Our President Wears Flip Flops: Urges Congress to Avoid Sequestration

by A Blinkin on February 20, 2013

I like Barack Obama, I really do. On the like-ability meter, he’s way up there. As a leader, he’s great. But as businessman trying to jump-start the economy, he’s killing me.

(Now I want you to re-read my intro while listening to this song.)

On February 19, 2013 – Our fearless leader appeared on public television URGING Congress to take action to avoid automatic budget cuts scheduled to happen on March 1st. As you have probably heard (too many times), these automatic cuts are referred to by Washington as The Sequester.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that our government wants to take the easy way out and metaphorically “kick the can down the road.” But, it does surprise me. Because…

On November 11, 2011 – Our fearless leader appeared on public television pledging TO VETO any efforts to undo these automatic spending cuts.

Wait, what?!?

I shit you not.

You can watch the CBS Coverage here. To be exact, he said:

“Already some in Congress are trying to undo these automatic spending cuts. My message to them is simple: No,” Mr. Obama said from the White House briefing room Monday evening. “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 one. We need to keep the pressure up to compromise.”

No easy off-ramps, eh?

Tagged as: government, politics, president obama, sequestration, spending cuts

  • http://www.debtroundup.com/ Grayson @ Debt Roundup

    Another thought provoking post. While I think it was contradictory of him, do you think he was doing it to fulfill the true purpose of the cuts? They were done in such a way to make Congress “compromise” (dirty word in politics). He was going to veto any effort because Congress was not coming up with a practical solution. They were just going to pass something that would get rid of the sequester. That is not a solution. Now he is urging them to get on the bubble and come up with a viable solution.

    Unfortunately, most forget that the President is really not the one running this show here. It is all on Congress. They are the ones that make the laws and the President is the one that signs them. If anything, we should all be upset with Congress for not getting it together, but many still want to blame the president. It is easier to blame one person than many, right?

    • Funancials

      You have a really good point. I actually wrote about it in previous articles “Presidents are at the mercy of the business cycle” and “who is more powerful? Barack Obama or Ben Bernanke?”

      It’s definitely easier to point the finger at the coach of the losing team – rather than trying to figure out which player, offense or defense, needs the most improving.

      After I wrote this, I realized I’m being extremely hard on the President. Honestly, what President is going to stand up in front of the country and say that we NEED to go into a recession to correct the overconsumption of the past decades? Republican or Democrat, it’s not going to happen.

      This specific quote just made me laugh because I distinctly remember him saying just the opposite a few short years ago. I have to return to writing about personal finance…politics and the economy is too depressing.

  • http://twitter.com/allthingsfinanc JW

    Politics at its best. All Congress (both sides) and Obama do is make promises and open ended statements, then not back any of it up. It’s easy to blame Obama, but Congress has not escaped harsh criticism. In a poll a few weeks back, the approval rating of Congress was just above herpes.

    • Funancials

      That’s hilarious. At least with herpes, you know what to expect.

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