GOP Rep. Amash: Effort to blame Obama for sequester cuts 'disingenuous'

The Hill ^ | 14 Feb 13 | Justin Sink

[SkyPilot]

Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) said Wednesday he was unimpressed by efforts from fellow House Republicans to lay blame for the sequester on President Obama, calling the moves "disingenuous."

"I think it's a mistake on the part of Republicans to try to pin the sequester on Obama," Amash told Buzzfeed. "It's totally disingenuous. The debt ceiling deal in 2011 was agreed to by Republicans and Democrats, and regardless of who came up with the sequester, they all voted for it. So, you can't vote for something and, with a straight face, go blame the other guy for its existence in law."

Last week, Republicans on Capitol Hill switched their Facebook and Twitter avatars to a passage from Bob Woodward's recent book that reports the sequester was first proposed by the White House. Additionally, they sent messages critical of the president and sequester using the Twitter hashtag #Obamaquester. It was part of an effort to lay blame at the feet of President Obama for the $85 billion in across-the-board cuts set to take effect on March 1.

[SkyPilot]

The wheels are coming off the Republican attempt to absolve themselves of responsibility for the coming train wreck. Obama and the Democrats share a large part of the blame, but the Republicans agreed to this, the voted for it, Boehner said 2011 that he got "98% of what I wanted", the GOP agreed to the Sequestration formula that punishes Defense inordinately, and the Republicans completely ignored and then punted on the Sequester half of the "Fiscal Cliff" talks.

Defense is about to be hollowed out, and the GOP has "embraced" it. But, when it comes to garbage like "Immigration Reform", the GOP has done a complete 180 and now says:

Amnistía? Sí, se puede!

[Da Coyote]

Thanks, Amash, we know have documented evidence that you are a RINO and are therefore due all respect accorded to t*rds of your status.

Shove it up your smelly Obama.

When you’re warm enough, crawl out and find the real Obama and crawl up his smelly Obama.

[Timber Rattler]

With moron Republicans like this guy giving King Barry a total pass on sequestration (it was in fact cooked up by him, Reid, and McConnnell to get around the TEA Party House freshmen), the GOP doesn’t even deserve to be a minority party.

[Terry Mross]

It’s certainly the republicans who caved. However, Mr. Amash should also point out that the democrats blame the republicans even when all the republicans vote against something. He should have prefaced his comments with “Unlike the democrats.....”

[GeronL]

I remember the debt ceiling deal, remember saying it was the stupidest thing ever that would come back to bite the GOP

[OKSooner]

GOPe leadership made a deal with the debbil. I hope they get all they deserve for it.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

We sent American jobs to China.

Now the bill is coming due.

BRING BACK AMERICAN JOBS. For crying out loud.

Wake up America.

[EternalVigilance]

Blame-shifting is the second most important activity of the denizens of Washington, DC.

Right behind fund-raising.

[txrefugee]

Throw all the RINOs out. MI just as well have all Democrats as this pile of chicken dung.

[NELSON111]

I agree. I thought the same thing. The congressman is, of course, correct. However, he needs to remember this is a war and you don't give aid to the enemy.

But again, he is correct. What the GOP is doing is equal to a kid getting in trouble and blaming their friend. "Hey Johny...why did you throw rocks into the window of that vacant house? Well Dad...it was Timmy's IDEA!!!"

And this is why I suggested way back then that they should let it fail. That their "compromise" was a disaster. Now, they are trying to salve their consciences because it was Timmy's idea.

[GeronL]

right. We knew this would happen back when the GOPe was making the deal, they were building their own trap

[mrsmel]

It’s clear to me that that the GOP has been infiltrated by leftists, working on the same principle as do termites, to destroy it from within. The left has utitlised this tactic with great effectiveness on other American institutions, such as academia, the culture, and the media, and are now “mopping up” the few remaining institutions they don’t own, such as the military, the Christian church, and the one real remaining political opposition party (Republican party).

[Cheerio]

The RINOs must be purged in 2014, OR a new party must be formed and force the GOP into the "third party" category.

Until Conservatives can make this happen nothing is going to change in the District of Corruption. These two parties have been around since 1855 (after the demise of the Whigs) and are complicit in so many of the goings-on in DC, that nothing - absolutely nothing - is going to change until the GOP is kicked to the curb. How long have conservative been trying to wrest control from the likes of Boner and Hastert? At least going back to Newt.

Take your pick - right now the RAT party is on its ascendancy due to a complete lack of spine in the GOP. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY BONER WAS PICKED AS SPEAKER AFTER ALL THE HUFFING AND PUFFING ABOUT CHALLENGING HIM BY THE LIKES OF BACHMANN?

[Timber Rattler]

I remember the debt ceiling deal, remember saying it was the stupidest thing ever that would come back to bite the GOP

Yeah, we all did. But McConnell and Boehner were so intent on undercutting the TEA party freshmen that they cut off their noses to spite their faces.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Hey, look, Amash the Paultard* takes Obama’s side once again. He must like Obama almost as much as he does Ahmadinejad.

* I normally use the term “Paulistinian” instead of Paultard to describe adherents to the Cult of L. Ron Paul, but (i) Amash is of “Palestinian” descent, and I wouldn’t want people who don’t read carefully to think that I was refering pejoritavely to his ascent and (ii) if any is dumb enough to deserve to be called a Paultard, it’s Justin Amash.

[Sans-Culotte]

BRING BACK AMERICAN JOBS. For crying out loud. Wake up America.

Even that battle cry does not resonate, as "Made in America" has become "Made by Mexicans in America".

[bjcoop]

Amash is a RINO? Seriously?

[griswold3]

Tom Vilsak, Ag Sec, described what would be cut in his department with the sequestration. He would lay off the inspectors, which would in turn close down plant and damage the exports from there. And blame the Republicans, of course.
The Republicans should call for the reduction/elimination of transaction fees for Food Stamp cards from the Banks for starters. But, they just aren’t that intelligent.

[griswold3]

And MSNBC calls Amash for interviews in 5...4...3...2...

[DBeers]

"I think it's a mistake on the part of Republicans to try to pin the sequester on Obama," Amash told Buzzfeed. "It's totally disingenuous.

RINO ASS!!!

Face facts -the bill was another in a recent string of last minute 'emergency' bills. I doubt seriously whether few even had the opportunity or made the opportunity to read the damn thing. As well, I doubt seriously that the 'sequester' was detailed to the point where there is no ability for the executive to arbitrarily make cuts.

Washington DC is broken and although I would agree that the kenyan marxist 'sneaks' plenty of leftist crap into the emergency legislation he promotes and pushes as emergency in need of quick action -the REAL problem is idiots who let others craft legislation that they never read before voting on.