Parties trade blame as budget cuts loom FEDERAL BUDGET

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, talks about growing up with his father who was born deaf and cannot speak, during a special session of the National Governors Association 2013 Winter Meeting in Washington, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Seated on the right, is invited panelist Judith Heumann, special advisor for International Disability Rights, State Department. Governors Sunday roundly condemned the automatic budget cuts set to take hold this week, and hoped for a deal to stave off the $85 billion reduction in government services. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) less South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, talks about growing up with his father who was born deaf and cannot speak, during a special session of the National Governors Association 2013 Winter Meeting in Washington, ... more Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Parties trade blame as budget cuts loom 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

Washington --

The White House and Republicans traded blame Sunday for budget cuts set to take effect at week's end that both sides roundly condemn.

The $85 billion in cuts - known as a sequester - could affect everything from commercial flights to classrooms to meat inspections. The GOP's leading line of criticism hinged on blaming President Obama's aides for introducing the automatic budget trigger in the first place, while the administration's allies were determined to illustrate the consequences of the cuts as the product of Republican stubbornness.

Former Republican National Committee chairman Haley Barbour, half-jokingly said Sunday: "Well, if it was a bad idea, it was the president's idea."

The spending cuts were initially designed to be so unacceptable that members of Congress would strike a grand budget bargain to avoid them. They didn't.

With Friday's deadline nearing, few in the nation's capital were optimistic that a realistic alternative could be found and all sought to cast the political process itself as the culprit.

If Congress does not step in, a top-to-bottom series of cuts will be spread across domestic and defense agencies in a way that would fundamentally change how government serves its people.

Obama senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer told reporters the GOP is "so focused on not giving the president another win" that they will cost thousands of jobs.

"The Republicans are making a policy choice that these cuts are better than eliminating loopholes," Pfeiffer said.

The cuts would slash from domestic and defense spending alike, leading to furloughs for hundreds of thousands of government workers and contractors.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said the cuts would harm the readiness of U.S. fighting forces. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said travelers could see delayed flights. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said 70,000 fewer children from low-income families would have access to Head Start programs. And furloughed meat inspectors could leave plants idled.

Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy said it is past time for both sides to sit down to help dodge cuts that will hurt all states' budgets.

"Come to the table, everyone. Everybody. Let's work this thing out. Let's be adults," said Malloy, a Democrat.

Barbour and Malloy appeared on CNN's "State of the Union." McCaskill was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday."