Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., is pushing a new kind of redistribution. Cole said Monday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that sequestration “is going to happen,” but he is open to redistributing the cuts to make sure they are targeted to wasteful spending.
“This thing looks like it’s not going to be avoided,” said host Joe Scarborough. “It’s a very blunt crude instrument, but it’s all we have right now.”
“It absolutely is, and it is going to happen,” Cole agreed. “I’m more than happy to negotiate with the President how you redistribute the cuts— a lot less discretionary, more nondiscretionary, different categories, that makes sense.”
Cole cautioned that Republicans will not allow “revenue increases” to enter the discussion.
“The idea there’s going to be more revue here, that’s just not going to occur,” he said. “These cuts are in law, they’re going to happen. I’d like to work and redistribute them, but again, they’re going to take place, and they need to take place. We’re running trillion-dollar debts.”
