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Sen. Barrasso sounds off on sequestration

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    WY lawmaker reacts to cuts

  • Duration 5:23
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Alright earlier I talked of Wyoming's Republican senator John Barrasso who says the White House is playing politics with the lives of every day Americans.

Spending cuts are finally going to occur we've been trying to get spending under control for a long period of time and this is just.

The first step the American people realize that.

At least half of the money they send to Washington in taxes is wasted they know that Washington is full of wasteful spending.

And I think now -- the American people are getting what they had asked for in terms of trying to get the spending under control but they're worried.

That their kids are gonna be buried in their grandkids under a mountain of debt.

-- the cuts are happening but many people are very concerned about the specific cuts they're going to be taking place and say dad.

The cuts could have been prioritize better and that we didn't have to take such drastic measures for example with the military.

Well the president.

Has said that the cuts were -- and arbitrary and I agree and that's why I.

Supported legislation that would have given the president the flexibility.

That he needed.

Two to make the cuts in the right places and that was a bipartisan support of that.

Mark Warner from just -- about military senator Warner from Virginia former governor of Virginia voted to give the president flexibility.

But it seems to be like the president didn't want flexibility he seems to just want to.

Use kind of fear and anxiety.

To try to force the hand of raising taxes.

And I'm not buying it I know there's enough Washington wasteful spending in terms of programs that are overlapping in an efficient and effective.

-- -- reverse over a 110 billion dollars.

In.

The improper payments money that went out from Washington last year.

That's what we need to get under control we need to make sure that we watch where the money is spent.

And give the president the flexibility but.

He doesn't seem to want it.

Youths -- record saying that the president chose to put our national security in jeopardy.

Well the president is the commander in chief he has a responsibility.

To make sure that we as a nation remains strong.

And does the president should have embraced this flexibility that he has been offered.

So that he could make the right choices for our country but it seems that he would rather have a political.

Arguments he used to try to instill.

Fear and anxiety.

And in the in this in the hearts and minds of the American people in an effort to try to raise taxes.

But I am just not buying it I think we are probably is wasteful Washington spending and I want to make sure that we cut that.

Even at this moment the president continues to blame the Republicans for the impasse.

But isn't it true that the president himself has the power to choose what cuts are actually made.

I think the president has more flexibility than he once -- -- on I mean it's astonishing that his secretary of education.

Goes on national TV to say that all these teachers are gonna get cut when that's not at all the case.

And that in preparation for this sequester.

That through his department's a number of illegal immigrants who -- being detained were released.

You know it just seems you're responsible.

In my mind of what this administration is doing.

In an effort to try to force.

The congress and the American people who troop increase taxes.

-- across the board and even in a bipartisan effort on the floor of the senate.

A number of senators even Democrats voted against raising taxes.

Warn anyone even though that was the president's proposal so you have Democrats who are running for office.

In the in the number of states North Carolina Arkansas and Louisiana who voted against.

The president's proposal of raising taxes because they know that the people in their states don't want taxes to go up.

Let me ask you this final question on the situation right now when you look at the big picture.

The public White House extremely frustrated with government in Washington because certainly -- sequester situation was -- issue that.

Go slowly back to 2011.

And a lot could've been done before between now and then.

And why is there is such an impasse the people are frustrated with what -- saying that they don't have faith in government to get anything done in a substantive way.

Debt is good for the American people how do you respond to that.

Well I think the American people are right because of the presidential.

Election the president didn't want to come to the table to discuss these issues but you're right it's been a year and a half.

The president talked about the -- budget situation I would say where's the president's budget.

He's a month late in coming up with a budget this year the one that he brought last year not even any Democrats.

Voted for the senate hasn't passed a budget under Harry Reid the Democrats control now.

For.

For.

Years families can't live that way.

And our government can't continue to function that way but yet there is and that's why I support legislation this is no budget no pay that if we don't pass a budget.

Members of congress should not get paid the American people deserve better than what they're getting today from congress and from the president.

-- -- -- -- Thank you very much for joining us -- -- your -- really appreciate all the best to you thanks for having me.

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