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RELEASE: Doesn’t Gov. Romney Know Where Sequestration Came From?
Press Release

RELEASE: Doesn’t Gov. Romney Know Where Sequestration Came From?

Read the analysis.

Washington D.C. — On Sunday’s broadcast of “Meet the Press,” Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney discussed a subject that may well emerge as an important issue in the fall campaign. He said, “This sequestration idea of the White House, which is cutting our defense, I think, is an extraordinary miscalculation. … I thought it was a mistake on the part of the White House to propose it. I think it was a mistake for Republicans to go along with it.”

A CAP Action analysis released today identifies three important things to be noted about this statement by Gov. Romney:

  1. It is remarkably divorced from the legislative history that resulted in this legislation becoming law.
  2. It appears that the former Massachusetts governor is attempting to pick a fight with President Barack Obama over the negative consequences that sequestration will have on defense when there is in fact no apparent disagreement between the two candidates on that issue.
  3. The statement by Gov. Romney appears totally oblivious to the devastating cuts that sequestration will force on vital functions of government outside the Defense Department, including many that are crucial to national security.

Authored by CAP Action Senior Fellow Scott Lilly, the analysis explores each of these key aspects of Gov. Romney’s statement about sequestration, beginning with the legislative history.

“The Republican candidate for president does deserve credit for speaking out on the potential problems that this mindless method of deficit reduction will inflict on the defense establishment. He is correct to call the nation’s attention to it.,” writes Scott Lilly. “But his problem in solving the sequestration issue is not with the President Obama but with the extremists in his own party that created it in the first place. He should call on those members to recognize the potential damage their policies will cause and to stay in Washington this month to reach an agreement that will at least postpone the deadline so that a new Congress has a chance to find a better means of reducing the deficit.”

Read the full analysis: Doesn’t Gov. Romney Know Where Sequestration Came From?

Related resources from CAP:

To speak with an expert on this topic, please contact Katie Peters at 202.741.6285 or [email protected].

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