Pelosi: Washington does not have spending problem
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:43 am
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02 ... g-problem/
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi claimed Sunday it is a "false argument" to say the federal government has a spending problem, in the latest shot across the bow to Republicans who couldn't disagree more.
Pelosi, in an interview with "Fox News Sunday," locked arms with President Obama in calling for Washington to avert a looming round of budget cuts -- by replacing them with a blend of cuts and tax hikes.
The cuts are set to kick in March 1 and will impact the Pentagon more than any other single department. Republicans want the package replaced with a less arbitrary slate of cuts. But Pelosi argued that more cuts would hurt the economy, and in turn do little to close the deficit.
"We have to recognize that, which cuts really help us and which cuts hurt our future? And cuts in education, scientific research and the rest are harmful, and they are what are affected by the sequestration," she said on "Fox News Sunday." "So, it is almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem. We have a budget deficit problem that we have to address."
It is without question that the federal government has a budget deficit problem. The annual deficit exceeded $1 trillion for each of the past four years, adding $6 trillion total to the national debt during President Obama's first term.
But Republicans argue that the gaping shortfall cannot be closed with tax increases alone -- and that, indeed, Washington has a rather severe spending problem.
Even many in the Democratic Party concede that the growth in entitlement spending -- on Medicare and other budget gobblers -- needs to be checked.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi claimed Sunday it is a "false argument" to say the federal government has a spending problem, in the latest shot across the bow to Republicans who couldn't disagree more.
Pelosi, in an interview with "Fox News Sunday," locked arms with President Obama in calling for Washington to avert a looming round of budget cuts -- by replacing them with a blend of cuts and tax hikes.
The cuts are set to kick in March 1 and will impact the Pentagon more than any other single department. Republicans want the package replaced with a less arbitrary slate of cuts. But Pelosi argued that more cuts would hurt the economy, and in turn do little to close the deficit.
"We have to recognize that, which cuts really help us and which cuts hurt our future? And cuts in education, scientific research and the rest are harmful, and they are what are affected by the sequestration," she said on "Fox News Sunday." "So, it is almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem. We have a budget deficit problem that we have to address."
It is without question that the federal government has a budget deficit problem. The annual deficit exceeded $1 trillion for each of the past four years, adding $6 trillion total to the national debt during President Obama's first term.
But Republicans argue that the gaping shortfall cannot be closed with tax increases alone -- and that, indeed, Washington has a rather severe spending problem.
Even many in the Democratic Party concede that the growth in entitlement spending -- on Medicare and other budget gobblers -- needs to be checked.
