Obama signs sequester order to begin spending cuts, president calls Republican Congressional leaders dumb, Republicans want no tax increases, Congressional Black Caucus Chairperson Rep. Marcia L. Fudge of Ohio supports the president saying across the board cuts with no revenue increases hurt poor, middle class communities

                                                              

                                     United States President Barack Obama

Congressional Black Caucus Chairperson Representative Marcia L. Fudge (D-11), a Democratic congressperson for Ohio 

By Kathy Wray Coleman, publisher, editor-n-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper(www.clevelandurbannews.com)

WASHINGTON, D.C.-President Barack Obama on Friday called Republican congressional leaders "dumb, arbitrary" Republicans after negotiations to stop automatic spending cuts, also dubbed a sequester, fail through. And America's first Black president also signed the sequester order later that day that calls for massive spending cuts and could result in a government shut down, according to a White House press release to Cleveland Urban News.Com. 

"It dumb and it's gonna hurt," said Obama.

Republicans shot back saying the responsibility lies on the heels of Congressional Democrats and the Obama administration and that President Obama caused the dilemma by demanding increased taxes as part of the negotiation equation.

Obama, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid met Friday morning with House Speaker John Boehner for Ohio and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell for Kentucky in hopes of ironing out a deal, but the two sides remain at an impasse.

Republican lawmakers claim that they want any agreed upon bill to operate to close tax loop holes without raising taxes while Obama and his fellow Democrats say they want an agreement that includes more federal funding to help tackle a troubling economy, to continue necessary programs and benefits to qualifying Americans,  and to get more Americans back to work.


The 2013 sequester, which will not be felt immediately and will be funneled in over a period of months, includes spending cuts including reduced unemployment benefits, and cuts to education, federal activities and programs to help struggling urban cities across America.

U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge for Ohio, who is also chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said in a press statement that the caucus supports Obama on the sequester issue. 

"We already made deep cuts to programs that build and sustain our communities in the Budget Control Act of 2011, yet we're preparing to do it again," said Fudge. "Across the board cuts with no increases in revenue place the deficit reduction on vulnerable communities and on the middle class and that is not what this country is about."


Sen. McConnell was the most adamant, telling reporters on Friday they he will not support any tax increase whatsoever while the president made it clear that he believes in give and take and consensus building for the betterment of the American people.

“I am not a dictator, I am the president,” Obama said.

Both sides agreed to fund the government through March on what to date is neither a government shut down or a government show down they say.

The federal deficit has peaked at some $16.5 billion.

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