From UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL:

President Barack  Obama turned up pressure on Congress Tuesday to work to avoid scheduled  “meat cleaver” cuts in federal domestic and defense spending.

Appearing with emergency responders at the White House, Obama urged Congress  to pass — at the very least — a short-term measure that would delay the cuts  so lawmakers could work on a permanent fix.

If nothing is done, $85 billion in spending cuts — called sequester — will  go into effect March 1.

“Our top priority must be do everything can to grow economy and create good  middle-class jobs. That has to drive every decision we make,” Obama said. “It’s  troubling that just 10 days from now, Congress might allow … automatic, severe  budget cuts that will do just the opposite.”

The across-the-board cuts were put into play by the last-minute debt ceiling  deal reach in August 2011 and the “fiscal cliff” agreement enacted at the  beginning of this year.

Obama said Tuesday the government can achieve $4 trillion in deficit  reduction economists say is needed, but for that to happen, there must be a  balance of tax reforms and spending reforms.

“If Congress allows this meat cleaver approach to take place, it will  jeopardize our military readiness … [and] eviscerate job-creating investments  in education and energy and medical research,” he said. “It won’t consider  whether we’re cutting some bloated program that has outlived its usefulness or a  vital service that Americans depend on every single day. It doesn’t make those  distinctions.”

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