Covered at Reason 24/7: Obama Says Sequester Dumb, Republicans' Fault
President Obama called the sequester, automatic spending reductions he signed into law in the summer of 2011, a dumb idea that was happening because of Republicans. The reductions were set to kick in on January 1st, at the "fiscal cliff," but were delayed for two months by Congress. They're scheduled to be phased in starting sometime today (by midnight, according to statute).
From NBC News:
Lamenting the idea that only a "Jedi mind meld" could prod the GOP into compromise, President Barack Obama said Friday that the "dumb" automatic across-the-board cuts going into effect today are the fault of Republican resistance to a reasonable deal to avert the sequestration's budget reductions.
"I know that this has been some of the conventional wisdom that's been floating around Washington," Obama told reporters after meeting with congressional leaders. "Even though most people agree that I'm being reasonable, that most people agree that I am presenting a fair deal -- the fact that [Republicans] don't take it means that I should somehow do a Jedi mind meld with these folks and convince them to do what's right," he said.
The force is weak with that one? Apparently the buck stops wherever the president wants it to.
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