Sequestration... Get ready.

[anghrist]

Defense.gov News Article: Secretary Issues Message to DOD Workforce on Sequestration

[Botnst]

Oh gawd, what will we do? This will slow the rate of gov growth! OMG!

[MTI]

"Self inflicted crisis"

[cmbdiesel]

Couldn't we save money by furloughing Congress?

[LandYaghtLover]

We could save a lot of money by getting rid of congress.

[TheDon]

Term limits for all congress members! No outside influences! No lifetime salary or benefits!

Out with Congress!

[spdrun]

If it throws a scare into the economy for a few months, a la summer of 2011 "fiscal cliff", I have two words for y'all: Buying. Opportunity.

Hope this lasts for about 2 wks so there will be no actual furloughs, but a lot of fearmongering.

[Hatterasguy]

The DOD really isn't losing much money, I don't get what the screaming is about.

Did they expect the funding for the wars to become a part of their permanent budget?

[MS Fowler]

I really do not understand the incendiary rhetoric being used by the president. Even with sequestration, the actual spending by government will slightly increase from current levels. That's a slight INCREASE. yet he talks of thousands of layoff.
One more thing--IMO, any politician who thinks first of cuts to fire/ police/ parks instead of cutting Congress's benefits should be tarred. Do they REALLY need their own private airline to ferry them around? Do they really think they are too important to fly light the rest of us? (Yes, many of them do--and for that reason alone-if no other- should be furloughed.)

[Hatterasguy]

That's how politicians get their way, its politics 101.

1. Most people don't really know much about government and think their taxes goes to pay the salaries of say firefighters and teachers. IE Mr. Homeowner writes a $5k tax bill and Mr. Firefighter gets it, well minus a bit for a shiny new truck.

2. The reality of the system is that it doesn't work that way. Their are massive amounts of overhead, bloat, and administration bloat. I have no doubt that the Fed could make a realistic 20% cut and if done in the back rooms the public would never notice a difference.

3. Politicians play on this, perfect example is in my city. The board of ed asks for a raise every year, and when they don't get all of it they threaten to lay off a ton of teachers, which makes no sense since there is plenty of money to pay them. Most the bloat is from say now cars, or $150k a year "staff" positions. As a result the dumb a** parents come out in force and scream "oh will someone please think of the children.". Than the board of ed gets what they want, usually a new $100k position and a car or useless study, or some expensive computer program.

The bottom line is people don't pay attention enough to complain to their politicians about what the real problems are.

The DOD is playing this game right now, lay off staff to get into the papers and kick and scream to get their way. Pretty much like a spoiled little rich kid *****ing about not getting what he wants. The reality is if the DOD wanted to they could easily chop out some pet weapons project or just fire a bunch of useless staff.

[MS Fowler]

Hattersguy, I have been in management. If my boss insisted that I make a 10% cut, AND that it better not affect performance or services we render, I could do it. I think any good manager could. Trouble with politicians--is their motivation is on the wrong side--rather than serve the public with less--they view any cut ( or reduction in an assumed increase) as a personal insult to their "turf".
They should all be fired! Trouble is--as you say--no one is paying attention--or they are paying too little attention. ( OR-they are mesmerized by the new phone that "Obama" sent them.....)

[Txjake]

Not just going to affect DOD. DOT /FAA will begin furlough too. We will most likely loose a week a month. Two or three days a pay period. That's going to hurt a lot of folks. I guess this is the hope and change the electorate voted for..

[rs899]

Hard to predict how this will really roll out, if it does. At it's worst the ripple effect is going to prolong the recession or turn economic signs negative. I work in defense and may get my wish for early retirement fulfilled. Defense certainly wastes money and needs to be wound down, but draconian cuts and uncertainty only add to the waste.

[SwampYankee]

Much ado about nothing. The Dems will scream like Chicken Little, the spineless Reps will fold, budgets will be fully funded and they'll start looking for more revenue sources.

Look out businesses and working folks! The circle is complete and ready for the next cycle/looming point of no return.

Business as usual in D.C.

[Botnst]

Congress could easily lighten the load, without diminishing the sequester, by authorizing departments to allocate their own cuts within agencies of each department. But Congress wants to maintain power of the purse so that wont happen.