GOP urges Obama to spare defense budget

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Republicans made another pitch Saturday for further cuts to the U.S. budget in their weekend radio address.

Rep. Martha Roby, R-Ala., did the honors as Congress and the Obama administration faced the unpleasant deadline for the so-called sequestration cuts, which will hammer virtually all government spending programs.

Roby urged President Obama to give in and start cutting. The goal, she said, was to make sure defense spending was spared.

"Threatening these devastating sequester military cuts was President Obama's idea in the first place," Roby said. "That matters – not because of who should get the blame – but because of who should be leading the effort to solve this problem."

Roby, whose district includes the U.S. Army base at Fort Rucker, said the president should find "better, more responsible spending cuts" that will avoid the $85 billion in across-the-board reductions mandated by the sequestration plan, which kicks in March 1.

The Hill said the GOP sent Roby to the microphone following the unveiling of a Democratic plan that would raise taxes by $55 billion and chip another $55 billion from farm subsidies and the Pentagon's budget.

Roby did not make any specific proposals for social-program cuts; however The Hill said the GOP prefers slashing what it sees as bloated social programs.