The potential for $1 trillion in cuts to the defense budget is thrusting the issue of national security back into the spotlight of the 2012 presidential race. The cuts, set for January 2013, could also turn a strength into a vulnerability for President Obama, who has more to brag about when it comes to security and foreign affairs than the economy.
Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, said that because Congress has more than a year to change sequestration, it’s possible the issue won’t get resolved before the election.
“That means a cloud of uncertainty will be hanging over the discretionary budget, including the defense budget, potentially for the next 13 months,” Harrison said. “Congress will be able to talk about this, debate it, kick it around and potentially not do anything about it until after the November 2012 election.”