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West: Supercommittee an Embarrassment
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Rep. Allen West, (R-Fla.), calls the current debt solution a “Band-Aid over a gaping chest wound.”
- Duration 4:04
- Date Nov 23, 2011
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Rep. Allen West, (R-Fla.), calls the current debt solution a “Band-Aid over a gaping chest wound.”
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All right Republican congressman Allen west from Florida says the super committee -- you want an embarrassment to America.
He -- the company now from Florida congressman it's always a pleasure to have you with us but I got to tell you.
Our view is all really -- Angry at -- super committee probably both sides of the -- -- that angry at politicians generally and you say.
Well they should be angry politicians in general and as I have said often times I have to apologize to the American people for those failures.
You know come from the military.
One very simple thing that we believed in as you did not go home until the mission was accomplished and we always took.
What seemed to be very complex problems we came we're very viable solutions so I think that when you look at what is happening up to -- -- -- DC right now.
You talk about a payroll tax cut that's a band aid over sucking chest -- and that's not going to solve the problems we have with our economy.
And it is up to this sounds very good in the near term.
But it doesn't really give your long term -- as far as pro growth policies you look at our GDP growth.
Here in America point 4% one point 0% 2.5 percent.
We don't see the right type of policies come about is going to turn this economy around.
That you came from the military I -- -- ask you about military spending.
We're supposed to get automatic cuts now starting in January 2013.
Of what I think it's 600.
Billion dollars -- from as the rhetoric.
But I think all -- -- supposed to take effect in the next twelve months.
Which make the total cost almost I believe a trillion dollars can you straighten me out on this I'm not out on my numbers right -- Your numbers are absolutely right sit on the house armed services committee.
So we already have -- hard to the 66 billion dollars of cuts to the department of defense and that's something that we agreed about because there is some wasteful spending.
There are some things that we can do to improve our acquisition process and efficiencies and effectiveness in the budgetary process and the Department of Defense when you're talking about another 600 billion dollars of cuts the united states military.
Now you're talking about going -- -- personnel levels of stress for the army and Marine Corps the go back to pre World War II.
You're talking about a navy that goes from 288.
Warships to 238.
Our air force fighter aircraft to go from 1990.
Down to fifteen -- When you look at the volatility all across the world right now in the commitments of our united states military.
Now's not the time to put a trillion dollar cut.
When -- Department of Defense which is something that secretary of defense Panetta to chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and all the service to east include common -- -- Marine Corps and that goes.
But congressman.
I put it to you that the markets have got you in of violence.
If you go back on those automatic -- of 600 billion to the military.
Then we very likely get a downgrade.
About nation's debt.
I mean you'll kind of been -- vice here aren't -- being hammered by the markets.
If you're in trouble.
Not the markets don't have -- and vice wanna face and I've been talking about.
Is that we need to get out a scalpel and we really need to look at.
The growth of the federal government everyone understands is that it is not a revenue problem because of fiscal year toward eleven.
We had a six point 5% increase in revenues yet we still have a one point three trillion dollar deficit.
So when you start talking about the expansive growth the Washington DC.
The fact that the GAO put out a report earlier this year to sit there about 200 billion dollars of redundant and duplicative programs -- -- in -- DC.
We can start right there and we can find out what the right type of cuts we can look at agricultural subsidies things of that nature.
We could start to look at some of these failing agencies that we have a Washington DC.
So I say that let's do the hard work that American people sent us up there to do.
And -- in my first ninety days I found so wasteful programs and the Department of Defense in the past 393 to zero.
Congressman always a pleasure to have you -- up our -- website Republicans fought at a Thanksgiving -- -- you too -- thank you very much indeed -- I could a quick question.