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Rep. Todd Rokita, (R-Ind.), on the potential sequestration and the need to reduce government spending.
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Congressional correspondent.
My guest tonight voted against the budget control lack -- 2011 which created the sequestered.
Because it didn't do enough to address entitlements joining us now House Budget Committee member congressman -- Broke the top of Indiana.
Congressman good to have you with this I -- I have to believe as we're watching the ugliness in the nation's capital right now.
That you've got to be pretty proud you didn't vote for that idiotic sequester.
In my -- -- right.
Good evening Lou good to be back with -- -- Look.
The deal that set this up.
Back in August of 2011.
It didn't do enough to reform the real drivers of our debt and those frankly our social entitlement programs.
Including Medicare Medicaid social security and and the -- -- I understand congressman but.
Aren't you proud of the fact you didn't vote for.
Because it well disaster right now and then there are these yeah like both parties in this look like fools.
I'm for about real bad -- and and that's up everywhere and I'm proud of that's not the reason I was proud of that vote because the fact the matter is now Lou.
Where -- where at least getting to some spending reductions.
Where at least trying to get our house in order we have many steps to take the dollar recovers -- step.
In all due respect I mean you're talking about 44 billion dollars and seven months -- -- on the federal budget.
That -- now abdomen and up to a pimple Y mean it is that is pretty perky and rule.
-- only I don't know I agree there's a lot more to do but at least if you're getting -- into the business of cutting the spending and that's why.
I'm not gonna blink I'm not gonna put up with artists.
President has -- at all.
Well -- we're only talking about via we're only talking about about two -- -- 3% of spending reduction herein really it's a decrease in the increase in spending.
So you know the fact that our earth the president thinks that -- not gonna get inspected or that fires are going to be fought.
If any of that happens if if air traffic controllers have to leave tower cabs and all that.
It's only gonna happen Lou because the president wants it to happen.
I've managed five agencies when I was Indiana secretary of state and you know it two or 3% budget cut is very manageable.
And and this president can do it instead what is is responsible with those look illegal aliens that -- let out.
Of prison the other day he said well that wasn't that wasn't us must -- in the White House -- Arnie Duncan said.
Arnie Duncan said the teachers were already getting their pink slips.
Now when you have an administration congressman.
That has the temerity the bald face lie to the American people and you have very loyal opposition that doesn't have the guts but column on it.
We got a problem in this country.
-- we have -- national media that's only beginning to hold this administration accountable for what it says its words and we decided to examples the New York Times.
Finally.
The walk the Washington Post final.
Saying that there has to be some accountability.
Afford discussing reality here yeah and thanks to programs like yours Lou I mean we are getting them out of the word out -- the fact the matter is there's a lot of us here who -- blinking.
Very proud of our work that we've done this week -- and not backing down to these scare tactics.
And next week you know we're gonna take the remaining excuses off the table -- gonna.
It's okay if you think you need some flexibility a lot of us don't think you do anything we've -- in manages anyway.
But we're at leases in terms of the Defense Department gonna give these generals the flexibility to lead.
You know part of leadership is managing to a budget.
And they've testified this week that they don't have that flexibility okay we're gonna offer some of that flexibility.
So our national defense can be taking care of and we're just gonna keep removing these excuses flew off the table and make this president lead I don't know about the on the deck I can take congratulations Mr.
President -- finally doing your job after five years well I think that part of fact that it it if you can do that it's is this simply strip away the experiences I mean that would be terrific.
But we also are now facing another issue.
Beginning with the 27 of march when -- When that is expected that the spending authority of the United States government will -- again.
And the American people -- pretty much have a belly full of this late.
Last minute dramatics that this president who I always heard referred to is no drama Obama did you.
He was not supposed to like that in its seems to be director.
In his approach to what it calls leadership.
Yeah that's all he knows and there is no leadership the reason we're in these continuing resolutions or have to fund government month -- month -- happier to have here.
-- because the senate for four years now hasn't passed the budget.
And here we are again needing to do continuing resolution -- -- starting around march march 27 fun at the rest the fiscal year.
You know it's no way to run a country itself in new families don't run this way local governments -- -- this way.
And talk about a belly -- I've had enough.
I just got here two years ago I came to do some serious work and reduce the debt with my good friend Paul Ryan in this Republican caucus we're gonna get to it.
We're far of the I think every time this happens the good thing in -- -- -- Lou is.
Is that more and more Americans wake up to what's really happening here and the mistake they made electing this man president.
Congressman we think -- in your out of time but I -- but I agree with you certainly on that statement I do believe that -- -- correct in your assessment.
There's more more Americans are now waking up to what the world is happening in the nation's capital we thank you for being here comes from congressman -- Rockefeller much more.
