Cantor: Obama's Economic Record Leaving America's Military Vulnerable

Vice President Joe Biden's claim that the administration underestimated the extent of the economic crisis it inherited has, as expected, opened the White House up to political attack.

On Monday, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, (R-Va.), took the first whack, accusing the president of crafting a stimulus plan that was poorly planned and implemented. In the process, he branched the criticism out well beyond economic policy, arguing that the White House has bitten off more than it could chew and was actually putting the nation's military at risk.

"Our military success relies upon our ability to provide our troops with what they need and it relies upon our economic strength to invest and continue to invest in the superior technology that has become the hallmark of the American military," said the Virginia Republican during a conference call with reporters. "And so it all comes back to how are we going to get the fiscal situation straight in Washington -- how do we go about reigniting the economic engine of small business that ought to be the priority? In my opinion, there's no question that this administration has tried to do way too much too soon and we ought to be much more thoughtful about the approach, and we ought to tackle the first priority right now which is to address the economy to help small businesses and working families."

Cantor was responding to a question about whether Biden's dual role as watchdog of the stimulus and overseer of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq presented too full a plate for the vice president to handle. The Congressman's remarks, tying the administration's economic record to its military performance, constituted the furthest-reaching criticism to be leveled at the White House since the recent round of poor job market news.

As for a potential solution, Cantor called on the president to work with him to re-direct portions of the stimulus rather than pass a second, supplementary package.

"What I would be in favor of ... and I will be requesting a meeting with the president to perhaps go about redirecting some of the money authorized in the first go-around, which hasn't worked," Cantor said. "And let's re-direct that to the place that we know can work, which is to help small businesses and working families. This was our plan initially. I believe that the American people don't want to see their taxpayer dollars being thrown good money after bad. "

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Comments

[DiogenesII]

" This was our plan initially.­" Yet another steaming pile of defecated irrational logic.
Say anything, the "belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance" has,
unfortunately, prevailed so many times before.

That is certainly what these reprobates have always relied upon; the witless and
willingness of the rationally infirmed to gleefully pay tribute to the steaming pile of
prevarication.

[ladyearth]

What about the military's vulnerability to Cheney's cronies? KBR performed such shoddy work in Iraq that 18 American servicemen were electrocuted. What about the Iraq war itself? Bush and Cheney engineered this war. Our military is made vulnerable by the Bush/Cheney war machine for profiteering war mongers.

[grf67]

If cantor is so worried about the military, why doesn't he man up and join the Army? Talk is cheap.

[AtomicSplash]

cantor must be forgetting about the nuclear wessels.

[Macready]

and Iraq . . . what a jerk

[AKJM]

PALIN/CANTOR

[Ruh17]

I think it was mismanaged and unnecessary wars that caused our military to become vulnerable. Not our economic policy.

[1differentdrummer]

That, and lack of R support for the fighting troops and in the VA medical system. They supported our troops in Iraq verbally but wouldn't send enough troops or buy adequate body armor.

[ROinReno]

This guy has no concept of what a small business is, his idea of helping small business is corporate tax breaks...i­t's on his website.
Corporate tax breaks actually make it more difficult for small business to compete with them and we know what it does to the economy...­why does this idiot get press time?

[gnomic]

Cantor is still rotting out that lame "Be Afraid" line? That's still the best they've got? If Cantor lacked any more substance he'd fall between the quantum cracks in the universe.

[recoveringrightwinger]

Did Cantor voice his concern when Bush,Chene­y,Rumsfeld sent the service people to Iraq and Afganistan without excellent quality vehicles and body armor? He didn't care then.

[sandiaview]

I guess Lockheed Martin, General Electric and the rest of the War profiteers are rallying their base of stooges to finish breaking the Treasury! Good job Stooge Cantor!

[Deja Peterson]

well then what are your plans cantor?

lets play a game, if cantor can come up with a plan that doesn't involve the same failed policies, then i will register as a republican.

[MED1025]

When the plans are revealed, they will be written on a cocktail napkin and involve the repeal of the Capital Gains Tax.

[mendelcrosses]

Well,I've got news for you ,congressman. America is not its mllitary,it is its Economy.

If you think all the talents America attracts is because of the America Millitary,then you are just as smart as Sarah Palin

[courtreporter]

I suppose CAN'Tor didn't like the fact that Obama opened up the White House to military families Saturday to celebrate the 4th and he had to say something negative. That's all Eric CAN'Tor knows how to do.

[Hare]

So this is what evil looks like while younger. Kissinger is the old version

[BeasleysMom]

Do these folks ever have anything factual or sensible to say? Their rhetoric has devolved to the lowest common denominator. Bab ble and nonse se. I think most of America just tunes them out now.