The “elephant in the room” is the White House’s 2011 initiative of forced budget cuts called sequestration. In private business, across the board budget cuts are often used to cut spending when management can’t decide which program to cut.
Sequestration involves a whopping $85 billion. But, Congress’ spending is $3.5 trillion while ignoring that expected revenues is only $2.3 trillion. So, what the big quibble is over $85 billion of $3.5 trillion in annual spending or 2.4 percent of annual spending? President Obama is calling these spending cuts draconian: of great severity. The president is bloviating that these cuts would involve reductions in public safety officers, reducing teachers, devastation to EPA and people losing their jobs.
The president already got $600 billion in new taxes from the rich folks, but there just is no way he can find 2.4 percent reduction in spending. Sounds like there will be no way to balance the budget: matching planned spending to expected income. This concept is lost on the president and senate.
Lauren W. Pananen
Mill Creek
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