Editorial
The fiscal year 2014 defense budget that was recently submitted to Congress contains many of the same requests that we have seen in previous years. The President's Administration has a history of continually cutting resources from the Department of Defense. Sadly, this year's budget makes no exception. Cutting resources from our defense, which places our national security at risk, is not the way our military should be forced to proceed.
For the past month, President Barack Obama has made numerous appearances from his State of the Union Address to this week's White House press conference, where he has called on Congress to take immediate action to avert the impending sequester. In his remarks, he demands that the legislative branch find a "balanced" approach. However, he fails to tell the American people who is ultimately responsible for the sequester and what action has been taken to avoid it.

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Four Months After Benghazi, Questions and Security Concerns Are Still Left Unanswered
By: Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02)
With less than two weeks before the election, the campaigns of President Barack Obama and Governor Romney are fighting for every vote, while each campaign is spending millions of dollars on advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts. Despite all the time and money, a small but important segment of voters are being left behind as we approach Election Day: Our Armed Forces.
Last Saturday, October 20, 2012, The State published a story written by the Associated Press entitled GOP pounces on Libya raid confusion. Within the article, the authors stated, "And Republicans have offered no explanation for why the president would want to conceal the nature of the attack." This statement could not be further from the truth.
Over the last three and a half years, our country has watched as President Obama's failed policies have not provided the hope and change promised when he was sworn into office. Our national debt has reached a threatening $16 trillion. American families continue to struggle to independently provide for their families and median household income has declined 4.8 percent since June 2009. College tuitions remain subject to rapid increases, hindering our youth from furthering their education.
Last week, I discovered one of the most corrupt acts I have seen while serving in public office: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum, advising defense contractors that if they failed to comply with existing law, taxpayers would pay any resulting employee compensation costs and attorneys' fees incurred. Instead of notifying defense contractors that they must abide by the laws set in place to protect American families, the administration has advised and encouraged these companies to break the law without penalty. Does that sound unbelievable to you?
The United States of America was attacked in Benghazi, Libya two days ago on the 11th anniversary of September 11, 2001. This was not a riot; it was a coordinated assault on a United States Consulate that led to the assassination of the United States Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens along with three brave associates. This was an act of terrorism and must be dealt with in a harsh and prompt manner. I am deeply saddened by the loss of Ambassador Stevens and the three American Foreign Service agents who were killed in the attack.
Shortly after the conclusion of the Second World War, scientists across America began studying possible commercial uses of nuclear materials. By 1958, the first nuclear power plant was up and running outside of Pittsburgh, Pa. Today, there are 104 nuclear power reactors in the country with four more under construction in Georgia and South Carolina.
When Senator Barack Obama campaigned for President of the United States, he promised energy rates "would necessarily skyrocket" under his policies. Over the past three years, the President has held firm to this pledge. The prices of energy sources have nearly doubled since President Obama was sworn into office in January 2009. Over the past month alone, the price of gas has jumped thirty-one cents, increasing the average cost to $3.83 per gallon.
