With all the fear mongering about sequestration, the current focus in the media is on the total destruction of America that will result from a 2% cut in the rate of growth of federal spending. Remember, that is what sequestration actually is; it is not a cut, but rather slower growth for spending. Contrary to the nonsense that the media and president Obama are spouting at the moment, sequestration will not leave millions homeless and starving on the streets. Nevertheless, that is the refrain that we will be hearing for the next two weeks. After that, however, it will be time to move on to the next ginned up crisis: the need for a continuing resolution to fund the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year.
The continuing resolution is both an opportunity and a trap. Basically, House Republicans have three alternatives:
1) Pass a resolution that funds the federal government for the rest of the year with no further cuts above the sequestration.
2) Pass a resolution that sets federal spending for the rest of the year at exactly the same amounts that were spent in 2012. Believe it or not, setting spending at the same level as last year means a further cut beyond the armageddon of sequestration. In Washinton speak, it would be an enormous "cut". In the real world, however, it would just be a spending freeze.
3) Pass a resolution that reorders the spending reductions of sequestration through variations to spending levels by Departments.
Without a doubt, Obama and the Obamacrats will want a resolution that restores most of the sequestration cuts.
My guess is that the GOP will opt for the first choice above, but there would be great logic to choosing the second. Imagine a chorus of Republicans who just keep saying that they have approved spending exactly the same amount as last year. Remember that the war in Afghanistan is "winding down" according to Obama. Remember also that the economy is "growing strongly" according to the president even though the numbers don't reflect that. There ought not to be any need for increasing spending. Indeed, if the House GOP wanted to be cute, it could approve spending at the rate of last year plus 2% to cover inflation. That would still be a reduction from the levels AFTER sequestration.
Hopefully, the leadership of the House has thought this through. While it may be hard to get their message through the all out assault from the main stream media, it will be heard across the land. Rational thought may actually appeal to many who have grown tired of the never ending Obama crises.
The continuing resolution is both an opportunity and a trap. Basically, House Republicans have three alternatives:
1) Pass a resolution that funds the federal government for the rest of the year with no further cuts above the sequestration.
2) Pass a resolution that sets federal spending for the rest of the year at exactly the same amounts that were spent in 2012. Believe it or not, setting spending at the same level as last year means a further cut beyond the armageddon of sequestration. In Washinton speak, it would be an enormous "cut". In the real world, however, it would just be a spending freeze.
3) Pass a resolution that reorders the spending reductions of sequestration through variations to spending levels by Departments.
Without a doubt, Obama and the Obamacrats will want a resolution that restores most of the sequestration cuts.
My guess is that the GOP will opt for the first choice above, but there would be great logic to choosing the second. Imagine a chorus of Republicans who just keep saying that they have approved spending exactly the same amount as last year. Remember that the war in Afghanistan is "winding down" according to Obama. Remember also that the economy is "growing strongly" according to the president even though the numbers don't reflect that. There ought not to be any need for increasing spending. Indeed, if the House GOP wanted to be cute, it could approve spending at the rate of last year plus 2% to cover inflation. That would still be a reduction from the levels AFTER sequestration.
Hopefully, the leadership of the House has thought this through. While it may be hard to get their message through the all out assault from the main stream media, it will be heard across the land. Rational thought may actually appeal to many who have grown tired of the never ending Obama crises.
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