Sequestration

Sequestration is automatic reduction in budgetary authority to control spending when Congress cannot do it rationally. It forces drastic, largely unplanned spending cuts. Such cuts are bad because they disrupt operations and programs. It would be a shock to the system. Imagine if you had to drastically cut spending for your family pretty much across the board.

Sequestration is the product of government dysfunction. It is very serious. National defense will be undermined and many jobs will be lost. Any compromise to avoid sequestration will come at the very last minute.

There is much out there on the subject of this thread but I did run across this today....

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/index.php?nid=851&sid=2911052

Earlier, I was working on a post explaining the law, the committee, etc. Of course, I deleted it by mistake.

However, civilian agency programs will be affected in about the same amount. DoD and the civilian agencies all will feel the cut. All of this is scheduled to happen in early January 2013. At that time, the 112th Congress will be closing and the 113th Congress will be waiting to begin. Expect ugliness.

As we approach implentation of whatever happens in January 2013, this will become more and more of a politically-charged issue. I am reminding you now that this is a political-free zone.

I thought I would link to this blog article http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/us-pentagon-budget-impact-idUSBRE85Q1PV20120627 discussing potential costs associated with sequestration. The author quotes a former DoD Comptroller as saying that the last time defense spending was cut by one percent, "the Pentagon wound up paying nearly as much in termination fees, penalties for late payments and employee furlough provisions as it saved over all..."