The Truth about those "Savage" Sequester Cuts

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

This is a revealing image Forbes put together

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/billfrezza/files/2013/02/savage-sequester-cuts-2013.jpg

http://www.forbes.com/sites/billfrezza/2013/02/20/after-the-sequester-bring-on-the-blame-game/

According to Obama, the sequester would represent “a huge blow to middle-class families and our economy as a whole.” Obama’s White House has also referred to the sequester as “devastating,” saying its cuts would “imperil our economy, our national security (and) vital programs that middle class families depend on.”

Sounds frightening – but is it true? Of course not. According to The Wall Street Journal ”federal domestic discretionary spending soared by 84 percent with some agencies doubling and tripling their budgets” during Barack Obama’s first two years in office. In fact the sequester would scale back just one of every six dollars in discretionary spending increases since 2008 – hardly a “huge blow.” Also, discretionary spending in 2008 was already tremendously inflated – having increased by more than 60 percent over the previous eight years.

In other words this isn’t even really a cut – “devastating” or otherwise – it’s a modest growth rate reduction following years of unnecessary, embarrassing and unsustainable excesses.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/02/22/the-non-existent-spending-cuts-wrought-by-the-devastating-sequester/

One problem is rather than point this out, so-called fiscal conservative Boehner actually supports the idea that the cuts are harmful

Where the sequester debate deviates from the norm is in its dramatis personae. Unlike prior spending debates, the sequester features Republicans attempting to shift the onus for cutting government onto Obama. U.S. Speaker John Boehner has repeatedly referenced “the president’s sequester” while decrying its “harmful cuts.”

What hypocrisy. Obama and Boehner both supported the sequester as an excuse for yet another unsustainable run-up of our nation’s credit limit – which exhausted its latest $2.1 trillion increase last December (after less than seventeen months).

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

At least one Senator...edit...House member is honest. Again from Forbes

“The debt ceiling deal in 2011 was agreed to by Republicans and Democrats, and regardless of who came up with the sequester, they all voted for it,” U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Michigan) said recently. “So, you can’t vote for something and, with a straight face, go blame the other guy for its existence in law.”

Exactly. Boehner and Obama’s game of “pin the tail on the sequester” ignores not only their shared support for the measure – but also their shared responsibility in overstating its impact.

More to the point it highlights the extent to which leaders of both parties in Washington, D.C. are abandoning taxpayers in order to curry favor with the legacy media and special interest establishment – both of which are dead set against any reduction in the size and scope of government.

[oragator1]

At least one Senator is honest. Again from Forbes



Yeah it's funny to watch both sides try to fear monger over something they all agreed to.

One point though, the problem with the discretionary cuts is that the cuts won't be on the "freeloaders". Food stamps, UI, welfare etc won't be cut, departments will simply cut jobs because it's the quickest way to get level. It won't really help the underlying problem of government dependency and will just raise unemployment, UI claims etc. Might cut a bit of fat out of some government departments though.

[The_Graygator]

I'm not happy with the Republicans myself, but I'm especially sick and tired of Obama's constant fear-mongering, lies, and dis-information, and a LMSM that just propagates his lies.

[gatorpa]

So why is none of this in the MSM?

All I see is Obama and a bunch of union members and civil servants acting like half the GOV will close.

What a bunch of CRAP.

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

So why is none of this in the MSM?

All I see is Obama and a bunch of union members and civil servants acting like half the GOV will close.

What a bunch of CRAP.

I blame the GOP as much as I blame Democrats and MSM.

[gatorpa]

I blame the GOP as much as I blame Democrats and MSM.

Agree they are all together (for the most part) with the "sky is falling" stichk, never let a crisis go to waste. Lemmings we are, one and all. Liars and self-absorbed scumbags are they.

[GatorAbe7]

The most upset will be the government employees if they find out their upcoming 20% pay cuts really won't do anything to help the situation.

[tegator80]

While I agree that the chart shows how much foolishness there is in the sequestration fear-mongering, most of the cuts are to non-entitlement programs. So yes, there are going to be consequences to their inactions, just not as much as the real spinners are throwing out.

