I’d like to respond to the Oct. 9 letter, “Military cuts alarming to nation’s safety.” The writer is fundamentally wrong with his talking points blaming the president for a deal done in Congress, thanks to Republican tea party do-nothings, including Ryan and our own Mr. Schilling. This cut came out of the deficit deal, that’s the truth, which seems to elude many people on the right these days.  

In 2011, the parties were in a standoff over raising the debt ceiling. Republicans would agree only in exchange for a deal to significantly reduce the deficit. Since they were unable to come up with a deal in the short term, lawmakers came up with a plan: set up a bipartisan “supercommittee” to find $1.2 trillion in additional cuts ($500 billion military), with the mandate that if lawmakers fail, automatic, nearly across-the-board cuts would kick in at year end.

The idea was because both parties would come to a deal. Of course, they didn’t, including Ryan, who was on the super-duper, do-nothing, obstructionist GOP side.