Amid warnings that sequestration would have dire consequences, efforts to stop it were not successful and it went into effect March 1, 2013. The impact is now beginning to seep through with various cuts beginning to hit the headlines.
According to USA Today, a source of irritation to some is the fact that the White House is canceling public tours, beginning this weekend. A recording on the White House visitors’ information line announces the following:
Due to staffing reductions resulting from sequestration, we regret to inform you that White House Tours will be canceled effective Saturday, March 9, 2013, until further notice. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule affected tours ... We very much regret having to take this action, particularly during the popular spring touring season.
Republicans have called the move “childish,” according to USA Today, and have attributed the cancellation to the White House trying to make a point after warning that the $85 billion in automatic budget cuts over the next seven months were going to hurt. A U.S. Secret Service spokesman, however, said it was necessary in order to assign uniformed officers to more essential services.
Do you think programs such as the White House tours are a good example of just where cuts should be made? What programs would you like to see cut?
All these current complaints ring mighty hollow.
And of course somebody that supports the left doesn't see the hypocrisy of cutting tours but still allowing people to buy their way in.
"A fast way to end the sequestration is to stop the salaries and perks of all the members of the House and Senate until it is settled. Isn't it amazing that the people who cause the problems never suffer the consequences?"
If you remember the last time there was a Democrat in the White House he inherited a declining financial situation and left the country with a surplus. And the next Republican in the White House left the country on the verge of collapse. So far the current Democrat in the White House is doing a good job of bringing the country back from the brink as the stock market and corporate profits clearly indicate. But of course since in your eyes President Obama can't do anything right you won't be able to see that.
I know how you on the right are such sticklers for following the Constitution.
Interesting cuts. You'd almost think someone wanted to make us vulnerable to the world. Tuition is the very least we owe them.
As far as Abby's facetiousness is concerned it wasn't readily apparent to me since I was basing my response on your quoting of her. Yes you did mention the Clinton administration earlier but only in some fantasy world remembrance. The true nature of the Clinton Republican relationship can be found here: http://partners.nytimes.com/library/politics/clinton-congress.html And YOUR partisanship is also duly noted. Oh and your recollection of the cause and the start of the Iraq War is just as faulty as your recollection of the Clinton Republican relationship. I have placed a link to a program that may bring some sunlight to your clouded perception of the events leading up to the Iraq War. That is if you are willing to take the time to look at it. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/02/18/rachel_maddow_special_hubris.html
t e m p o r a r y payroll tax holiday (a President Obama idea) wasn't extended by the Republicans. We wouldn't miss it if we never had it. But we had it for two years and it helped put money back into the economy - took away from the big bad entitlement programs, so all Rs should be happy about that. You're still in denial about how the debt and deficit blew up.
The statement reads "a name", not their name or pseudonym.
There we go with the evil Rs again, its all about tripping up the President, couldn't be an issue with policies... Fed tab used to be 4 trill, now 16 trill - miss logarithmic functions along the way have we now? But lets take another track, how much longer do you believe the Fed will be able to hold interest rates at zero (or a few basis points) from it? Is there an executive order in the near future for Ben "Print till we run out the cotton we make money from" Bernanke's future or is he just going to "delete" the spreadsheet column where all this "bonding" resides and call it an oops? It could happen, just ask Tim "TurboTax" Geithner ,who at least to his "credit" could find legal nannys and lawn guys/gals/( or insert the pet name of your choice here to keep things PC)...
Its hard working on this laptop in Hebrew sometimes...
Too bad some were such quick studies.
It didn't cut any programs so with that note here's an example or two; Why is the government at any level spending money on studies to determine why lesbians get fat? Why were projects outside of the impact area for Hurricane Sandy included in the 50 Million Hurricane Sandy relief bill that was just past? Why can't we get governments to list only property taxes on a property tax bill - that if you don't pay by the way - get treated just like the taxes the government claims they are NOT?
But pesky problem it's truly a public facility... unless all monies - that's right 100 percent collected - go directly into Federal coffers exclusively to reduce the deficit, no handling or bundling fees allowed to reduce the take - then we may have something that : "We can all believe in!" "Oh yes we can!"
But if you seriously think no one had problems with the way monies were spent - you haven't been on the planet very long at all. Or your long term memory faculties may be at the same stage as Sen. McCain as he seems to have forgotten quite a bit since his run in 2008, right up there and at times on par with VP Biden.
Too bad he didn't spend more time on the first Towers bombing, might have made a big difference but alas, there were other holes to fill with his time...
Since there are no departments that contribute nothing but corruption and waste your suggestion to cut them is moot. Because YOU don't like the Department of Education is not a good enough reason to as you say demolish it. There are a number of government agencies that aren't specifically mentioned in the Constitution but that doesn't cancel the need for them. As far as leaving education to the states I would be all for it except that the states aren't that great at the job either and neither are some local municipalities. I'm sure you could point out a few right here in Georgia. Better education is the result of more concerned parents being involved. As an educator I'm sure you know that better than I. But what are your expectations of that happening with parents working harder and longer for less just trying to maintain the necessities in life.That rotten smell you refer to is the lack of an electorate overseeing the job being done by the people we elect to run our government because they don't have the time and energy to do it.