Sequestration wasn't supposed to be implemented. It was a poison pill designed to get politicians to act stately. They were modelling it after the base closure commission, which gave them political cover. Unfortunately it wasn't a bunch of career military people telling them what it takes to resolve future conflicts but a bunch of foxes who don't trust each other being in charge of the henhouse.

What you are seeing right now is just a bunch of lawyers acting like lawyers. They all know what they have to do, they just want the other side to admit it first and get all of the blame. That way when bullets start flying they can direct the mob to the evil persons who caused the upheaval.

[vaxcardinal]

The most upset will be the government employees if they find out their upcoming 20% pay cuts really won't do anything to help the situation.

its not a real 20% pay cut, only 20% for a maximum of 22 weeks. I doubt i'll see any real cut because the actual furlough wont happen until late april, almost 2 months after sequestration goes into effect so odds are they'll kick the can down the road before then.

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

I really despise politicians.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_296w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/02/24/Web-Resampled/2013-02-23/_tn_1001.6.2617659532_Oh6rEn43EeKaddqwIBZw2g_w-sequesterpolitics--300x581.jpg

“The good news is, the world doesn’t end March 2. The bad news is, the world doesn’t end March 2,” said Emily Holubowich, a Washington health-care lobbyist who leads a coalition of 3,000 nonprofit groups fighting the cuts. “The worst-case scenario for us is the sequester hits and nothing bad really happens. And Republicans say: See, that wasn’t so bad.”

Adding to the liberal angst is concern that the scale of the cuts may be overstated, at least in the short term. While the sequester orders the White House to withdraw $85 billion in spending authority from affected agencies in the fiscal year that ends in September, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts that agencies will reduce actual spending by only about $44 billion, with the remaining cuts carried over into future years.

Compared with total 2013 discretionary spending, that’s a cut of less than 4 percent.

WaPo (http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-big-sequester-gamble-how-badly-will-the-cuts-hurt/2013/02/23/be0c44e2-7c4e-11e2-82e8-61a46c2cde3d_story.html?hpid=z1)

[mastoidbone]

Pubs will cave I am afraid.....

[tegator80]

Pubs will cave I am afraid.....

It is all about the spin right now. If the tea leaves say that they are safe, then full steam ahead. But if the spinners on the left, including the media, get the general population to believe it's the Pubs who are to blame then yes, they are going to cave.

Unless you think it is some elaborate ruse on the American public and then we are screwed either which way.

[Juggernautz]

The most upset will be the government employees if they find out their upcoming 20% pay cuts really won't do anything to help the situation.

I can attest to that!:zombie:

[g8trjax]

They will cave. All you see on the news these days, are sob stories of people that will be affected by these heinous cuts of govt spending. It is enough to make you sick, and sad at the same time, and if this sequestration circus doesn't open your eyes to the state of American decline, nothing will.

[PSGator66]

The GOP will cave and Obama will be protected by the media as taxes go up and spending goes up with no releif in sight.

[ThePlayer]

Obama was for the cuts before he was against them.
But he convinced the public they were delusional too.

[The_Graygator]

Pubs will cave I am afraid.....



The establishment pubs will, but they're basically the leaders of the Right, so yes, the pubs will most likely cave again.

The establishment pubs are the ones who are more worried for their reps in Washington and how they look to the LMSM than they are about the real problems with this country, like standing up the pseudo-communist running our country into the dirt.

[g8trjax]

http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2013/02/Sequester%20in%20perspective.png

[surfn1080]

It is sad when you no longer have faith in your own party....

[exiledgator]

It is sad when you no longer have faith in your own party....

It's even sadder to think there are people that HAVE faith in their party. Either one.

[tegator80]

It's even sadder to think there are people that HAVE faith in their party. Either one.

Or spend all of their energy demonizing the other side by saying. "at least we don't have ____ as President" as if drawing a bad light on the opposing party somehow makes the self serving elitist jerks on your side acceptable.

