The Office of Management and Budget released a report today detailing the devastating effects of the “Sequestration” budget cuts on the country, if they are implemented in January 2013.
The automatic cuts were mandated by law after the Super Committee failed to institute cuts after raising the debt ceiling to avoid defaulting and include automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense programs across the board, with little discretion as to where the cuts are instituted.
“The whole point of this is that it’s supposed to be so mindless and stupid that everyone finds it unacceptable,” explained Bob Greenstein, the executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
The cuts would kick in at the start of next year unless Congress acts.
"The only thing Congress would need to do to prevent these big, dumb cuts that no one wants is to agree on an equivalently-sized deficit reduction package they’d prefer of smarter cuts," said Ezra Klein, guest host of The Ed Show on Friday. "But thus far because they’re Congress and they’re terrible at their jobs that has not happened."
What would sequestration cut?
Cuts to Domestic Services
Takeaway: Cuts would undermine “economic growth, threaten the safety and security of the American people, and cause severe harm to programs that benefit the middle-class, seniors, and children.”
-Cutting education grants that support smaller classes, afterschool programs, and children with disabilities
-“Slashing” the number of FBI agents, Customs and Border Patrol agents, correctional officers, and federal prosecuters
-Reducing the ability of the Federal Aviation Administration’s ability to oversee and manage airspace and air control
Cuts to Defense Spending
Takeaway: The cuts would have “devastating impact on important defense and nondefense programs.”
-Reduce non-deployed units
-Delay investments in new equipment and facilities, cutbacks in equipment repairs
-Reduce base services for military families
-Cut military research and development efforts
Leave a Comment:
Greatly appreciated Ezra's clarity and comprehension of what is faced. I had this idea that the Parties, would be smart enough, to not remind the voters of all of this junk, just before a Presidential election. But, why would Congress waste another opportunity to look stupid - right?
One would think that there is some sort of weird logic to do this, but, I just can't think of anything other than some silly sinister plot to drive the voters crazy, so that they will forget to vote (since the Far Right is already crazy, they won't know the difference). OK, that was just mean on my part, so I apologize, while I smile knowlingly. ☺
Tea Party will turn out like crazy. Remember this Sequestrian idea was Dear Leader's. When Slack Jaw Obama couldn't come to the table and lead this is what we get.
Now not only is his Economic Policy chickens coming home to roost, so is his Foreign Policy blunders. Clinton has Dear Leader right where she wants him. She will expose him for the limp wristed, weak kneed Organizer he is. Presidents can't vote 'present'.
BTW watching CNN, things going way South in Cario tonight.
Remember Boehner said he got 98% of what he wanted! They can cut homeland security and the defense budget without much of a worry! The joke was on him then and is now!
If it's dumb, and it's stupid, it's congress!
And look at harry reid, he is the dumbest one there.
The special ed show liberals think congress is only the house.
Congress is both the house & the senate.
Cow - I'm somewhat liberal. I'm intelligent. I am well versed in our government and how it works. I was in accelerated classes, not "special ed". People like you turn my stomach.
Just love the special ed show liberals.
And you are a 4-year-old who comes here to throw rocks at people who don't like you for the attention.
I'm doing pretty good for a 4 year old.
Got you all bent out of shape.
this is NOT President Obama's "arab spring".
these are right wing extremists in Egypt responding to their FEAR of losing power to a DEMOCRACY, comparable to right-wing extremists in america in regard to voter suppression (corporate power {ALEC} and the koch's).
These are the cuts Congress voted for in order to make Obama look bad? is that correct
Like the Beatles song said "Let it be"
If I'm not mistaken, all patries R&D + the TP voted for this, RT wing said yes only because they were playing chicken & thought Dems would back down,Dems should follow the 82nd Airborne motto says "All the way"
only thing i can think of is they the teapublican think they are going to keep the house and take senate.
not going to happen. or they all know they are lame ducks and going to get tossed.
They are rotten eggnog, They can't just separate the eggs and the milk after mixing it up with the Tee Potty. Doomed I say DOOMED!
LOL
well you think they be smart enough to make teanog this winter with all those rotten eggs they produced.
xo/pilot........typical leftwing radical rhetoris. Childish!!
Go away, braindead.
typical chrissy when she reads something she does not like she can only respond with assinine insults.
Grow a brain and you may have ability to have intelligent discourse on the topics.
Grow a brain and realize you're on the wrong website. No one wants you here, propagandist.
Go to work in a Iphone factory in China. And you will see just what a corporate run government is all about. Want lower unemployment stop buying sh!t from China. But you dumb sh!ts are all for it. Duh!
