Perry: Panetta should resign
Texas Governor Rick Perry said Tuesday that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta should resign if forced to implement automatic cuts in military spending caused by the failure of Congress to reach a deficit reduction agreement.
Back in August, Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr asked Panetta if he would consider quitting if the cuts happened. Panetta said he's not going to quit.
BARBARA STARR: if sequestration happens, just how unacceptable, sir? Do you feel at this point that you could continue in office?
SEC. LEON PANETTA: (Chuckles.) I didn't think it was going to sequester me. (Laughs.)
STARR: Well, I say this very seriously -
SEC. PANETTA: No, I -
STARR: - because, I mean, you both -
SEC. PANETTA: - no, I hear -
STARR: - you have both laid some very serious cards on the table.
SEC. PANETTA: - I hear what you're - I hear what you're saying, but I - you know, I didn't - I didn't come into this job to quit, I came into this job to fight. And I - you know, my intention is to fight to make sure that hopefully some common sense prevails here and that the committee that is established does its work in looking at these other areas of the budget.
And I also have to emphasize with them the dangers of sequestration and the impact that it would have on our national defense. So I think - I think both Mike and I and others here have a responsibility to really educate the leadership on the Hill the - of the dangers if they allowed sequestration to take place.
Look, you know, just for part of the record, I was involved in the conference on Gramm-Rudman. I know what sequestration's all about. And the fact was that at that time the decision was to use this tool as a way to force the right decisions. It hasn't worked. I don't think it will work. But it was the approach that was taken.
In the past, Congress made the decision not to proceed with Gramm-Rudman, not to proceed with sequester because the results would be so damaging. And so every time the trigger was about to take effect, it was postponed.
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The reaction to cuts in Defense have nothing to do with concern over our security posture, it is pure politics. The amount of money being made available to Defense is far from trivial. When someone starts talking about why we have 750+ Generals, layers of Hqs, 30,000 troops in Europe then they are serious about making sure the Military is prepared to do its mission.
I think Governor Perry should resign for the good of the great state of Texas.
Mr. Perry, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL OF STUPIDITY – you studied under Dubya, DOES THAT NOT TELL ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
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..Now, why don't you N-HEAD it back to AUSTIN AND LET THE STATE LEGISLATURE RUN ITSELF !!
Perry's comments were in response to Leon Panetta's grave warning to Obama NOT TO GUT the Military due to the Super Committee's failure to execute a compromise! Obama said, "I will veto any Congressional attempt to stop the mandated budget cuts". So here we have it folks. Obama will greatly weaken our National Security going against the wisdom of his own Secretary of Defense to score "political points" in his miserable re-election bid! This is why Panetta should resign and why the Obamination must be halted!! The President's NUMBER ONE oath is to protect the American People! Gutting our Military to play his sick Blame Game is nothing but reprehensible!
The gop worships the trinity of charles, david and grover. What an unholy trinity it is.
Perry realizes that, to stay even remotely relevant in the eyes of the average dimwit who votes GOP, he has to come up every day with something more outlandish than what he said the day before. For Perry, it is all about sounding 'tough'.
Panetta is a horses ass, a corrupt traitor like the majority of those bastards we call govt officials . By the way it was texas gov conally seated directly ahead of jfk who shot him first in the throat he was a lefty. It wasnt the driver, watch conally shroud the shot with a simple hat flip
Panetta was a major reason America finally found Osama bin Laden and has a lot of experience in the executive and legislative branches of government. He is quite effective and I would very much hope he continues to serve our country. Perry is clueless and inept by comparison. I think Perry is the worst candidate in the Republican field. Perry does not have many ideas. And the ideas that he does have show flaws in his character and judgement. For example, not too many guys would stick a gun in their shorts while going jogging. That is not bravado. It is stupidity. Eventually Perry will shoot his own nuts off.
The only ideas they have are the ones provided to them.they are not men and a women. They are bought and are for sell to the highest bidder.it is clearly Grover norquist who pulls the strings.he is their puppeteer.
big mouth talk: Bernanke treason, Panetta should resign.
You are nothing but a big fat attack machine who can't even remember his own plan.
We should not worry about anything these puppets speak.they are not in charge .I will wait until their master speaks,Grover norquist.
As a Texan I have never liked the man, and I do and dont agree with what he said. I do believe that the military should have someone who can tell congress to shove it and not cut spending. I dont make much money as it is and dont have the greatest gear to use. So if came down to it and it was a step that would force congress to stop and take a step back and look, maybe he could say he would quit but knowing congress they wouldnt even care
Like it or not, Congress sets the budget, not the military. It's in the Constitution. There are too many countries out there where the military is running things, and thankfully the U.S. is not one of them.
Huh, Perry is going to change that: let the military set the budget. Romney will let the generals decide what to do.
Bunch of clowns!
I am from a country, West Africa, where the military set the budget and boy, the set the budget and till date, we have nothing to show for it except their fat bank accounts outside the country. Huntsman will be a candidate that can possibly beat Obama or close beating him, but the Loudest among the GOP has clouded the minds of the reasonable majorities-GOP. As a result, Huntsman remain at 2% compared to clueless Cain, dumb Perry, mean uncle Newt, Crazy Bachman, simple Paul, evangelist in-chief Santorum.
Why would the military continue to build F22 that cost close to $1billion without demanding companies to justify the crazy cost-oh it's the government, it's ok to rack up the charges. Remember last year when a seating Senator spent $10million to renovate his existing office; $14,000 on trash can, over $100K new office desk etc. When it comes to government, corporation goes viral in fees, we all know this as facts and yet, no one is challenging this congress to look into it, and yet blame the President.
Super budget committee failed to do their jobs, blame the President,
GOP control Congress refused to pass the President’s Job Bill, blame the President.
GOP wanted to invade Iran, blame the President
Over 350 bills died in the Senate, filibustered by the Republican, blame the President.
Congress as a whole refused to work and get paid, blame the President and
OWS want fairness and wanting to work and get paid and are called lazy, while the Congress takes 2 weeks off for every 2 wks worked and get paid FULL time salaries by the American people. Is that Justice?
What a bone-headed idea! If the cuts happen, our defense dept will be hit with cuts and Perry wants the guy in charge to resign. That could be a flag to our enemies, you dimwit! And Panetta certainly had nothing to do with the failure by Congress.
So, because the committee failed to do its job, it's Panetta's fault and he should resign? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Little Ricky should be able to spell defense before he comments on it.
More idiotic babble from Putz Perry.
Funny, looking at the attendees at the debate. All I could see were faces upon faces of white people. I believe the only colored face in the room belonged to Cain. I understand now what is meant by Grand Ole Party.
You're toast, Perry. Go back to your mosquito infested State.
putting Panetta in as Defense is like giving the job to ronald mcdonald....another obama joke.
What a foolish comment by a foolish man. Rick Perry makes me ashamed to be a Texan. Here in Texas our new state motto is "We're still smarter than Mississippi!".
You may be, but your governor isn't.
Perry should resign as Tex Gov. Under his watch teachers lost jobs, students per teacher went up, required technology credit was dropped and replaced with fine arts credit. Go figure!
bo hooo....longest serving governor. the Texans must like him...that is those who are not on the union dole..hahaha
The majority voices in Texas has been silenced by BIG corporation money, that's the only reason he gets to keep his job.
Perry should put Texas out of it's misery and resign. They don't want him any more.