Obama's Veto Threat On Super Committee Triggers Has An Escape Clause: GOP Senator

One of the Republican members of the congressional super committee attempted on Sunday to create some wiggle room with regard to President Obama's opposition to changing the penalties of the committee's failure.

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) argued that Obama had attached an escape clause to his veto threat of legislation changing the so-called triggers, which would see $600 billion in defense cuts and $600 billion in Medicare and domestic spending cuts go into effect next year.

"I thought that his comments were a little bit more ambiguous than that," he told ABC's "This Week." "I thought he was suggesting that he would veto any attempt to eliminate portions of it. I don't recall him having a categorical veto threat on any chance of the configuration. His own defense secretary, Leon Panetta, said that if the defense cuts go through as contemplated under existing law it would hollow out our nation's defense. I think there's a broad consensus that too much of the cuts are weighted on our defense's capabilities and it would really cut in deeply in our ability to defend this nation. So, I think it's important that we change the configuration. I would be surprised if the president would simply veto every effort to make any changes."

Even before the super committee announced its failure to come to an agreement, there was chatter that lawmakers would re-configure the contours of the trigger. Both parties have been skittish about the size of the defense cuts and few imagined that the president would stand by those cuts in the midst of a re-election campaign. But the White House has been fairly adamant that the triggers remain both in place and intact, even when pressed about Toomey's attempted reading of the veto threat's fine print. And while the president's actual statement can be read in different ways, he does explicitly say he opposes getting rid of cuts to defense spending.

"I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense spending. There will be no easy off-ramps on this one," Obama declared after the super committee announced it was disbanding.

Comments

[pbr56]

02:09 PM on 12/06/2011

Easy fix. Repeal the Bush tax cuts and apply that to the cuts necessary from the supercommittee.

[Independent66]

12:13 AM on 11/29/2011

These cuts will never happen. 10 year projections are meaningless when you look at the actual yearly changes. That $600b number will have a $5b cost the first year and in the 10th year it will be $250b. No one can forecast out what will really happen, so congress will push it out in time. That's what they did to get the $1.2t for the debt ceiling deal.
The system we have will never work unless it is completely overhauled. The rules that allow organizations with lots of money to spend control both parties. Professional politicians need to be eliminated by term limits and funding must be strictly controlled. We are in a downward spiral and in 10 years we will look like the ECU and be literally unable to pay the bills.

[ninthraphael]

06:35 PM on 11/28/2011

Are we still debating what the Repugs agenda? This is getting very old! Hard core repugs will not admit what they want...they are wearing fox 3d glasses!

[freshie]

05:07 PM on 11/28/2011

I need to read the bill because I fear they will try to make the cuts at the VA, education via G.I. Bill and military pensions.

If they are cutting unnecessary systems, waste and overcharging for services (cough... Halliburton), then cut away. Something tells me they'll take out the soldiers asses.

[stvvon]

01:50 PM on 11/28/2011

The only real escape clause is in next Novembers elections when we ridd ourselves of this oppressive and disastrous administration. Obama has done more damage to this country than any other President in history.

[dee50]

02:12 PM on 11/28/2011

Ignorance is bliss.....

[stvvon]

05:20 PM on 11/28/2011

Ignorance indeed, in the case of Liberals like yourself, it's utopia that's bliss.
You can't recite one program that Obama has implemented that had any good outcome for this country, not one.
Your ONLY defense is to try to blame Obamas failures on President Bush which in effect means, you know democrats are total failures with no new ideas. Just the same old prov en failures that erode the country. Obama and the Democratic administration has been a total economic failure that is driving this country into ruin.

You are the one in bliss when you simply look the other way as your party is totally responsible for the continuous successive failure's and the only response is, "it's Bush's fault.
I'ts really hard to bring myself down to your level to try to describe to you how ill informed you are. Hope I got my point accross.

[freshie]

04:49 PM on 11/28/2011

..... Eh, what's the use.

[stvvon]

12:03 PM on 11/30/2011

Indeed, you need to stay at home next November, your vote gave this country consequences that will take years to recover from.

[djaikins]

01:43 PM on 11/28/2011

It's obvious that Congress is uncomfortable being faced with decisions that they shoved off on the Super Committee particularly when the American people have now weighed in on the tax breaks for the wealthy. They are overwhelmingly against extending them. Reality doesn't sit well with the republican politicians.