The $95 Billion that the Fed is pumping into the bonds every month makes that $1.6 Million/job look like a good deal. Every American, man woman child is going down $3,500 per year. I don't know about you but I can't handle to much of that. The real buzz saw will be when interest rates start to rise.
I hate to agree with you on that one....really!
So don't. Ben Bernake is not the brightest but he's the only guy in DC who has any power and is able to do anything since congress is on strike....what with their do nothing attitude and over used, undeserved vacations. We should cut their pay, pension, and benefit drastically.
The FED shouldn’t be controlled by the BIG banks.. make it in control of the Treasury.
The Fed is a private bank. It is the central banking system.
The fed oversees the "Big Banks". Not the other way around.
Cynical,
I couldn't agree more, I would like to set Congress pay at what ever National Average is. Supply them with housing, like a decent dormitory, and make their retirement plan Social Security and their medical plan ObamaCare. They need to live their 'American Dream'.
One day when it all comes apart, there will be trials, many will go to prison and some will be hanged. The theives, on both sides of the aisle, have sold our country down the river. Exchanged Freedom and Liberty, for Popularity and Personal Wealth. I fear that this Country has some brutal days ahead.
Holy sh!t.......we did not know that! <sarc> Apparently you forgot to read and comprehend the previous posters' comments.......nothing new there.
Your redundant posts are, well, redundant and boring. Please get off Ed's blog.......notice I said "please"? There are several "con-servative" blogs that would love to hear your "pearls of wisdom".......even on NV (that's Newsvine for your information, bright ????).
LOL.
Poor liberals, they all think this blog is only for them to spread their hate and falsehoods.
Nobody does that better than an empty headed teabagger.
"I have to digress here, this is driving me crazy."
Whoah, Ezra, slow down. I've never seen you so riled. But yeah, the sequesters are plainly dumb and are the political equivalent of two drunk guys in a bar agreeing not to fight right then and there but rather to meet next week for a fight. By the time the day approaches, both guys are sober and just looking at each other thinking "I guess we gotta fight even though I can't remember why."
The HELL I won't be drunk....SOTH
well in a way see that works out, as they end of not fighting having a beer and moving on understanding how dumb it was.
but sadly here we get one side sobering up the other staying drunk and well when has anyone reasoned or debated a drunk and things come out good.
Never! But it's not gonna stop us from losing a AAA rating...
A song that fits...
http://youtu.be/buZet5OEokg
the first cut should be that congress does not receive their paychecks since they are doing NOTHING to represent the people. the rethuglicans have already cost us our credit rating and still do nothing but obstruct!
Indeed lead by example...and they are the worst!
I bet if China had Unions for the workers their wages would go up and they could buy the goods from the USA...But that would cut into the CEOs profits...Don't buy sh!t made in China like the I-thing 5!!!
They already buy goods from the USA.
Next only 11% of the work force in the US are in a union.
Unions are on the way out, the people are sick & tried of these thugs running the show.
Go check out the money these union leaders get paid.
The AFL-CIO is the single largest contributor to the DNC, so if you are in a union part of your dues go to the DNC and you have no say in that.
Notice the union in Chicago is holding the kids hostage, they want more money.
Now go and read about the education system in Chicago, only 50% of high school kids graduate, only 15% of 4th graders can read at that level. And they want more money.
Next check what these teachers make, around $70K, then check what the average person makes around $49k.
And the union wants more money.
And you want less pay! Real smart, if everyone thought like you we would all be chained up to machines like in China. Duh! & Duh!
Get rid of Obama.
You want to talk about the economy?
OK CONS, let's do some ARITHMETIC...
First, Name the Obama policies and the amounts that you say added trillions to the debt.
Then, deduct that amount from the current $16 TRILLION.
The balance = GOP spending.
Remember the following...
Expenses to fix the GOP unfunded and failed policies like the stimulus are still GOP spending and NOT Obama's fault so DO NOT count those.
INTEREST on the GOP TRILLIONS of debt is NOT for Obama to be responsible for either, it is GOP spending too.
Also, Bailouts are LONAS to repair more GOP screwed up policies and fortunately, they're getting paid back!
Do not go before Reagan because there was no debt problem before that, he took office when the debt had one trillion and could have been tackled with comprehensive tax reform.
Entitlements are a tiny fraction of the debt and they bring revenues.
Saying that the Democrats had a “majority” doesn't count either, because we all well know the filibustering, obstructing, uncompromising, DO NOTHING GOP has had the “CONTROL” and those failed policies were drafted by the GOP and all passed with GOP majorities of votes going back to Reagan.
