Attention Republicans: Obama’s Been Proposing a Sequester Plan Since December

Lost in the maze of blame Obama for the sequester Republican talking points is the fact that the White House has had a sequester replacement proposal on the table since December 2012.

It has been a bad week of sequester politics for the Republicans. First, their talking point that the sequester was Obama’s idea was blown to shreds by the discovery of a 2011 PowerPoint presentation that John Boehner gave to Republicans detailing his sequester idea. Then came a new poll that showed that only 42% of Republicans support their own party’s cuts only plan, and to top it off, the White House is reminding everyone that they have had a proposal on the table to deal with the sequester since December.

As Roll Call reported, “The White House proposal still on the table from December would add roughly $600 billion in new revenue and $900 billion in spending cuts, or a roughly 60-40 ratio. Ratios are moot, however, as long as the GOP continues to stick to its demand for an all-cuts alternative. There was no sign Friday that Republicans were prepared to soften their no-more-new-revenue position.”

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

Republicans have been claiming that Obama hasn’t offered a specific plan, but this also isn’t true.

Two days ago, the White House republished their detailed sequester plan on The White House blog.

Here is the slideshow:

Of course, proof of the physical existence of a plan has done nothing to derail the Republican talking point that the president has proposed no plan.

John Boehner and his staff have been writing daily blog posts that vary from delusional to hysterical. In their latest post, the Speaker’s office accuses the president of being more interested in blaming Republicans for his mess, “You see, the House of Representatives passed legislation – twice (last May and again in December) – to replace President Obama’s sequester with smarter, responsible spending cuts and reforms. Senate Democrats haven’t passed a thing. But instead of urging Senate Democrats to take action, the president seems more interested in campaigning (and blaming Republicans for his mess).”

The House of Representatives has did pass legislation twice, but that legislation was DOA thanks to their insistence that food and healthcare be eliminated for nearly 2.5 million children and seniors. The Senate won’t vote on their plan, because it is unlikely to get unanimous support from even Senate Republicans.

Obama does have a plan. It has been out there for months. The only reason why the nation is facing the sequester deadline is that House Republicans refuse to discuss anything beyond their cuts only plan.

Republicans have been panicked for months over the defense cuts in the sequester. They are still clinging to their belief that the president will blink. It is likely that this situation is going to play out just like the fiscal cliff. The deadline may get close, or even pass, before House Republicans blink and give Obama what he wants.

The blame Obama spin has once again failed the House Republicans. Don’t believe Fox News. Don’t believe John Boehner, Eric Cantor, and Paul Ryan. The president has a plan. The problem is that House Republicans refuse to act on it.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association