[mikala]

01:17 PM on 11/28/2011

Toomey is living in a dream world. Go ahead and try and weasel out of the Defense cuts, Make Obama's day.

[thekid360]

10:01 AM on 11/28/2011

They do not give a damn about the troops it is all about their buddies in the military complex. Been reported the huge military lobby are swarming over congress resembling an infestation. Barack has played their sorry butts into a corner.

They walked away from him early this year with a $4 trillion cut on the table, now they walk away from $1.2 trillion , all for the simple reason they refuse to raise taxes on millionaires and billionaires. Haven't heard one GOP mention the cuts to everyday programs for everyday people.

As they walk away time and time again they still have the nerve to get in our faces every single day and say it's about the deficit. They have no moves left, unless you call just say no a plan to help this country. I think not.

I am curious as to where the triplets are these days , haven't heard much from them , very quite, unlike them. Oh when I say triplets , talking about Boehner, O'Connell and Cantor

[JudgementDay]

10:12 AM on 11/28/2011

We're not worried. GOP will own the big 3 in 2012. All wrongs will soon be right. Just be calm, and you will have something to whine about again. We'll take care of the military, and then move on to the US Labor problem.

[thekid360]

12:18 PM on 11/28/2011

Well at least you are little bit honest, you admit, the GOP has no plans do anything about the labor problem until after the elections, we can't wait , we need jobs now. That's what the lie you rode in on in 2010 , jobs , jobs, jobs. And what have you done lately nothing , nada zip,zero.

Barack is trying clean up this mess Bush and boys created and now the GOP wants to blame everybody but themselves.

I really am not worried about Barack and any of the circus the GOP put forward. We want the Senate which I will admit we will have to work hard to keep. But you had better get use to the community organizer for 5 more years and oh almost forgot Nancy will be back running the House again. Those 2 development right there should make you, Rush, Hannity and the rest of the insane asylum pretty freaked out .

The GOP started out overplaying their hand in Wisconsin, cost them 4 Senate seats,with Walker next. Then Ohio played their nasty hand, oops failed again big time.Did that stop them nooooo, had to go and try to change elections rules to deny voters their democratic right to kick them out, oops another boo boo.

Tick, tock tick tock the sound of the clock, see ya

[VoteEarlyVoteOften]

09:55 AM on 11/28/2011

Leave it to obama to stick it to the elderly again

[Coherent1]

11:07 AM on 11/28/2011

Really?

[AntiSocialSailor]

03:21 PM on 11/28/2011

This accusation comes from a misrepresentation of the nature of a 500B Medicare cut. The cut was to the scam artists known as "Medicare Advantage Programs". Conservatives have framed this elimination of waste, fraud and abuse as a cut to benefits for the elderly. In fact, it is a cut to the bloated profits of these scam companies. Medicare will save over 500B by providing these services directly and cutting out these parasites.

[jerrypl]

09:36 AM on 11/28/2011

Here are the facts: In 2000, the defense budget was $260B. In 2010, the defense budget was $663B. The 2012 projected request defense budget is $881B.

Now, which party pushed up these budget numbers over the past decade?

To cut the defense budget by $600B does not appear to be a "hollowing out" of the defense budget, as stated by Toomey. It would bring the budget to where it was around 2000. Does that sound like Hollowing Out The Budget, Pat?

The United States has had the world's largest defense budget, and it was back in the year 2000, as well.

It is time to put it all into perspective and begin to end the lucrative giveaways of the taxpayer's dollars to the military industrialized contracting profiteers.

[ron2win]

09:43 AM on 11/28/2011

eleven years ago things were cheaper.Gas 2 dollars or less! Try running your house hold now on 2000 wages.Your rational is really not that rational.

[ldcbl]

11:53 AM on 11/28/2011

most of those with jobs are still making 2000 salaries.

[nevernot]

12:16 PM on 11/28/2011

I do. Thanks to the GOP and their economic warfare against 99% of America the majority of us make do with 2000 level wages.

