The looming sequester

[GeorgiaDon 362]

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The attached pic puts the sequestration into perspective. It pretty much changes nothing.

While your attached pic may purport to put the sequestration into perspective, it does so in a way deliberately designed to obscure things. It doesn't outright lie, it just leaves out so much that it gives a seriously misleading impression.

What is left out? Well for one thing the baby boomers are now retiring and qualifying for social security/medicare, so that segment of the population is increasing far faster than the overall working population. However medicare and social security were shielded from sequestration, as was things like interest payments on the debt. You may well argue that the overall budget is still increasing, but if social security/medicare/interest payments are growing at a substantially faster rate and they are protected, then all of the sequestration will have to come out of "discretionary spending" including the military, border security, medical research, food safety inspections, air traffic control, the judicial system, and all the other services we have come to depend on. Over time, unless the cuts are also applied to entitlement programs, everything else will have to go.

Many will say "good, let it go". Well, some of the effects will be visible, though primarily as a nuisance, in the short term. It'll maybe take a year, and cost a couple of hundred dollars, to get a passport, instead of the several months and $100 it costs now. Airport hours will be curtailed as there aren't enough air traffic controllers to maintain staffing, so flights will be less convenient. Incidents of food poisoning will become more frequent, more crimes won't be worth prosecuting, and so on. In the longer term, sectors of the economy, such as biotech, will move offshore as it becomes harder and harder to find qualified American scientists and engineers. As other countries invest in their own populations and economies, the US will become more and more of a backwater, focused on nothing but an aging non-working population and a bloated military incapable of protecting us against the real threat, economic irrelevance.

What would take real balls would be an assessment of what government programs contribute in a measurable way to things the government should actually be worried about. I would argue that should include a reasonable level of defense and border security (coupled with a realistic immigration policy that addresses the actual needs of the country), investment in people and infrastructure in a way that actually leverages real economic growth at a national level, and protection against criminal activity (including poisoning of the air and water we all need) and public health threats. As a nation, we should also be able to do something to care for the most unfortunate amongst us, such as those who are so disabled that they have no hope of being able to support themselves. Really what is needed is a discussion of the cost/benefit/constitutionality of each and every program. Truth to tell, though, I suspect that such an analysis wouldn't turn up as much as most people think it would in terms of wasteful spending. Unless, of course, you define "wasteful spending" as "spending that doesn't directly benefit me in a totally obvious way, right now". At any rate, such an effort would require a lot of time and a real willingness to be objective (i.e. to leave politics out of the discussion), not these month by month exercises in brinksmanship our political "leaders" so like to play around with.

Don

_____________________________________
Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996)
“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

[rushmc 23]

Now Holder joins the fear monger game

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/eric-holder-sounds-sequester-alarm/story?id=18610419

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Gravitymaster 0]

Sounds like Holder is making a convincing argument for all American to purchase a gun.

[rushmc 23]

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Sounds like Holder is making a convincing argument for all American to purchase a gun.

This whole sequester debated is pure bull shit

Fucking politicians can’t live on less of an increase

And the damned lapdog media is so busy drooling and wagging their tails over their chosen one they can’t do an honest story to save their ass

Pissing me off

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Gravitymaster 0]

Give us more money or people will die has been a mantra of the left wingers for a very long time. Now it's "give us more money or we are going to release scary Mexicans that will kill you and rape your wives and daughters" and "if a terrorist attack occurs, it will be all the Republicans fault. I am only surprised they aren't ringing the global warming bell for the typical Pavlov responses from that ilk.

[rushmc 23]

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Give us more money or people will die has been a mantra of the left wingers for a very long time. Now it's "give us more money or we are going to release scary Mexicans that will kill you and rape your wives and daughters" and "if a terrorist attack occurs, it will be all the Republicans fault. I am only surprised they aren't ringing the global warming bell for the typical Pavlov responses from that ilk.

But we gotta love Obama

cause he was for sequestration before he was against it

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[kallend 2,027]

Quote

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hkPwdpVxUE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewvAv5N5L5A

It was Obamas idea

Who is really to blame (a non-partisan view):

www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/heres-who-is-really-to-blame-for-sequestration/273587/?google_editors_picks=true

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rushmc 23]

Quote

Quote

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hkPwdpVxUE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewvAv5N5L5A

It was Obamas idea

Who is really to blame (a non-partisan view):

www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/heres-who-is-really-to-blame-for-sequestration/273587/?google_editors_picks=true

Blame?


