We've already raised taxes. Let's focus on the cuts.

"seek a big fiscal deal that would raise taxes and trim billions from expensive and ever growing entitlement programs." -- he already got his tax increase on the rich. It's never enough for democrats.

Obama ran on his plan and was elected to get this done. Republicans will face the voters, who by a wide margin support the presidents plan to raise revenue by taxing the wealthy. The republicans lost seats in the last election and if not for gerrymandering would have lost the house. The republicans refuse to to do the peoples will and they will pay for it in the next election insite of the best efforts on gerrymandering and voter restictions. This has to end and we need leaders who can govern and the art of governing is all about compromise and the republicans refuse to compromise. This is why or govt is completely broke and until we vote the bums out govt will be this way. The wealthy have never had it better or taxes this low. We need revenue and it is time to get in the pockets of those who have benefitted the most and many of the wealthy agree that is the ironic thing. I agree with the president that we need a balanced approach.

So how does an article on this topic pass without a mention of Bob Woodward and the points he has made about this sequestration being the presidents proposed plan in the first place? The president seems to be getting just what he wants, and he still isn’t happy so he’s trying to make it as painful as possible because he lost what he saw as an opportunity for new taxes?

I don't think Americans want more government spending.

In case our politicians aren't aware of this concept maybe this would help: To compromise is to make a deal between different parties where each party gives up part of their demand. In arguments, compromise is a concept of finding agreement through communication, through a mutual acceptance of terms—often involving variations from an original goal or desire.

The goptp is in big trouble for the next 2 election cycles. When the cuts start hitting the south who count on the Government the most they will be leaving in droves to the dfl side.

What disingenuous drivel. Every lower and middle class American just got their budgets decreased by 2% when Obama signed the most recent tax deal that let the social security payroll tax holiday lapse. I didn't see any democratic politician outraged and predicting economic doom, even though this will be the real cause of the next recession. In addition, Obama and the democrats got their tax hikes on folks making more than 400K. Now suddenly Democrats are predicting certain doom over a 2.3% budget cut that results in the federal government STILL SPENDING MORE THAN LAST YEAR! If our government cannot handle a 2.3% budget cut then they should all be fired. Anyone who believes this administration's talking points are displaying their intelligence, or lack thereof. So here is Democrat logic: Increasing taxes on EVERY working citizens will cause no issues to the economy whatsoever but decreasing government spending by 2.3% will.

So last year we paid 360 BILLION DOLLARS INTEREST on the Debt . Seems to me that the Debt interest takes more money away from the poor than the sequester. How about we try to lower the debt by less spending and the give the interest savings to the social programs. Conservatives get less spending and debt and liberals get the savings on the interest.

Did you read Maxine Waters' comments about the awful impact of the cuts? "The U.S. could lose 170 million jobs!" Really Maxine? That would mean we would need to hire 20 million new workers and then fire them all. The U.S. currently has about 150 million jobs! Really? When will the fear-mongering stop? I can't wait to see what happens. It can't be worse than the direction we are heading.