Lindsey Graham: To Avoid 7.5% Cut in Military Budget, Let’s Kill Obamacare

Heartless bastards do it again
Politics • Views: 26,870

You know that Republican “rebranding” that’s supposed to change their image to make it seem like they truly care about people? (Operative word: “seem.”)

Well, here’s the reality: GOP Senator: Take Away Health Coverage for 30 Million to Avoid Military Cuts.

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Graham suggested that the sequester’s across-the-board cuts to federal spending, including about a roughly 7.5 percent reduction in military spending, would be “destroying the military.” But rather than agree to President Obama’s proposed alternatives to the sequester, the South Carolina Republican said we should save money by eliminating health care for the 30 million people covered by the Affordable Care Act:

CHRIS WALLACE: Let me just ask you one more question about the sequestration before we let you go, Senator. You know if we go into the sequester, the president is going to hammer Republicans, the White House already put out a list of all the things, terrible things that will happen if a sequester kicks in, 70,000 children losing Head Start. 2100 fewer food inspectors and small business will lose $900 million in loan guarantees and you know, Senator, the president will say your party is forcing this to protect tax cuts for the wealthy.

GRAHAM: Well, all i can say is the commander-in-chief thought — came up with the idea of sequestration, destroying the military and putting a lot of good programs at risk. It is my belief — take Obamacare and put it on the table. You can make $86,000 a year in income and still get a government subsidy under Obamacare. Obamacare is destroying health care in this country and people are leaving the private sector, because their companies cannot afford to offer Obamacare and if you want to look at ways to find $1.2 trillion in savings over the next decade, look at Obamacare, don’t destroy the military and cut blindly across the board. There are many ways to do it but the president is the commander-in-chief and on his watch we’ll begin to unravel the finest military in the history of the world, at a time when we need it most. The Iranians are watching us, we are allowing people to be destroyed in Syria, and i’m disappointed in our commander-in-chief.

That’s right — to avoid a 7.5% cut in the astronomical US military budget, Lindsey Graham and the Republican Party want to strip away the Affordable Care Act that Americans just voted for.

And if you’re tempted to believe Lindsey Graham’s risible statement that a 7.5% cut would “destroy the military,” just take a quick look at this simple chart showing the world’s top 5 military spenders in 2012.

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49 comments
1 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:50:07am

oy

2 Targetpractice  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:52:57am

The GOP have finally concluded that they’re never going to have the votes to tear down Obamacare unilaterally, so instead they’re now trying to pressure Obama and Democrats into dismantling it for them.

Hey Lindsey: POUND SAND!

3 erik_t  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:53:51am

Hey, Lindsay. There was an election. Your side lost. Go the fuck back to South Carolina and take your primary challenge like a goddamned adult.

Pathetic children.

4 Kronocide  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:54:19am

Today’s GOP: Ideological Hacks Gone Wild

5 dragonath  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:54:41am
6 TedStriker  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:54:54am

Umm, wasn’t the sequestration option the GOP’s idea to begin with?

7 Lidane  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:54:54am

The Republican party is completely deranged.

Between Graham whining about Obamacare and McCain whining about Behghazi these people are proving they are entirely unfit for governing.

8 Targetpractice  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:56:36am

re: #6 TedStriker

Umm, wasn’t the sequestration option the GOP’s idea to begin with?

It’s funny, but as I remember it, the GOP refused to accept any deal that didn’t include cuts, and were willing to let the country go into default if Obama wouldn’t agree to cuts. So the White House put forward an initial set of cuts, plus a “doomsday” set that only kicked in if a supercommittee couldn’t agree on a plan forward. The GOP agreed to all that, then sabotaged the supercommittee from Day One.

9 Lidane  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:56:46am

re: #6 TedStriker

Umm, wasn’t the sequestration option the GOP’s idea to begin with?

Yes. And we all know why.

All they’re doing now is posturing about Obamacare and Benghazi and about how we’re going to be defenseless or some shit so they can try and bullshit people into thinking they tried to stop the cuts they favored in the first goddamn place.

10 dragonath  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:58:51am

I’m sure if we cut our annual foreign aid to Uh-beki-beki-bekistan we can make this happen

11 erik_t  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:59:12am

re: #8 Targetpractice

It’s funny, but as I remember it, the GOP refused to accept any deal that didn’t include cuts, and were willing to let the country go into default if Obama wouldn’t agree to cuts. So the White House put forward an initial set of cuts, plus a “doomsday” set that only kicked in if a supercommittee couldn’t agree on a plan forward. The GOP agreed to all that, then sabotaged the supercommittee from Day One.