The CONS will NEVER have those numbers on the Democrats because they DO NOT exist.
I bet all you will get from the Fox-Rush-bots is NOTHING but diversions and ridicules.
This is NOT blaming the GOP or BUSH.
This is ARITHMETIC !!!!
Do you know how the system here works? Bush left a debt in trillions thus it would be literally impossible to not run defecits. The gov't costs money and unless the congress writes it then......what would you have done?
Besides taxes and budgets are not given to the executive in the constitution
Always someone elses fault.
GOP this GOP that, Bush this, Bush that.
Not one of the democrats will live up to their lack of leadership and the lack of leadership in the white house.
Much easier to just point their fingers and blame anyone and everyone they do not agree with.
Raise SS retirement age to 70
Raise Medicare age to 70
Eliminate the Prescription Drug benefit
Eliminate the Department of Education
Eliminate Homeland Security.
Cut Defence Department by 10%
Cut every remaining Department of the Government by 5%.
There you go, budget is all fixed. Given the alternative why wouldn't we just do it???
We don't want to live like they do in TX. We need tohave a certain modicum of living that people are entitled to.
Let the bush tax cut failure expire.....Cut defense, do away with big oil welfare, end the tax cuts to corporations that send jobs overseas...Deficit problem solved.
Cut Federal Spending by 20% across the board and I will be happy.
A massive crime against this nation by the 1%
by David Atkins
As we watch Republicans claim that tax cuts for the rich are the only way to stimulate the economy, and both parties cower before the Bond Vigilantes, it's important to remember this:
The fact that the Dow is at over 13,500 but unemployment remains above 8% is proof of a massive crime against this nation by the 1%. It may be "legal" crime, but it's a crime nonetheless.
American corporations are doing just fine, amassing record profits. The American people are not, enduring continuing economic pain. That alone should destroy the entire conservative and neoliberal economic program. It has no functional basis for continuing to exist except to benefit the very richest among us.
Hi, Dem!
Your article has just caused the r/tp trolls to place their hands over their hearts and throw glitter with the other screaming "Now, this is Justice for All, baby!!!!"
The economic mess that is the fall out from these tax cuts is something that these Cretans don't believe will happen to them too. Did you know that Koch and friends are having a big party for these r/tp minions for bashing our President and if he loses? Not happening but, the un-Patriotic cheerleaders will believe anything said........even by Alan West!! They're all just a bunch of bullies and really don't care.
These people are as delusional as their fearless (with dementia and witchcraft in the WH....scary!!), gun runner, drug king pin leader.......Ronnie Reagan.......a former Dem. Has anybody noticed that a "turncoat" turns his coat from *blue* to *red*? <s>
I have been having trouble posting and just say your post Kathy. FUNNY!
Obama/Biden 2012 !
I'd be happy with 10% across the board and that doesn't mean 10% of what they had in mind already. Real 10% from the previous year.
Six, Come January the Obama/Bush Tax Cuts expire as do Obama's Pay Roll Tax reduction, and then again there are the new Taxes associated with Obamacare. Every America Household will be reducing spending by 20% or more, shouldn't we expect the same from our Government?
We no longer have to worry about terrorist attacking the US, they are already here doing it. They go by the name, U.S. Congress..
God Bless Them.... at least the House.
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viyc91cFI_E
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Against the Wind (with lyrics)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2efTlU36Tw
low rider
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODvOTO20UWw
The Marshall Tucker Band - Fire On The Mountain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6un5SrPf9Rc
Thanks Eugene.... I didn't but now I do thanks.
Name origin
The "Marshall Tucker" in the band's name does not refer to a band member, but rather a Spartanburg-area piano tuner. While the band was discussing possible band names one evening in an old warehouse they had rented for rehearsal space, someone noticed that the warehouse's door key had the name "Marshall Tucker" inscribed on it, and suggested they called themselves the "The Marshall Tucker Band," not realizing it referred to an actual person. It later came to light that Marshall Tucker, the blind piano tuner, had rented the space before the band, and the landlord had yet to change the inscription on the key.
I guess I put songs on when I'm too tired to fight I mean debate.
Oh very young lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt7Fxd7_54Q
You mean propagandize.
Bachman - Turner Overdrive - Let It Ride
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j83xviHVmGg
ANNIE'S SONG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQilgFFoR0
Tommy Emmanuel - Classical Gas (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBEbYXa6Cik
I should have taken advantage of seeing him in Charlotte when he was here. He'll probably be back. I can see him free at this local music venue.
Eugene have a good night. I'm hitting the sack. Enjoyed. six.
