Sequestration will not happen, Obama says in final debate

Federal News Radio ^ | 23 Oct 12 | Michael O'Connell

[SkyPilot]

Sequestration will not happen. President Barack Obama made this assertion Monday night during the third and final presidential debate in Boca Raton, Fla. "The sequester is not something that I proposed," Obama said, of the $1.2 trillion in automatic budget cuts set to kick in on Jan. 2. "It's something that Congress has proposed. It will not happen. The budget that we're talking about is not reducing our military spending. It's maintaining it."

Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney used the debate to outline their different approaches to reducing federal spending.

"We're going to cut about 5 percent of the discretionary budget excluding military," Romney said.

The former Massachusetts governor said he would balance the budget within eight to 10 years by reducing spending on a number of programs.

"Number one I get rid of is 'Obamacare,'" he said. "There are a number of things that sound good but, frankly, we just can't afford them. And that one doesn't sound good, and it's not affordable, so I get rid of that one from day one; to the extent humanly possible, we get that out. We take program after program that we don't absolutely have to have and we get rid of them."

Mitt Romney, left, as Republican presidential nominee, and President Barack Obama, right, during the third presidential debate at Lynn University, Boca Raton, Fla. (AP graphic)President Obama challenged his opponent's call to cut $5 trillion by closing loopholes and deductions while asking for an additional $2 trillion on defense spending.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Does not square with “will not sign anything that does not raise taxes on the wealthy”

[Rapscallion]

He made it sound like he will prevent sequestration. More proof that he just does not understand the budget or the laws that govern us (and him).

[Rapscallion]

Is he lying deliberately or is he simply delusional?

Or far more ignorant and incompetent than his supporters know.

Remember no one seriously calls himself an "A-Hole". Everyone else though just knows it by listening to him.

[trebb]

A White House underling has tried to spin this into saying what Obama meant to say was "should" not happen, but the President nor his campaign has clarified this incredible statement from last night.

Mitt played it exactly right - he avoided all the mines that had been laid for him and Zero came through by giving Mitt's folks enough ammo to carry the next couple weeks. Mitt 56% Zero 42% Virgil Goode and other spoilers 2% (I can dream...).

[Americanexpat]

I have been watching this guy for four years and every time he gets up before a crowd of people he lies.

[crosshairs]

Maybe barry thought sequestration had something to do with horses.

[McGruff]

Lighten up. Obama’s contracted Joe Biden disease.

[what's up]

He's referring to the 1.2 trillion in automatic cuts that have to happen early next year because Obama wasn't able to get a regular budget deal with GOP leaders this year.

A huge number of those cuts hit the military (over half). That means 10's of thousands of military jobs will vanish in states like VA.

Obama's lying. Sequestration is law and now has to happen. If Romney becomes President he'll figure a way out of the problem.

[SkyPilot]

Obamessiah LIED... he said “will not happen”, but AFTER the debate the White Hut “clarified the issue” = “What he meant was it “SHOULD NOT HAPPEN”. There is a chasm as big as the Grand Canyon between “will” and “SHOULD” and Obamessiah has no intention of keeping ANY statement or so-called “promise” he made regarding ANYTHING because he is a LIAR!

The difference between Obama's declartion last night (in front of an international audience of millions of people, including the entiring voting public and the media) between "SHOULD NOT" and "WILL NOT" is gargantuan.

It is the difference between over a million jobs, the difference between the military capability of our nation, the difference between sending our nation deeper into a Recession it never climbed out of, and the difference between our next debt crisis - which is right around the corner.

How the presstitutes can allow Obama to weasel out of this incredible statment by allowing a campaign underling to spew post-debate statements in the "spin room" is incredible.

As has been stated here, Sequestration was the Obama White House's idea! Even Bob Woodward has documented this. The debt deal talks solidify these facts.

Moreover, it is NOT defense spending that is breaking the back of this nation. It is entitlements - the very thing that was "off the table" during the debt ceiling negotiations because the White House and Democrats will not address them.

The Democrats and Obama, instead, chose to hold a gun to the head of our military, which is going to suffer 50% of the up front, automatic cuts. Moreover, how many of you believe the Democrats won't find some way to keep funding their pet domestic programs while allowing defense to be further gutted under Obama II?

This is a trainwreck.

Obama should be asked by the press night and day from now until election day "What are you going to do about sequestration?" Either he is going to work with Congress to stave off these cuts that will gut defense, or he will sit by and do nothing - - which is exactly what he has been doing for months!

I know one thing - I am 100% positive that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid wet their pants last night when Obama made this gaffe or declaration - take your pick. It undermines their entire lie about what sequestration really is, and how bad it is.

[upcountryhorseman]

After the debate, his people backed down on that!

[workerbee]

"There are a number of things that sound good but, frankly, we just can't afford them. And that one doesn't sound good, and it's not affordable, so I get rid of that one from day one; to the extent humanly possible, we get that out.

Hmmm.

[workerbee]

The sequester is not something that I proposed," Obama said, of the $1.2 trillion in automatic budget cuts set to kick in on Jan. 2. "It's something that Congress has proposed.

WHAT???? How much balder can a lie get???

Maybe Romney should've had Bob Schieffer check the transcript!

[chessplayer]

White House reversing itself already. Actually, they reversed themselves last night after the debate was over.

“Megyn, you mentioned the sequester earlier, the massive cut to the Defense Department, the Pentagon, that’s coming up on January 2. The president said tonight that the sequester will not happen. That was a key moment. And it did make news. Well now, the White House, the campaign is back-pedaling. David Plouffe saying in the Spin Room just behind you, pressed on this, he said repeatedly to reporters, everyone in Washington agrees the sequester, quote, “SHOULD not happen.” And asked again, and he said it should not happen. So apparently ‘WILL not happen’ has become ‘SHOULD not happen.’ “

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/10/23/did-obama-blow-it-on-sequestration/

[Hoodat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uPDPFibrUY

[morphing libertarian]

Of OB gets re-elected it’s going to be a cold dark January.....and that’s just for starters.