“We’re unable to come to an agreement or even agree on a basic set of principles; let’s kick the can down the road. I’m sure we’ll all be adults next year (or: I’m retiring, so fuck you, someone else deal with it!)”

This is what passes for leadership in Congress.

12 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:59:55am

I have the best idea.

Anything the GOP doesn’t want to pay for, simply move into the Defense Budget. Then they’ll fight for it tooth and nail.

Health care could easily fall under “National Security” doncha think?

13 dragonath  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:00:48am

re: #12 FemNaziBitch

I have the best idea.

Anything the GOP doesn’t want to pay for, simply move into the Defense Budget. Then they’ll fight for it tooth and nail.

War on Microbes!

14 erik_t  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:01:22am

re: #12 FemNaziBitch

I have the best idea.

Anything the GOP doesn’t want to pay for, simply move into the Defense Budget. Then they’ll fight for it tooth and nail.

Build ten or fifty different Ronald Reagan Memorial Defense Bridges For Military Logistics to Defend Against the Commies.

I like it.

15 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:03:56am

re: #14 erik_t

Build ten or fifty different Ronald Reagan Memorial Defense Bridges For Military Logistics to Defend Against the Commies.

I like it.

Army Corps of Engineers are just waiting for the opportunity!

16 TedStriker  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:06:16am

re: #8 Targetpractice

It’s funny, but as I remember it, the GOP refused to accept any deal that didn’t include cuts, and were willing to let the country go into default if Obama wouldn’t agree to cuts. So the White House put forward an initial set of cuts, plus a “doomsday” set that only kicked in if a supercommittee couldn’t agree on a plan forward. The GOP agreed to all that, then sabotaged the supercommittee from Day One.

re: #9 Lidane

Yes. And we all know why.

All they’re doing now is posturing about Obamacare and Benghazi and about how we’re going to be defenseless or some shit so they can try and bullshit people into thinking they tried to stop the cuts they favored in the first goddamn place.

The GOP pushed and got the sequestration option because they looked at it as a win-win situation, IMO.

If President Obama won re-election (as he did), they were hoping to hold on to enough seats in Congress to prevent the Democrats from reworking the deal to prevent disaster. As such, they would get to blame President Obama for everything.

If Romney had won, had the Senate flopped over to them as they would have hoped, the GOP would have likely pushed to modify the deal to their liking, preserving (and even increasing) military spending to the exclusion of almost everything else.

Damn, the GOP teahadis make me want to hurl.

17 jaunte  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:06:42am

Those hands don’t wash so easily.

…before Congress and the White House settled on this particular configuration, they batted around a bunch of other ideas. Among others, Republicans tried to include partial repeal of the health care law, and Democrats tried to include the expiration of the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy. The sequester facing the country today was the result of a long bipartisan negotiation to avoid last year’s default crisis and prevent one from re-emerging in the chaos of an election year.

Back in November, Boehner accepted partial ownership.

“I would feel bound by it,” he said. “It was part of the agreement. And so either we succeed or we are in the sequester. The sequester is ugly. Why? Because we don’t want anybody to go there. That’s why we have to succeed.”

Now that a bipartisan agreement to avoid “going there” appears out of reach, Republicans are trying to wash their hands of their role in creating the sequester — even ones who voted for the debt limit deal.
[Link: tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com…]

18 Lidane  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:06:50am

re: #12 FemNaziBitch

I have the best idea.

Anything the GOP doesn’t want to pay for, simply move into the Defense Budget. Then they’ll fight for it tooth and nail.

We should totally rename the contraceptive coverage mandate to the St. Ronald of Reagan Mandate to Prevent Terror Babies and Expansion of the 47% Moocher Class, then put it under the authority of the Pentagon.

Problem solved. At that point, the GOP would be obligated to care about women and their health.

19 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:10:33am

Stay classy, TGDN. What a bunch of asswipes.

20 A Mom Anon  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:10:55am

Tell you what Senator Graham, you and your asshat colleagues get the ACA overturned and my autistic adult son has no insurance then I expect you to give up your gold plated-don’t have to worry about my own healthcare-for life- policy too, you selfish mean jerk. There’s no chance in hell my husband and I could afford a stand alone policy for our son. It’s going to be years before he’s able to get a job that comes with benefits too, thanks to soaring education costs and little to no funding to help young adults and teens with disabilities become independent after high school.

