OKLAHOMA CITY – U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, admits he is “very, very concerned about the military spending cuts as a result of sequestration,” but that he is willing to let automatic budget cuts go into effect next week.

In a telephone interview with CapitolBeatOK, Cole explained his views on the subject, saying, “I would prefer, always, to negotiate a different allocation of the cuts, but the president is unwilling to do that.

We need to reduce spending, and if he is not willing to renegotiate that reallocation, then I’m certainly not going to vote to raise revenues.”

Cole continued, “Yes, if we can’t get the president to negotiate, I’m willing to let the sequestration go into effect next week.”

He reiterated a sense of dismay and wonder that the second term Democratic president, Barack Obama, is unwilling to find a middle ground with Republicans in Congress: “This guy is not Bill Clinton. He is very left-wing.” 

 

Concerning sequestration, he reflected a belief that his reluctant acceptance of the automatic cuts “represents the view of the Republican caucus, as well.” He added, however, that he looked forward to hearing from colleagues after the short break in House deliberations, and added that some might shift against sequestration while home visiting with constituents.

Cole telephoned during a day when he was visiting with local and regional newspaper editors and publishers, including at the Sulphur Times-Democrat. He observed that some journalists with whom he talked had enjoyed the comparison he made between the federal budget fights and a “five-act drama” analogy he fashioned this week in an interview with CapitolBeatOK.