Sequestration isn't a Scare Tactic

I recently have been reading a lot of negative comments about President Obama from Republicans about the sequestration. Hearing negative comments about the Obama Administration is nothing new, it is the run of the mill daily statement since 2008. Normally these items don't bother me, but arguing about the sequestration does get under my skin.

"On Tuesday, the Army estimated that 6,651 civilian workers could face furlough, representing a loss in pay of $40 million. The Air Force estimates just over 800 civilian workers could face furlough, representing about $6 million in lost pay."

They say 'go ahead, let the sequestration happen; we already gave in and let tax cuts expire'. The difference between tax cuts expiring and a sequestration is there is quantifiable data with sequestration that will mean people loosing their jobs. Tax cuts expiring meant families continuing the adjustment made to their budgets when the economy got tough and continuing their saving efforts; sequestration will mean thousands of people suddenly unemployed. There is a real difference between these two actions.

What I think is most troubling, we've already increased taxes on all Americans(part a) but now Republicans are dragging their feet again and wanting sequestration to occur (part b). Part a the economy can survive. We'll continue slow growth, taking much longer to recover from the Great Recession than desired of a strong and determined county. Part b the economy would struggle to survive but when you add in that we've already asked the middle class to shoulder a tax increase, you're setting up the economy to fail.

I don't think you can say you support military families and then from the same mouth say you want to lay off thousands of military workers. I would normally have the policy that "you made your bed, now get cozy there" and let the fault fall where it would. However as badly as I wish to see supporters of the sequestration given a one way ticket out of Washington, I am not willing to let American military families suffer to see this happen.

My final thoughts. Sequestration was designed to be such an extreme cut to the budget that congress would be forced to act to avoid pushing the economy further into recession. The American people began the hard and slow growth out of recession just to be turned completely backward by extreme tactics.

55% of Adult Americans find the Republican policies to be unfavorable.

Civilian Defense Workers Will Loose Jobs
Q: Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of the policies the Republicans in Congress will pursue in the next four years?