I cannot take these fucking people anymore. I really can’t. I wish they stood to lose everything, just once, and had to worry about just basic human needs for awhile.

21 erik_t  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:11:51am

re: #18 Lidane

We should totally rename the contraceptive coverage mandate to the St. Ronald of Reagan Mandate to Prevent Terror Babies and Expansion of the 47% Moocher Class, then put it under the authority of the Pentagon.

Public schools: now the Ayn Rand and Free Market Jesus Indoctrination Camps.

This is fun!

22 Mongo only pawn... in game of life.  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:17:31am

It’s a race to the bottom and he’s determined to win. What a pathetic petty man. Devoid of dignity and class and truth.

23 A Mom Anon  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:19:14am

OK, I’m outta here for awhile. Have to find transportation up to the kiddo’s school next week while my car is in the shop from Mighty Mouse damages (which has risen to nearly 3K as of yesterday morning). I hates me some meeces to pieces today.

24 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:20:05am

re: #23 A Mom Anon

OK, I’m outta here for awhile. Have to find transportation up to the kiddo’s school next week while my car is in the shop from Mighty Mouse damages (which has risen to nearly 3K as of yesterday morning). I hates me some meeces to pieces today.

{{{{Momanon}}}}}

25 Targetpractice  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:20:15am

It’s a way for us to see the infamous “Starve the Beast” in action. The GOP have spent decades strangling tax revenue, racking up debts they never had any intention of paying down. Now that we’re reaching the tipping point, they want to use public concern over said debt to kill off the social safety net. They never could get votes to do away with Social Security and Medicare if they just flat-out said they disagreed with them ideologically, but create a “situation” where the decision is economic disaster or dismantling said programs bit by bit, and it becomes an easier sell.

26 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:20:57am

bbl

27 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:21:57am

There are tons of weapons systems that even the military has said we don’t freaking need. Can we at least cut those out?

28 Amory Blaine  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:22:17am

Every single vote from now on is going to come with attachments to dismantle the ACA. Want a new park, etc.? Not until Obamacare is rolled back. Democrats need to do more to crush these people into dust.

Don’t like that Americans poorer than you get health care? I don’t give a fuck what you like. And really, the ACA is a conservative “solution” to begin with. Single payer for all. Period.

29 Amory Blaine  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:24:38am

re: #23 A Mom Anon

OMG Mice damage? Did they eat your wiring? What a nightmare. That happened to me once.

30 Amory Blaine  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:29:30am

re: #8 Targetpractice

But don’t you know, both sides do it!!!!

31 NJDhockeyfan  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:29:46am

re: #23 A Mom Anon

OK, I’m outta here for awhile. Have to find transportation up to the kiddo’s school next week while my car is in the shop from Mighty Mouse damages (which has risen to nearly 3K as of yesterday morning). I hates me some meeces to pieces today.

They have found a home in the ceiling of our Corolla since we bought it new. A sticky trap seems to get them whenever they invade the car. One of them was able to snatch a doggie treat up there and. Now we can hear it sliding around during sharp turns.

32 Kronocide  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:31:21am

re: #25 Targetpractice

It’s a way for us to see the infamous “Starve the Beast” in action. The GOP have spent decades strangling tax revenue, racking up debts they never had any intention of paying down. Now that we’re reaching the tipping point, they want to use public concern over said debt to kill off the social safety net. They never could get votes to do away with Social Security and Medicare if they just flat-out said they disagreed with them ideologically, but create a “situation” where the decision is economic disaster or dismantling said programs bit by bit, and it becomes an easier sell.

What? You say the conservatives are trying their own Cloward-Piven?

I’m shocked, shocked and amazed they would actually try this.

33 Targetpractice  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:31:40am

re: #30 Amory Blaine

But don’t you know, both sides do it!!!!

The Magic Balance Fairy really needs a raise.

34 Kragar (Antichrist )  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:32:35am

Woke up with a craving for egg, so I just made the first omelet I’ve ever made.

35 Amory Blaine  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:34:09am

Denver??? Western?? Plain?? My god man details!!!!

