Senator Warner called into Hot 91 radio Norfolk this morning to speak with Norfolk State University’s Dr. Erica Taylor about the effect of the sequestration cuts on the Hampton Roads area, and to discuss the political environment in Washington and his upcoming visit to the area. 

He began by using an example to illustrate the irrational, inefficient nature of the broad cuts.    

“There are about 975 separate items in the Navy budget, and [with sequestration] each of them is getting cut 8-10%,” he began.  “But not all 975 of those programs are of equal value to the taxpayers, so cutting them equally doesn’t make sense.”

“We in Virginia and particularly in Hampton Roads feel this more than most communities in America,” Senator Warner continued, “because we’ve obviously got a lot of presence of the Navy, of military, of folks on student assistance.  And we’re hurting now.  But other parts of America are going to start hurting too in the months to come.”

Senator Warner expressed his hope that members of Congress would come together soon to limit the painful impact of these cuts on people in the Hampton Roads area and nationwide. 

Senator Warner also previewed the commencement speech he’ll give for NSU’s Class of 2013 on May 4 in Norfolk.

“Well, I’m not going to talk too much about politics because graduation day is supposed to celebrate the students and their families,” he told Dr. Taylor.  “I do want to discuss how, in this society with the way we focus on success, we forget that sometimes it can be good to fail, as long as you can learn from it.  I failed at everything – business, politics – before I succeeded at it. So I want to talk a little about that with the graduates.”

“I want to wish the Spartans good luck this March,” Senator Warner concluded.  NSU’s men’s basketball team, the Spartans, begins their MEAC tournament tonight at Scope Arena in downtown Norfolk.