[zubutine]

10:00 AM on 11/28/2011

The push back on the defense cuts is being orchestrated by the military/industrial/congressional complex. That entity has continued to develop weapons systems that the military does not want and does not need but which helps to increase their already obscene profits and campaign contributions. This is the one case where the political mantra "listen to the commanders" doesn't apply. Commanders have said they don't need or want some of these systems but the politicians (in whose districts these systems are made) continue to insist that they know better than the commanders. Cutting $600B from the defense budget, over a period of ten years, will not harm out military readiness. Penetta and company are crying wolf - and they know it.

[JudgementDay]

10:21 AM on 11/28/2011

Have you EVER served, if you have then you know the troops and their family will feel this hit, never mind that Obama has given the military it's smallest pay raises the past two years in a row. These so called raises, have not even kept up with inflation. You can expect to see the unemployment numbers skyrocket, there is going to be a massive RIF (reduction in force).

[chapmanst]

09:35 AM on 11/28/2011

Very miss leading where is the wiggle room it did not read that part?

[ObamaRican]

12:59 PM on 11/28/2011

Grammar is your friend. The word is misleading and one you connies are very intimate with. Here's the wiggly:

"I don't recall him having a categorical veto threat on any chance (sic) of the configuration."

Remedial reading classes are available for a limited time if the GOTPee has their way.

[JohnFromCensornati]

09:27 AM on 11/28/2011

A 20% cut to the war machine would be a good thing.

[AntiSocialSailor]

02:03 PM on 11/28/2011

We could cut 50% without compromising our security one bit. The only security that would be compromised is the billion dollar retirement packages of defense contractors and the job security of the congresspeople they own.

[ponchoparadise]

09:26 AM on 11/28/2011

Jeebus, what a misleading headline.
The Big bad a** GOP Senator's brilliantly thought out way of getting
around the triggers is.....wait for it.
Obama will "chicken out"
That is the GOP strategy.
I swear to God, the Republican Party
is such a gutless, cowardly, spineless,
group of do nothing empty suits.
If Americans continue to vote these
bozo's in we will deserve what we get.

[ObamaLover1]

09:21 AM on 11/28/2011

Mind boggling...the Republicans are not worried about the cuts that will hurt old people, sick people, college students, and poor pepole...they are worried about cutting a defense budget that is bigger than all other countries spend combined. These people dont stopy lobbying for their big donors do they..The GOP should be the GLP..Grand Lobbying Party.

[JudgementDay]

09:41 AM on 11/28/2011

And the Dem Party doesn't lobby. I hate to break it to you, but the Dem Party doesn't hold the high ground in this argument. Neither party does. So, stop acting like like it's only the Rep party is the only one at fault. The dem party was not even willing to cut 30 mil from Planned Parenthood. The local health department offer the same services as PP, minus abortion. The fact of the matter is, the Dem half of the super comity didn't even meet once to discuss any proposals that were made. Dems didn't even offer one proposal the entire time. The Dem side of the super comity got exactly what it set out to get, so it you don't like the results...complain to Sen. Kerry and the rest of them.

[dee50]

01:48 PM on 11/28/2011

You got to be kidding......You pick on 30 mil for Planned Parenthood......Is that you Senator Kyle?

[AntiSocialSailor]

02:10 PM on 11/28/2011

If the local health departments offered the same services, OR SERVICED THE SAME AREAS, as PP, then people wouldn't use PP so much. It's the "free market" at work. Consumers of womens health services use the services that are best and most accessible.

Besides, what's a measly 30mil? That's less than a week in Afghanistan. That's the cost to drop a single bomb on Libya. But it's enough to affect the lives of thousands of women.

I'm glad the unconstitutional supercommittee failed. That's the only way the least among us managed to avoid bearing nearly 100% of the brunt of any budget cuts. If that was the plan of the Democrats, then good on them. Thank you Democrats.

[ron2win]

09:47 AM on 11/28/2011

Neither does Obama .year to date Obama has received 72,000,000 for his campaign from wall street.Their suppose to be the bad guys remember?

[dee50]

01:47 PM on 11/28/2011

Most of that money received was back in 2008 elections and even wall street knew better than to give to McCain.......Wall Street is greedy, but not stupid!

Wall Street up to date this year for 2012 elections have given Romney 3 to 4 times more $ than Obama...

[hungryaardvark]

09:12 AM on 11/28/2011

The BS claims about cuts to our Empire America budget are obscene. If we cut it by half, we might be able to afford to keep the nation together for a few more years. Enough of the surveillance and killing for greed and power.