36 stabby  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:34:51am

re: #25 Targetpractice

It’s a way for us to see the infamous “Starve the Beast” in action. The GOP have spent decades strangling tax revenue, racking up debts they never had any intention of paying down. Now that we’re reaching the tipping point, they want to use public concern over said debt to kill off the social safety net. They never could get votes to do away with Social Security and Medicare if they just flat-out said they disagreed with them ideologically, but create a “situation” where the decision is economic disaster or dismantling said programs bit by bit, and it becomes an easier sell.

That strategy depends on the media not calling them on it.

It’s very important that the people be informed that this isn’t a surprise, this isn’t an accident, this situation was created deliberately.

Also it’s important that people know that the lion’s share of the debt was incurred saving institutions that engaged in selling debt fraudulently, once again with the knowledge that they were too big to fail. It’s endless welfare for the greedy rich who buy the political process. It’s just the citizens who they want to cut off.

37 makeitstop  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:35:15am

re: #34 Kragar (Antichrist )

Woke up with a craving for egg, so I just made the first omelet I’ve ever made.

The good thin about omelets is you can completely screw them up appearance-wise and they still taste good.

38 Killgore Trout  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:36:23am

re: #34 Kragar (Antichrist )

Woke up with a craving for egg, so I just made the first omelet I’ve ever made.

Julia Child is old school but she does a wicked easy omelet

The french also eat them for dinner. One of my favorite easy dinners is omlette with liver pate, spinach and a little bit of onion (or chives)

39 allegro  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:36:24am

re: #37 makeitstop

The good thin about omelets is you can completely screw them up appearance-wise and they still taste good.

Screwed up omelets are called scrambled eggs.

40 Kragar (Antichrist )  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:37:59am

re: #38 Killgore Trout

Julia Child is old school but she does a wicked easy omelet

[Embedded content]

The french also eat them for dinner. One of my favorite easy dinners is omlette with liver pate, spinach and a little bit of onion (or chives)

Made mine simple. 3 eggs, little milk, some Southwestern seasoning, red pepper flakes, a green onion and some cheddar cheese. Put it together in about 5 minutes.

41 sattv4u2  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:42:49am

re: #38 Killgore Trout

Julia Child is old school but she does a wicked easy omelet

[Embedded content]

The french also eat them for dinner. One of my favorite easy dinners is omlette with liver pate, spinach and a little bit of onion (or chives)

Try adding little pancake batter mixed in before cooking. (IHOPS’ “secret”)

42 allegro  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:43:24am

re: #40 Kragar (Antichrist )

Made mine simple. 3 eggs, little milk, some Southwestern seasoning, red pepper flakes, a green onion and some cheddar cheese. Put it together in about 5 minutes.

The best omelets I ever made were during a camping trip when I used leftover grilled shrimp, boursin cheese, green onions, and tomatoes. Man, those were delicious.

43 stabby  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:45:29am

I have in front of me the basics:
2 eggs over-easy
two turkey sausage patties
home fries
coffee

44 Tigger2  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:00:33pm

Yeah lets not cut the Military lets kill people at home by taking away their healthcare, typical wingnut thinking.

45 7-y (Expectation of Great Things in Due Course)  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:08:54pm

re: #40 Kragar (Antichrist )

Made mine simple. 3 eggs, little milk, some Southwestern seasoning, red pepper flakes, a green onion and some cheddar cheese. Put it together in about 5 minutes.

Don’t know about other ware, but you can make nuked omelets really fast using Fiesta Ware cups and saucers.

46 SpaceJesus  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:39:22pm

MORE DERP FOR THE DERP GOD

47 macaw  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 1:11:02pm

re: #27 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

There are tons of weapons systems that even the military has said we don’t freaking need. Can we at least cut those out?

No-no-no-no… That would cut out the GOP’s weaponized Keynesian policy, which they require to send pork-barrels home.

48 Feline Fearless Leader  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 2:44:32pm

re: #42 allegro

The best omelets I ever made were during a camping trip when I used leftover grilled shrimp, boursin cheese, green onions, and tomatoes. Man, those were delicious.

One of the LGF cookbooks had the clever idea of mixing omelot fixings in a baggie and then pop it into some boiling water for cooking. Passed that one on to my brother for use in camping trips.

49 steve_davis  Sun, Feb 17, 2013 2:56:02pm

Here’s an idea: if Republicans simply allow the sequester to occur, the president has enormous discretion in where the cuts come from. And if I were he, closing Fort Jackson would be top of the list. It’s time, with no reelection to worry about, for the president to just absolutely smash some of these showboaters.


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