Ind. senators on 'sequester' solution

WASHINGTON D.C. (WANE) - Indiana’s senators have expressed similar points of view when discussing the so-called “sequester” debate in Washington.

If it was up to Sen. Joe Donnelly, avoiding massive spending cuts would be simpler than it’s proving to be.

“I think we have a lot more common sense in Indiana than we have in Washington.  I try to use Hoosier common sense and I can only work with the people that the rest of the nation sends here to work with me,” Donnelly said.  “In about one day, probably Dan Coats and I could get this thing done but unfortunately it’s not just Dan and I who make this decision.”

Both Donnelly and his cross-aisle counterpart, Sen. Dan Coats pointed out that the “sequester” is only one drop in a much bigger budget bucket.  The two agreed that entitlement program spending needs to be a part of the discussion which it is not currently.

“Let me be straight out and say the things you’re not supposed to say because it’s political suicide; if we don’t reform Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, it doesn’t matter what else we do, we can’t solve this problem,” Coats said.

See also | How sequester will affect Indiana