Rocky Mountain Way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP0o_ZzRjUE
Seals and Crofts - We May Never Pass This Way Again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRIcNuziLFI
This is what happens when there is no leadership out of the white house.
The democrat controlled senate is about as handy as pockets on a shirt.
Harry Reid has done everything he can to block any negotiation.
He will not debte any of the bills from the house, and stands around talking about Romney's taxes.
What a waste.
Boo Hoo. Whine. Bitch. Complain.
Facts, something you special ed show bloggers hate.
I bet you are part of the movment that wants to change the name of the San Andreas fault to "Bush's fault".
cow,
thanks for bringing up romney's taxes.
Larry Flynt has offered 1 million dollars to anyone who has legitimate information on romney's taxes.
Larry Flynt is the patriot who exposed republicans for their HYPOCRISY during the impeachment against Bill Clinton. Flynt offered 1 million dollars for evidence of repub sexual scandals and threatened to publish the results in "the Flynt report". publishing the results of conservative sex scandal led to the resignation of incoming house speaker bob livingston.
newt gingrich, who led the proceedings of impeachment against President Clinton, was also having his own affair. there were others.
HYPOCRITICAL repubs spent millions on the impeachment process.
what a waste.
MITT, WHERE ARE YOUR TAXES?
Clinton was acquitted.
Clinton was acquitted-
as he should have been.
the point is this-were it not for Larry Flynt, repubs would have likely continued to persue their hypocritical hunt against President Clinton. unfortunately, they needed to be reminded that they are just as HORNY and dirtier than THE PERSON THEY WERE IMPEACHING. when they felt threatened, THEY BACKED DOWN.
and speaking of trailor trash, LETS NOT FORGET WHO WAS (larry wide stance craig) CAUGHT SOLICITING SEX FROM AN UNDERCOVER AGENT IN A MINNEAPOLIS AIRPORT BATHROOM.
Clinton lied about a BLOW JOB, something repubs have been lying about for years as well.
big phucking deal.
george h.w. bush had a long-standing affair with jennifer fitzgeral. he traveled everywhere with her, starting from when he was ambassador to china through-out his presidency. how many lies do you think he told to cover-up that LONGSTANDING AFFAIR? the difference is that, as a general rule, DEMOCRATS DON'T GO AFTER REPUBS THE WAY REPUBS DO TO DEMOCRATS.
it takes brass to call someone out for something you did.
Larry Flynt LOL the porn king.
Dude is as slimy as they get.
yeah, in the impeachment of Bill Clinton the repubs backed down from LARRY FLYNT, the porn king.
even their "christian" values (prop) couldn't save them from Larry Flynt, the porn king.
repubs wanted every detail released about monica lewinski.
but they didn't want Larry Flynt to release information about their dirty affairs.
Larry Flynt called repubs out for their obvious hypocrisy.
it takes brass to call someone out for something you did.
Republicans don't care about Republican wrongdoing. If they did, that'd be the end of the party.
eugene,
you are acting as if repubs are immune from lying under oath.
repubs lie under oath, just as democrats have done. WHY DID REPUBS MAKE SUCH A BIG DEAL ABOUT CLINTON LYING ABOUT A BLOW JOB, when they were all doing the same things themselves. i'll tell you why- because they hated President Clinton, and wanted an excuse to get him out of office, EVEN IF IT WASN'T A LEGITIMATE ONE.
repubs are always impeaching someone (a democrat), or expecting an apology from someone (a democrat), or lying about someone (a democrat), or trying to ruin our president's reputation and demonize him (President Obama).
you all make such a big deal about whether your boys lie under oath. as a general rule, OUR BOYS (DEMOCRATS) DON'T PUT YOUR BOYS (REPUBS)IN A POSITION WHERE THEY HAVE TO LIE UNDER OATH TO SAVE THEIR ASS. this is exactly what Larry Flynt was so disgusted about. that, and the fact that your boys (repubs) were doing the same dirty things. larry craig called Bill Clinton, "a dirty, nasty, naughty boy". he was in line with everyone else trying to bring Bill Clinton down.
shame on larry "wide stance", I am not gay, i have never been gay" craig and the rest of the republican party.
CLINTON LIED UNDER OATH ABOUT A PHUCKING BLOW JOB.
