United Liberty
Rand Paul knocks GOP leadership over sequester
Tue, 02/26/2013 - 8:46am | posted by Jason Pye
During an appearence last week on CNN, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) dismissed the blame and panic coming from the White House over the looming sequester. Sen. Paul told Wolf Biltzer that President Obama ultimately signed the sequester into law, despite his blame shifting to the GOP, and explained that the cuts aren’t even real reductions.
But while he’s been critical of President Obama, Sen. Paul has some strong words for his own party, telling a group of conservatives in New York last night that Republican leaders have been too quick to surrender on battles with the White House:
Speaking to a meeting of influential conservatives here Monday night, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul criticized his fellow Republicans in Congress for lacking a unified leadership on the upcoming sequestration.
“We announce our surrender before we get started on every battle,” Paul said. “That literally is our problem.”
Sen. Paul urged his colleagues to get behind his alternative to the sequester, a proposal that would cut spending by $85.75 billion annually by enacting a number of cost-saving measures, including a moratorium on the hiring of new federal workers, bringing their pay in line with the private-sector, and requiring competitive bidding for government contracts.
The criticism may seem harsh, but it’s hard to describe the GOP’s “strategy” — if you want to call it that — as anything other than surrender. Republicans have had terrible messaging on the sequester, using much of the same doomsday-style rhetoric as President Obama. After all, we’re talking about a marginal spending cut, when it’s all said and done.
This hasn’t helped them offer a contrast in visions because they’re not running away from the limited government message on which they’re run. This anti-sequester message that leadership has been using hurts them because they’re ceding ground away.
Agonizing over the sequester is a joke, because: 1)it is a reduction in the increase in spending, not a real cut. They’re still spending more than they did the previous year. 2)The amount is only 2% of the total planned spending. How difficult is it for you to really reduce your spending by 2%? Most of us could reduce our spending 5% over what we spent the previous year without batting an eye. 3) The federal govt spends far more than the constitution allows them to spend. We should be concentrating on eliminating agencies and regulations not allowed by the Constitution. Start with the agencies that the public really doesn’t care that much about.
I want to be supportive of the Senator but I must ask…this from the man who voted for Hagel? Really??
Come now, he didn’t vote for Hagel.
Internet Libertarians are mad because he didn’t filibuster Hagel.
I was at first dismayed that he voted for Hagel, but I read an explanation elsewhere online. Give Obama all the wackos and losers he wants in his cabinet. Then he and his cronies own ALL the results and the whole world (now and into the future) will see clearly what these people are made of.
After all, if your favorite candidate won, wouldn’t you want all his appointments ratified?
Ultimately, the ownership is on “We, the people”….WE will have to live with the results. WE, the people, ultimately elected him…and by that I mean that some did not vote AGAINST him…and stayed home on principal that the conservatives didn’t offer up the “perfect” candidate. WE, the people, are responsible for this. WE reap what we sow. Never forget that WE still have the right to chose our government - despite what the government controlled media tells you.
From what I understand on Rand voting for Hagel it’s because Hagel believes the way Rand does about useless wars. I know to some people this seems terrible but we have to stop being the world police and get our stuff straight here or very soon we will not have the ability to help other countries when it is truely needed.
This president has talked about ending wars but all he has done is unconstitutional put us in more wars and given weapons to terrorist. The fact that no one will truely has called him out on this saddens me.
Rand keep doing what your doing and hopefully we can get some true Representatives in Congress to back you on what this country truely needs to focus on.
Really Rand? $85.75 Billion over 10 years or $8.575 Billion a year over the 10 years. News flash Rand, we are borrowing $1.4 trillion a year. Under your brilliant plan we will only borrow $1.39 Trillion a year. Bravo! Who is John Galt? Screw the thieves in Washington DC, I am on strike.
From the link cited by the article, he is proposing cutting $85 billion ANNUALLY, the author should edit the article to reflect the cited link.
Yes, that was my mistake. It has been corrected. Apologies.
Sorry for the double post, but in the alternative, Rand has basically put forward a plan to direct how the sequester should be executed and it doesnt require layoffs, furloughs, or mothballing the US Navy (all of which Obomba is doing in his temper tantrum cuts).
Annually is yearly!!! So thats $85 billion a yr.
An earlier version misstated it at $85 billion over ten years. It has since been corrected.
more of randy paul’s lip flappin n yappin about this among alot of other subjects- you have turned into a gutless,spineless typical ovomit ball licker- talk talk talk is all you are good for, you are gonna hold up the vote on ovomits newest appointee and low n behold thru all your flappin n yappin you voted for him what a POS
Do nothing he just saved and gave back to the state of KY over $650,000 who else has done that? NO one
Everytime I see Obama on TV I want to puke. He’s on to the same fear mongering do nothing antics without any leadership. Get rid of this imposter. Who spent this money, Washington. They need to be held accountable for their actions. Taxing americans to death isn’t the answer
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