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-03hQwiiNMSU/USzr5_wGn9I/AAAAAAACARQ/OmLm6I5ox3Y/s1600/theo2.gif

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1nYSP36jk2o/US5zcTFE54I/AAAAAAAAJ-M/2_-c3zZSRXU/s1600/sequester+perspective.jpg

[tegator80]

All that you need to know about the Washington establishment:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/27/us-usa-fiscal-idUSBRE91P0W220130227

(Reuters) - Positions hardened on Wednesday between President Barack Obama and Republican congressional leaders over the budget crisis even as they arranged to hold last-ditch talks to prevent harsh automatic spending cuts beginning this week...

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said sequestration was too drastic an approach for reducing the budget deficit.

"What I am advising is a more gradual approach. I'm not saying we should ignore the deficit, I am not saying we shouldn't deal with long-term fiscal issues, but I think that from the perspective of our recovery, a more gradual approach would be constructive," he told a House Financial Services Committee hearing...

Amazing, isn't it? We are travelling light speed towards financial finality and a small reduction in the projected increases in federal budget outlays is "drastic." And you ask why I drink.:angry:

[ncgatr1]

Honestly, I don't think Americans could care less about sequester cuts. Obama and his left wing media outlets are in desperation mode trying to convince people the world is going to end with these cuts and nobody is listening, I find it quite amusing myself. Bring em on.

[rounds]

School Crossing Guards are always the first on the list to be "let go".

[rounds]

Meals on Wheels to elderly shut-ins threatened today!!
Oh, the horrors.

[ncgatr1]

Yeah they will start with them, and then layoff all the policemen and firemen. Next will be all the teachers, including those overpaid teacher assistants.

[tegator80]

George Will's column today.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/opinion/their-opinion/columnists-blogs/george-will/will-the-fed-s-not-so-golden-rule/article_1d9ed3db-23d2-58c8-a1b9-87a70d4f5ad5.html

Lacker is the quintessential idea of what a true conservative represents. Caution before action.

[wygator]

One more time:

Working class Americans all received a 2% pay cut this January courtesy of the SS tax.

The sequester cut is 2.4%...deal with it the same way all citizens and businesses have to when their budget is out of whack.

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

One more time:

Working class Americans all received a 2% pay cut this January courtesy of the SS tax.

The sequester cut is 2.4%...deal with it the same way all citizens and businesses have to when their budget is out of whack.

Solid piece of analysis!

[gatordowneast]

What tools we have in the media. Deep Spending Cuts? Wouldn't it be accurate to describe these cuts as a "governor" on the "rate of growth" of government spending?

All we are really doing is cutting spending that was previously budgeted. But won't we still be spending more than last year? Paleeease Press, start being honest with the public. But then again, honesty would not allow the "obama narrative" to continue and these complicit reporters might not have white house access. And horrors...they may be on Spirit Air rather than Air Force One on Obama's next junket.

[squigator]

Obama and the dems are full of crap. If you're wondering why there was no sequester deal, look no further than here:

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/022813-646267-obama-labels-new-revenues-as-spending-cuts.htm

"Worse, Obama's "balanced" plan actually counts hundreds of billions of new revenues from taxes, fees and rebates as "spending reductions." Examples:
• His plan to "strengthen" unemployment insurance is labeled as a cut, but it's really a $50 billion tax hike.
• The $35 billion from the federal worker retirement programs involves boosting worker contributions.
• Most of the $35 billion in Medicare savings comes from charging wealthy seniors more.
• The $140 billion in "reduced payments to drug companies" are in fact rebates Obama wants drugmakers to pay Uncle Sam for selling drugs to poor seniors.
• Then there's the $45 billion in spectrum fees and asset sales that Obama lists as spending reductions.
Viewed correctly, it turns out that more than $300 billion — about a third — of Obama's proposed "spending cuts" are actually revenue increases."

[gator421]

Meals on Wheels to elderly shut-ins threatened today!!
Oh, the horrors.