BIG PHUCKING DEAL.
larry craig "admitted" to lying under oath when he admitted to soliciting sex from an undercover cop in an airport bathroom.
after he thought about it, he changed his mind, and said he wasn't soliciting sex.
w. bush lied under oath, commited treason, and he is a war criminal WITH BLOOD ON HIS HANDS)
Clinton was not a perfect pesident, but the facts are the facts, and w. bush is the worst president in the history of the world, and the repub party loved and voted for everything he wanted, even after he said, "the constitution is JUST a goddamn piece of paper" (w. was pissed because he wanted to do things that others said were unconstitutional. since he was the "decider", he didn't want a "goddamn piece of paper" standing in the way of his dictatorship).
the constitution is just a prop to repubs.
MITT, WHERE ARE YOUR tAXES?
IF the do-nothing GOPers in Congress want to take us over the cliff, after having spent last 4 years sabotaging every darn thing President Obama tried to pass--and thereby sabotaging every American--then let us go over the cliff together! Once we do, in end-January or by February 2013, the Democrats will FIX everything that needs to be fixed (like they always do) RETROACTIVELY back to 1 January 2013, and the world won't come to an end! The GOPers have become extremist right wing bat-@!$%#-crazy people and any American not yet brainwashed by FAKE News knows it! The only way Americans can rebuild this nation, without gutting the safety nets it's taken a century to build and without gutting the middle class, after the crap mess Bush/Cheney left for us, is IF we stand together, re-elect the only adult running for President--that would be President Obama--and give him a filibuster-proof Democratic Congress. Over the last 4 years Democrats have only had a filibuster-proof Congress for 23 days! Yes, only 23 days! It's a miracle we got anything done with those obstructionist GOPers doing nothing but sabotaging and committing sedition! And all this while at the state levels run by GOP Mobsters, they suppress the voters! The very rights we say we want other nations to have, the rights to vote that our military members fight and die for, are being withheld from our own citizens in a blatant attempt to STEAL the election! We are all not as stupid as the GOP base! We are paying attention and we are voting for ourselves this year, not for some handful of ultra-rich or corporate interests that would make America a 3d World nation with us working for even less than minimum wage!
VOTE Obama/Biden in 2012. It's truly a vote for your own interests this time!
Couldn't have said it better. It's time to go off the cliff!
what will obama do to fixes this mess.
NOTHING... just more promises...promises....promises.
Get a second term with a democratic congress & senate..
a second chance for a president, after he did nothing for jobs the first time, where is the money from the sim package. ask your self why in 2010 republicans won back the congress
You morons amaze me. RECORD number of filibusters including many jobs bills that were paid for. How many jobs have the teabaggers created in 2 yrs after they ran on jobs, jobs, jobs? Not one. The teabaggers will suffer from a bad case of buyers remorse in a couple months. Time to account for obstructing the recovery.
Tell me how much better off the workers in China are after they get chained to a machine so they can't jump out a 4th floor window. I hope you choke on your new Iphone5! We could make that sh!t here but its always been about the bottom line. I not so sure how Apple got to be the worlds most profitable company I guess they must not pay the CEOs enough! Hah!
No I'm telling people who can think and make a choice and make a difference. But you just dodged the point with a insolent comment about labor.
Wrong a lie made up by the same guy that made up the welfare queen nonsense to get people to vote against their own interests. What don't you righties get when Reagan moved the country from an industrial economy to a service economy that ensured low wage jobs were workers could no longer afford products the US were producing. Rather amusing how you righties always blame labor yet ignore that even though products are being made by slave wage workers you never see that reflected in products prices at the stores.
whomitmay, is our house fulled with all usa made products, or can you not find them or afford them. tax all imports from china so the price equal that of a usa made product and let the people chose. and end the anfta agreement
Oh gee's your back already and still making up stories. You make the claim that when looked into was just another failed republican scam that only benefited the stock holders and not the union members.
http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/pension_fund_capitalism.html
Right on whomie, The corporates will undercut all the stuff made in the US and I think it really started in earnest when Sam Walton died, he would be having fits about this BS! Sam was a good man and gave the workers fair pay and benefits and everything in Walmart back then had a US flag sticker on stuff. But he died and it got replaced by the yellow smiley face as the CEOs took over along with the bottom line attitude. Screw Walmart and the slave drivers! The only jobs left for the workforce are the ones they can't outsource. Its a great outlook for the future when the jobs are part time and no benefits and then the corporations don't need to pay into the unemployment fund.
Sorry but it wasn't unions if you had bothered to read it was Corporations and republicans who came up with the ideal to give corporations pension money to put into company stocks not the unions. Really all I proved was how the republicans destroyed education to produce people like you.
Koch Brothers Exposed (short videos)
http://youtu.be/PPeUrJF6AM8
Walmart FOX & Koch Bros have in common
http://youtu.be/6g78ZKT-uMs