Obama seeks governors’ help in halting automatic budget cuts

Washington, DC, United States (4E) – President Barack Obama told governors Monday to urge their Republican lawmakers to stop the automatic budget cuts that will take effect in four days.

“I hope that you speak with your congressional delegation and remind them in no uncertain terms exactly what is at stake and exactly who is at risk,” Obama told members of the National Governors Association in a meeting at the White House. “Because here’s the thing — these cuts do not have to happen. Congress can turn them off any time with just a little bit of compromise.”

He added, “Cutting alone is not an economic policy. We’ve got to make the tough, smart choices to cut what we don’t need so that we can invest in the things that we do need.”

The President said he had agreed to Medicare and tax reforms as a compromise with Republicans.

Obama warned that the series of arbitrary, automatic budget cuts that Congress is poised to allow in four days will slow the economy, and eliminate good jobs. He said the cuts will harm middle-class families.

“Thousands of teachers and educators will be laid off. Tens of thousands of parents will have to deal with finding child care for their children. Hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose access to primary care and preventive care like flu vaccinations and cancer screenings,” said Obama.

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