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Sen. John Hoeven, (R-ND), on the potential sequestration and the need to rein in government spending.
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Well the president plans to meet with lawmakers tomorrow that's the day a hot dramatic cuts in the growth of government kick -- But wasn't the time for that meeting long before the cuts were actually trigger.
-- -- gotten to this point and is there any pro growth initiative that both sides could agree on joining us now is senator John Holden.
Up North Dakota senator good to see you thank you very much -- it is kind of ironic that it took the day of the cuts in spending for the president to meet with lawmakers.
-- did you guys in the Republican Party actually seek out.
To meet the president before this happened.
Now what we push for any number of meetings but today on the senate floor we offered a bill that would provide flexibility to the president.
To make sure that we make the reductions called for the good of the cuts.
Call foreigners restoration in the most thoughtful way to minimize the impact.
And I think the administration's got to work with us to do that it just makes good sense to do it and as part of -- Not only getting our deficit under control but combined with.
You know getting this economy growing getting people back to work.
What we'll talk about the growth agenda December just.
Alert the viewers what you're talking about.
-- that the overall cost of federal government even with these cuts will actually increase fifteen billion dollars in 2013 -- compared to 2012.
But the way the cuts are organized.
It will be very painful.
And the question is whether or not.
Congress and the president can agree to make them less painful that is not necessarily cut the personnel that may be hurt the most by this correct.
That's exactly what I'm saying we're providing the flexibility to do it in a thoughtful way that minimizes the impact.
And -- question -- why isn't the administration joining with us to do just that all right well we don't know the answer to that but let's talk about what we may be able to find an answer to the president first -- -- claims.
That these cuts could trigger.
A recession -- agree with that.
-- you look at the stock market right now you see it it it's been going up and I.
Would hope that people are starting to recognize we're doing things we need to do to get spending under control to come to grips with this deficit.
And we can cut through some the regulatory burden.
And instead of raising taxes control spending I think that sends the right signals to get private investment going and get our economy going again.
And like you say get people back to work as well as deal with the deficit that but the leader of the house of -- present the Republican leader John Boehner and house represented just a couple of weeks ago was saying that.
These cuts would be harmful to the I don't think he said -- Trigger recession but he was saying -- -- are cuts in government good or bad.
We need to to find reductions in spending.
I -- you -- -- you know I was a governor for ten years.
Every governor in this country has had to wrestle with getting standing in line to make sure there.
Budgets balance the administration.
And congress has to do the same thing for our country.
I think what the speakers talking about is the flexibility to do it in a way that makes -- so that we don't have.
Too many of the cuts on the military and that's exactly what we're pushing to do -- -- and -- thoughtful way.
Two more short question first of all -- overall growth agenda is there anything.
About which should Democrats Republicans could agree that would propel us to grow faster than we are.
I -- the biggest thing is is cutting the regulatory.
Burden and you know -- work to clean area energy to do that and I hope that we can get more that legislation on that would create more energy for this country.
And a lot more jobs that's a specific cancer thank you -- that on the second question on the Federal Reserve board yesterday.
Ben Bernanke.
Met with the with the representatives from the house of congress.
Interestingly enough balls Liz Warren the liberal Democrat and -- hands are -- conservative Republican -- seemed to hammer Ben Bernanke suggested he had not been the as successful as some people of -- -- claimed he was where do you fall on that.
Well -- right now he's continuing to put money in the system to keep interest rates low.
But you can't keep doing that.
Over time it devalues the dollar that is why it is so important get our economy going we control our spending to reduce the deficit and the debt for the long term.
Fiscal soundness of our country and our currency.
But very quickly is he successful -- the Fed Chairman or not.
Well at this point I think there's more to do on his part.
But it goes with getting congress and the president to get this deficit under control.
All right it's a political issue thank you senator John -- -- good to see appreciate you coming in.
-- stated -- over to you.