There is no blame

The sequestor is only a tiny good start (if it happens)

But we all know Obama was for it before he was against it

I did get a kick out of listen to him today

NOW he is saying we may not see the bad things for a few months (IE, the cuts to the increases are so small no one will notice)

Dems are saying the same

Guess he couldn't fearmonger his way into more tax increases this this

Maybe next time

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 23]

The First GOOD result of sequestration

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/28/sequester-railroads-bidens-pricey-plane-travel/

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 2,991]

>The First GOOD result of sequestration

More people on Amtrak, less flying - I agree, that's good.

[rushmc 23]

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>The First GOOD result of sequestration

More people on Amtrak, less flying - I agree, that's good.

that too

I like it better that Biden got his ass grounded

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 2,991]

>I like it better that Biden got his ass grounded

He's been wanting to ground his own ass for a while now. Looks like you agree with him!

[rushmc 23]

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>I like it better that Biden got his ass grounded

He's been wanting to ground his own ass for a while now. Looks like you agree with him!

Dont get that one

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[wayneflorida 0]

The sequester is here.

President Obama just said after meeting with congressional leaders something like.

"Because of this sequester, every bit of economic news you hear in the next six months will be worst than it might have been."

[rushmc 23]

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The sequester is here.

President Obama just said after meeting with congressional leaders something like.

"Because of this sequester, every bit of economic news you hear in the next six months will be worst than it might have been."

Ya, including the 170M who are about to lose their jobs

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[lawrocket 3]

It's worse than anyone imagined.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[quade 4]

I just watched this happen in front of my own eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRHZK-c3Id4

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[rushmc 23]

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It's worse than anyone imagined.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[93626392 0]

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The gov is a black hole that only consumes but produces nothing

Really? NOTHING?

[kallend 2,027]

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Actually, it is more my belly...from laughing.

Well I dont think them the same at all

The gov is a black hole that only consumes but produces nothing

A private sector business can not rob money from others to survive as this bloated government does

Wall Street manages to do it, and pays its execs 7 figure salaries in the process. Even while bringing the economy to its knees.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[OHCHUTE 0]

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Nice nearly 20 straight posts of :

"some people"
"Dems"
"Reps"
"Obama"
"Party of NO"
"dems"
"reps"

ad nauseum

Looks like the party PR machines has everybody here right exactly where they want them - they don't have to fix the problem - or even try anymore, they just have to create the divide so that no matter what happens, the public will be able to rationalize blame to whichever half of the leadership they've been indoctrinized to hate.

you are all smart people - how can you be so easily brainwashed?


However, if we all voted in such a giant pile of petty little children, we get what we deserved - representation of the public.

They are playing middle class for suckers. Both parties are the same. They have meetings how they'll dup the public. Both sides stay winners within their segments.

What we need is a middle class party that avoids social issues and only talks about the money. Including talking about GUN CONTROL which wiill end up costing middle class billions in fees, basically hidden taxes.

[rehmwa 2]

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They are playing middle class for suckers. Both parties are the same. They have meetings how they'll dup the public. Both sides stay winners within their segments.

What we need is a middle class party that avoids social issues and only talks about the money. Including talking about GUN CONTROL which wiill end up costing middle class billions in fees, basically hidden taxes.

Absolutely agreed. But I doubt they meet and scheme together. They've just both carved out their own set of suckers. I think the antipathy across the aisle is real, not feigned - at the same time, I'm certain they both recognize that the status quo keeps them in power.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rushmc 23]

It would appear the email you got was a scare tactic

It also appears you job is safe

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Feds keep hiring with sequesters in place: 400 jobs posted on first day back

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/4/feds-keep-hiring-with-sequesters-in-place/

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[lawrocket 3]

What if they threw a Sequester and the public didn't care?

It's incredible. Either the politicians are so out of touch as to have actually considered this to be the living example of hell on earth or they set something up that wouldn't be a problem and then lied about it.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[StreetScooby 5]

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they set something up that wouldn't be a problem and then lied about it.

+1

They're still doing their best. This "excuse" will legs for a a long time.

We are all engines of karma