Comments about ‘Sen. Orrin Hatch warns sequestration could hit Utah hard, says it may be needed’

Unbelievable. The Democratic party spending us into oblivion, all the while setting up negotiations to fail. And I don't have a lot of sympathy for fanatical tea-partiers either. Say what you will about Senator Hatch. He's kind of strange, but he at least seems to understand the issues and doesn't take an all-or-nothing approach.

We've got a lot of people in Washington who are unwilling to work together, not willing to compromise, who are idealogues, get paid really well, have more benefits than you can shake a stick at, and can't see past their own agendas for anything.

In days past, I remember legislators of both parties were more willing to compromise. Today's politicians should read some good historical books. The worst of it is the practice of setting things up to fail; purposely and stubbornly proposing specific solutions they know the other side can't accept and doing so just to remain *blameless*; giving themselves a reason to throw up their hands and point the finger instead of solving the problems. Are they really that disinterested in the country's well-being? Apparently so.

re: Very Concerned. Where was your outrage when Bush spent us into oblivion? After all, Obama has proven to be more fiscally responsible than Bush's White House.

The sequestration seemed to be designed originally as a poison pill, to force a solution. Now it may be the solution.

Obama is on pace to out-spend Bush. And with Obamacare, I wouldn't be surprised if the deficit baloons in the next few years. However, I probably should have calmed down before sending the previous message.

My main point was that purposely proposing specific solutions they know won't fly is a lousy way to govern.

To clarify another point, I'm actually not a fan of ANY president/congress (Republican or Democrat) who spends the way we've been seeing the last 20-30 years. Apparently our politicians don't see the obvious, that at some point it will catch up to us. How short-sighted. Just due to sound economic principles alone, we're in for a rough time financially because of the federal deficit.

For a President that hasn't had a real budget for his 4 years in office and a Senate that won't push the House version or their own version forward, it is not a real threat for anything as we have gotten by for 4 years on erasable markers anyway. The Secretary of the Treasury hopefully won't go back to his position on the New York Federal Reserve Board where Wall Street and the majority of all large banks are located. The bailout monies from Bush and Obama were given to help these people who have robbed our bank accounts and the ability of the United States of America to have their highest credit rating.

We should have better people in those Federal Reserve boards that have honesty and integrity as part of their position description and not who makes the most even when their corporation loses everything on their backs. It doesn't make sense that we gave people that failed their own institutions bonuses when the people of America still are lapsing in their own retirement and bank accounts.

We live in a time of immorality in all aspects of work, business, personal, governmental and political ethics.

"The furloughs would result in an 11.5 percent cut to the average annual salary for a civilian employee, nearly $7,800, Hatch said."

That would be ok since government employees are grossly overpaid anyway compared to the average private salary. And by the way, Congress persons are grossly overpaid as well for what they do.

@TeaPublican: "Let’s talk the truth here! We TeaPublicans know that these sequester cuts are the direct result of Republican demand in 2011..."

Not entirely correct. It was Obama who pushed for the sequester... now he is trying his best to fight it. What's wrong with this guy? That's what we get for electing a socialist foreigner as US President.

@mcclark: "Before the Bush tax cuts we were running a surplus, ever since we have been running a deficit. What needs to be done is pretty clear to me."

The deficit can be attributed mostly to the housing market collapse... which was basically the fault of two Democrats... Chris Dodd and Barney Frank. Both of which left Congress, probably in disgrace for causing the biggest fiasco since the Great Depression.

As always, the chickens come home to roost, Senator!

If Congress was serious about fixing the budget they would put their budget that pays their staff up on the cutting block. How quick do you think they would fix the deficit problems if you reduced their federally paid staff to 1 secretary each?

I thought sequestration cut GROWTH.....only the increase. If we can pay for it now ...why would there be cuts at Hill Air Force base? If it is not new spending then there shouldn't be any "cuts". Am I wrong?

President Obama came up with this idea if the 8 senators back in August 2011 could not agree to the cuts needed. We are getting exactly what the majority of Americans voted for last November.

The solution is easy: Senate pass a budget of your own which you haven't done for four years! The house passed their budget to avoid this mess. President Obama's budget did not get 1 vote from his party in the senate. Ground hog day is fast approaching with automatic cuts to the middle class who work at the base.

"President Obama's budget did not get 1 vote from his party in the senate."

President Obama's budget has never gone up for a vote in the senate. It is amazing how misinformed conservatives are. And it seems like they don't mind being misinformed.

@Scoundrel:
"This about-face from Hatch is a laughing stock."

Try to remember that politicians prevaricate. They say one thing to get elected, then they do what they dang well please. If you'll remember, that's what Obama worked it. Case in point... he once fought for sequestration now he's against it.

The warter is rising. those who voted for the Obama spending spree are about to be brought to their senses and that is what this president wants. He is after total power spearheading the drive for the Democrats. One can not violate economic laws year after year and have it not come to and unhappy end. Wake up young America.

@Ernest

Does it make sense to make sweeping Military Budget cuts while other power nations China and Russia for example are far outspending the U.S. to rise above us as military powers?

You commented that Bush spent us into oblivion and Obama has been more fiscally responsible. Seriously? Do you have any solid data to support this generalized claim? The problem is not with Republicans, the problem is with Politicians.

$85 billion bucks is a drop in the ocean to these guys. Think about that for a moment, $85,000,000,000.00 is almost meaningless to our Federal Government UNTIL they want to foster political gain then all of the sudden it's enough to make or break the economy. Get real Orin, some of us actually understand the Federal Governments lack of fiscal responsibility. You do not scare us with your speeches you scare us with your actions.

The problem we have is the Washington elite (including Senator Hatch) haven't worked in private industry. A well-run company requires a 5 percent budget reduction for every activity, each year. Then, if justified, new activities are approved. For heaven's sakes, this sequestration is only 2.5 percent!

Seven of the top ten counties with highest income are in the Washington DC Metro area. Most bureaucrats could lose pay for one day per week, with a concomitant 20 percent pay reduction. That's what many companies were forced to do during the Depression.

The bureaucrats work for us; we don't work for them!