Obama and RepublicansThe sequester will hit in less than a week and President Barack Obama and the Republican lawmakers are blaming each other for failing to come up with a deal to solve the issue. During the president’s weekly address, he tried to back the Republicans into a corner by saying that the cuts don’t have to happen and Congress can easily turn them off with an agreement.

President Obama said that the Congressional Republicans have decided to let the cuts fall on the middle class Americans instead of working for a compromise. He added that the GOP want to let the cuts on schools and mental health care take effect in order to protect the tax loopholes for the rich Americans.

On their part, the Republicans blame the White House for the sequester. Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota said that it was President Obama who proposed and promoted the sequester. He said that House Republicans have already passed two measures to replace President Obama’s sequester.

Hoeven said that Congressional Republicans have the flexibility to make the required spending cuts and address the soaring debt and deficit to prevent the sequester. He questioned the president’s reluctance to work with them and the president’s push for higher taxes.

Senator Hoeven criticized President Obama for preventing economic growth and private sector job creation. He pointed at the White House’s postponement of the decision regarding the Keystone XL pipeline project as an example. He asked the president why he kept on blocking the project that most Americans support.

Senator Hoeven said that the president is being pressured by special interest groups. He asked President Obama to ignore Hollywood activists who are against the project and approve the Keystone XL pipeline that will generate more jobs. He said that it is time for President Obama to do things differently.