Warning: "Crippling Defense Cuts" - Sequestration

The Obama administration has attacked free speech, gun rights, and religious freedom.  It has  has failed to protect our borders, deemed it not important to deport illegals, participated in gun running, attacked our energy producers, etc., etc., etc. Using a Midwest colloquialism, the following should "Scare Us Spitless."

There is one part of the government that has not taken an oath to an imperial presidency. Instead its members have taken an Oath to defend the Constitution against ALL enemies foreign and domestic. That part of the government is the U.S. Military - Department of the Navy (includes Marines), Department of the Army, and Department of the Air Force under the direction of the Department of Defense. These departments stand for the protection of America and if need be to stand against those who seek to destroy our country.

There has already been negative rhetoric over the last 3 1/2 years which has shown a disdain of the military. Even President Obama has attacked active and retired military by claiming they have not sacrificed enough and should bear more cost of paying for their medical which was provided as part of their pay, which is too low, and benefits package. But that is an article for another time. The primary attack at this moment is set to weaken the Defense Department of Defense / Military capabilities needed to protect the United States from our enemies foreign and domestic.

That primary attack is called sequestration.

CNN wrote on Saturday, “Republicans are calling on President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Senate to act before sequestration takes place at the beginning of next year, saying cuts to the military are ‘not the way to address America's fiscal challenges.’ . . . The president signed the Sequestration Transparency Act earlier this week, which will require his administration to detail within 30 days of signing the bill the required $1.2 trillion in cuts to domestic and defense programs if Congress doesn't agree to a deficit-reduction plan by January 2 of next year. This timeframe means Obama will need to report the effects to Congress by Labor Day weekend, also the beginning of the Democratic National Convention.”

In the Weekly Republican Address, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) discussed the consequences of potentially crippling defense cuts: “Unless the current law is changed, sequestration will force another half a trillion in cuts to defense programs over the next 10 years.  Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has described the effect on our national security as devastating, and I agree.

“Although the full impact of these cuts remains unknown, some very startling projections have emerged.  Under sequestration: Army units would receive less training before they deploy to the Middle East. Marine Corps troop levels would be cut by 10 percent, leaving our Marines without sufficient manpower to meet even one major overseas operation. The Navy fleet would drop to 230 ships, the lowest number since World War I.  And the Air Force would lose vital maintenance funds required to keep our fighters, bombers, and remotely-piloted aircraft flying around the world.

“The stakes are unmistakably high.  Crippling defense cuts are just around the corner, and we have an obligation to make tough decisions on how to avoid sequestration and balance the budget long-term.  Some defense manufacturers have already begun the process of issuing legally required layoff warning notices to shareholders and employees. According to multiple forecasts, up to 1 million jobs are at risk. One report estimates that my home state of Mississippi alone could lose more than 11,000 jobs. . . . Severe and indiscriminate cuts that harm our security are not the way to address America’s fiscal challenges.”

Last month, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “Just as the next President will take the oath on inauguration day, we too take an oath as Senators. We have the responsibility to raise and support Armies and provide and maintain a Navy. If we let sequestration as currently written go forward and do not act we will have failed. And that’s why I am so disappointed with the President’s failure of leadership on this issue, and that of Senate Democrats"

The Obama campaign website, "Obama Truth Team," argues that "Congressional Republicans are risking serious consequences in order to launch a political attack. President Obama understands that the effects of such massive spending cuts would undermine our national security. The reductions would indiscriminately slash the Pentagon’s funding by nearly 20% over the next decade, threatening to undermine America’s military."

However, in reality, it is Democrats who have stopped all actions in the Senate. The House has taken actions but the Democrats who are in control the Senate are blocking all actions. They feat taking any actions that would affect the elections and their control. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta (a democrat) has noted that sequestration would drastically shrink the military and diminish its ability to keep the United States safe.

Senator McConnell counters, “Both House and Senate Republicans have offered proposals to replace the savings from sequestration with more thoughtful and targeted spending cuts.  . . .  [Recently,] Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, Senator Kyl, and I sent a letter to the President asking him to work with us to find a bipartisan solution before the end of the fiscal year. With a $3.6 trillion annual budget, clearly there is a smarter, more thoughtful way to achieve at least $110 billion in savings. It is simply outrageous that this President and Senate Democrats are missing in action on this issue. We are committed to finding a solution on this before we recess for the election. Are they? Or are they committed to jeopardizing our national security? When will they sit down and work with us to find a solution?”

In conclusion, if you were not in love with America, if you thought America was no better than any other country, if you bowed to other countries and traded off to other countries America's superiority in various industries including the oil and gas industry, if you feared those who actually take an Oath standing in the was of a progressive socialist agenda, which way would you really be on with regard to sequestration? Besides, the present Commander in Chief has lapsed back into his continuous "Campaigner in Chief" mode. He really doesn't appear to have time to take actions to protect and preserve the Defense capability of the United State of America.  Scared Spitless?

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Tags: Barack Obama, Obama Administration, Crippling Defense Cuts, Sequestration, DOD, US Military, National Defense, Scared Spitless To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!