Rubio: Sequester Cuts a Political Stunt

Sequester cuts are a political stunt by President Barack Obama that don't solve the real problems facing the country, Sen. Marco Rubio has written in an opinion piece for the Pensacola News Journal.

Rubio said Friday that Obama's policies led to the cancellation of the Blue Angels' 2013 season "all because of a decision made two years ago more than 900 miles away in Washington, D.C."

He explained that cutting the Blue Angels' performances saved $28 million, less than 1 percent of the Navy's operating budget.

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"For President Obama to continue the charade of making things like the Blue Angels the culprits of our debt and, therefore, the first thing on the chopping block when government must slim down, is an insult to the American people," the Florida Republican wrote.

Rubio called it especially insulting that the wasteful "$34 million, 64,000 square foot building in Hemland province Afghanistan was built despite the fact that military commanders didn't ask for it and objected to it being built."

Rubio didn't support sequestration and didn't vote for the Budget Control Act because it "also raised our debt ceiling without any real spending or pro-growth reforms of any kind."

"President Obama's administration should be ashamed for trying to convince the American people that our only choices when it comes to dealing with the debt are either to leave government as big and bloated as it is, or accept a new reality where our people have to endure longer lines at the airport, endless flight delays, the loss of safety-net medical assistance, the denial of education services, and many other inconveniences and negative effects to people's day-to-day lives."

Rubio wrote that it's time "to get serious about tackling our debt and growing our economy," and that "political stunts . . . do nothing to put people back to work, solve our debt crisis, or safeguard our national security."