- idea.

At that so what I mean the point is it was his idea but they are good but every single Republican in the house and senate voted for it.

I great rhythm and he wasn't involved I say I -- -- I don't think about it kind of latest I credit the question outright opposed you.

Yeah there's no question that that both parties are to blame for the -- -- considerably more the but.

When the president comes out here and says these people are gonna get laid off looking for first responders they're gonna go but up.

It it was his idea he signed into law parents and now it's like those evil Republicans they did it they -- all -- assumed it was his child.

Now I I think I think circumstances have changed and I think -- -- the president in what marks that is not true the president's proposed.

An alternative both the senate and house democratic leadership -- proposed alternatives to forgo.

The sequester it's clearly the people who want to get it done now the Republicans in what.

I think is important about what's happening now.

Is -- abstraction of cutting the budget is becoming real intangible.

If we cut the budget -- you know there's going to be real pain for Americans can be people who hold these government jobs -- -- benefits that are going to be cut.

In part what's gonna happen next week on March 1 to discuss forward.

Is senior citizens are gonna have Medicare -- and they're gonna have less good.

Health care because this and so I think that we're going from the abstraction of cuts out of the reality in one of the reasons this is hard to.

To cut the budget is not because Democrats want to spend spend spend.

But because this is gonna involve real pain for real Americans every time you cut the the budget something that makes this difficult.

-- for the Republicans and also I think.

They're going forward and all that in the fiscal negotiation market any.

I know you're not quite rolling your -- but you aren't yet ready to -- -- it is evident by doing this say is that this is crisp dialogue that described the budget cuts that the parties are arguing over right now in his power when he writes.

They are in fact automatic.

That are already on the books for is federal funding so we're gonna have increases battle buddies is a question of how much of an increase that's what they're arguing -- -- -- go -- mark.

Well actually what what -- that is -- what -- -- the Democrats want their solution -- not -- have alternate spending cuts that are more targeted -- solution is to raise taxes again look we just had a 600.

Billion dollar tax increase would -- spent with -- spending cuts.

Now that we have automatic spending cuts Obama wants replacement more tax increases where's the balanced approach he talked about -- sequester is the balanced approach.

These are the spending cuts that come after the tax increase in the reality is making as you pointed out.

We actually even -- the sequester happens we will spend more money this year than we did last year if we can't find 85.

Billion dollars out of a 3.5 trillion dollar budget we've got a big problem the problem isn't the amount the problem is the way the cuts are being done and so the simple solution is.

Republicans should just tell President Obama give him complete authority.

To reprogram the cuts any way he sees fit if he wants to cut first responders.

Instead of cutting his corrupt green energy program that'll be on him it'll be his choice we -- just given the authority and say you're not it's not.

You can -- cut where you want you can -- when you want that you but it's not a question of if it's a question of when and where Anderson -- a good idea Simon.

It's grossly -- Possible -- ridiculous frankly I mean for the Republicans Mitt Romney did not offer a single cut.

In that last in 2012 other than cutting NPR tonight talking about -- all Paul Ryan all right that was the Republican nominee in 2012.

Didn't offer a single cut the Republicans are unwilling.

To deal with a real cuts or better.

-- -- And you know Paul Ryan's mythical budget had all sorts -- budget targets without actual real cuts in them.

And I think the point is is that the idea that we're gonna through the house Republicans and result aside as government agreed to a what mark just laid out is that the -- the Republicans say fine you go figure out how to do the cut.

We don't want to be involved.

In the cuts themselves right because the cuts that are coming next week and I think -- the end of the day.

-- gonna blank look the Republicans are losing this debate inside that they're not -- right now 76% of the new pew pew poll today 76%.

Of voters say that they agree with the president's strategy on on the account on the deficit 19% agree with Republicans.

They are getting killed in the public debate -- the president.

The president approval rating has never been higher in all the polls that have come out this week that they're losing and so the point is to conclude Megan is that.

I think that the Republicans would be Smart to find common ground the president before march 1 and find a better way as mark said.

To make sure that these cuts are implemented in -- and less blunt fashion -- the way they're being discussed now to have mark but we have to agree that.

For the president common ground means giving in on -- tax increases look we already did -- tax increase -- 600 billion dollars of tax increases would know spending cuts where's the balanced approach Obama talks about.

This is it's very simple here's the balance we are going to cut 85 billion dollars.

Ought to -- 3.5 trillion dollar budget that is a miniscule amount and we will spend more this year than last year.

It's just a question of where and how to do it to do it and responsible way and look the president hasn't put forward a plan an alternative to the sequester.

For how to do enact those cuts -- -- he won't do it congress should give him the authority to cut where ever he wants its -- can make the decisions he could take -- out of defense.

Well that's -- that's on him then it's his fault I -- give him the blanket authority to cut wherever he wanted he rejects that.

What it shows is this -- he doesn't want a cut.

Guys -- a great job as always good to see you both.

Thank you -- making a quick shout out to a great fan of yours I met down in Florida this weekend at all.

-- what are your biggest fans down.

-- -- -- -- -- Think that they legend dale -- -- -- millionaires well.

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President Obama campaigning against his own budget plan?

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