If you depended on it for a meal it could be horrific.

[gatordowneast]

If you depended on it for a meal it could be horrific.

My parents delivered meals on wheels to shut ins for many years in Stuart, FL. If memory serves me, the meals were not paid for by the feds, rather by local government and donations and all of the workers were volunteers.

Someone correct me if this is wrong.

[oragator1]

The Smithsonian among others actually budgeted for it and aren't facing any cuts. Go figure.

[The_Graygator]

LISTEN to this lying scumbag Obama at his presser right now. Obama saying "most Americans think I've been very reasonable" :laugh: Is that the same 57% who want the sequester king Obama? lol

Listenting to him cry and whine abd blame everyone else because he didn't get his way is refreshing to say the least.

He danced around the couple of direct questions he was asked with long, drawn out rhetoric and by talking in mutters and "er's" and "uh's", and then wouldn;t allow anyone else to ask him question.

it's hilarious to see this Chicago scumbag as PO'ed as he is, and the real fact why we're even talking about sequester? BECAUSE OF HIS RUNNING THE ECONOMY INTO THE GROUND, that's why.

And when it's all said and done, this man is being exposed as the fear mongering liar that he is.

Suck it, Obama.

[diehardgator1]

So why is none of this in the MSM?

All I see is Obama and a bunch of union members and civil servants acting like half the GOV will close.

What a bunch of CRAP.

Might be a good thing if they did close

[gatordowneast]

What Obama fears most is that 99% of Americans will not notice any affect from these budget cuts therefore they will not fear future budget cuts and at some point those addicted to government crack (100% of whom vote straight demo and many who vote multiple times) will be impacted and they will be pissed.

Also, his plan included tax increases (closed loopholes) which he was planning on spending, not using for budget offsets. Oh $hit...that means the green energy industry may not get more free government loans. Oh my!

[g8trjax]

Gov't waste is never on the chopping block.

[gatorpa]

One more time:

Working class Americans all received a 2% pay cut this January courtesy of the SS tax.

The sequester cut is 2.4%...deal with it the same way all citizens and businesses have to when their budget is out of whack.

And isn't the sequester only decreasing the planned rate of increase? If I'm not mistaken it does not even lower spending levels to that of last year... OH DEAR THE GOV did not get a raise, the world will end!!!!!:whoa:

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

http://www.qando.net/wp-content/uploads/BL-sequestration-vs-tax-hikes-450x546.jpg

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

http://www.qando.net/wp-content/uploads/BL-sequestration-spending-deficits21-450x513.jpg

[DaveFla]

Some idiot government official (redundant, I know) was blaming the sequester for the cancellation of 900 airline flights today... Never mind the snowstorm marching its way across Chicago and the northern stated.

Do they think we are ALL stupid? I mean, Obama was re-elected, so there is a small majority of voters out there who are truly not right in the mind, but ALL of us?

[Itssaul]

I think it's more about how the cuts were implemented. With no doubt, we need to start cutting (actual cutting) to get a nice looking debt GDP ratio, but I'm talking long term. X% cuts across the board won't do. If we did that to humans that be 2% of skin, 2% of the heart, 2% of bones...it can't work like that when we've got quite a bit of belly fat

[rajinGator]

It's like a 200 pound overweight person was told they can only be 208 pounds overweight by the end of the year, not his projected 210 pounds. Now he's screaming he may die of anorexia.

[Itssaul]

It's like a 200 pound overweight person was told they can only be 208 pounds overweight by the end of the year, not his projected 210 pounds. Now he's screaming he may die of anorexia.

I mean take away the wrong things like synapses and it could be worse. It's all about how we cut. Efficiency should be goal number one, and downsizing goal number 2, granted one will yield two (unless the GOP completely loses all source of self)

[rajinGator]

^^We definitely should only go the fat.

[MichaelJoeWilliamson]

It's like a 200 pound overweight person was told they can only be 208 pounds overweight by the end of the year, not his projected 210 pounds. Now he's screaming he may die of anorexia.

This is especially well put