WASHINGTON, March 2 (AFP) -President Barack Obama has reluctantly ordered an $85 billion austerity drive that could slow the US economy and slash jobs, after blaming Republicans for refusing to stop the “dumb” spending cuts. Obama complied with his legal obligations and initiated the automatic, across-the-board cuts in domestic and defense spending Friday, following the failure [...]

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Obama orders $85 billion spending cuts, blames Republicans

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WASHINGTON, March 2 (AFP) -President Barack Obama has reluctantly ordered an $85 billion austerity drive that could slow the US economy and slash jobs, after blaming Republicans for refusing to stop the “dumb” spending cuts. Obama complied with his legal obligations and initiated the automatic, across-the-board cuts in domestic and defense spending Friday, following the failure of efforts to clinch a deal with Republicans on cutting the deficit.

The measures could mean long lines at US border posts, reduced military readiness, cuts to special needs education programs, and will trim the resources of some emergency services, according to White House officials.Obama had earlier blamed the austerity time bomb on Republicans, who refused to close tax loopholes for the rich and corporations combined with more targeted spending cuts, in his “balanced” approach to deficit reduction.

“I am not a dictator. I’m the president,” Obama said, warning he could not force his Republican foes to “do the right thing,” or make the Secret Service barricade Republicans leaders in a room until a deal is done.

“These cuts will hurt our economy, will cost us jobs and to set it right both sides need to be able to compromise,” Obama said, before decrying the budget trimming as “dumb” and “unnecessary.” Only three months after winning re-election, and with the extent of his authority in Washington again constrained, Obama bemoaned his inability to do a “Jedi mind-meld” to get Republicans to change their minds, using imagery from Star Wars and Star Trek.




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