Welcome to the sequester

• Published March 02, 2013 Modified March 01, 2013

0 comments

G ood morning, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Sequester. We are now passing over Day 2 of sequestration, which could last for a very, very long time. We suggest you get used to it, because the United States Congress has demonstrated quite well – don’t you agree? – that its bitter divisions prevent dis-sequestering the nation any time soon. So, sit back, enjoy the flight, and, by all means, keep your seat belts fastened. It could get bumpy.

Similar stories:

Fail this Congress on its sorry performance

Fail this Congress on its sorry performance

How can we respect this Congress? Not that the sequester on air traffic control didn’t need to be lifted, but in our legislators’ usual selfish way, they did it now because they were going on recess and did not want to be inconvenienced.
GOP’s complaints about looming spending cuts ignore its role in creating them

GOP’s complaints about looming spending cuts ignore its role in creating them

Republicans forced the budget crisis that helped create the pending across-the-board cuts in the first place. And Republicans provided crucial votes for the 2011 deal that ended that impasse, an agreement that’s about to trigger $85 billion in automatic spending reductions March 1. The idea of the budget cuts did come from the White House two summers ago, as a last-ditch effort to jump-start stalled negotiations.
Sequester hits home: civilian workers at Scott AFB set to receive 30-day furlough notices

Sequester hits home: civilian workers at Scott AFB set to receive 30-day furlough notices

More than 4,500 Scott Air Force Base civilian workers will receive 30-day notices in the mail by the end of the week informing them they will be taking one-day-per-week of unpaid vacation between now and September because of the federal budget sequester.
Researchers at UW fear federal cuts will hit hard

Researchers at UW fear federal cuts will hit hard

The University of Washington receives more public research dollars than any other public university in the country. And if the federal sequester goes into effect Friday, it may also have more to lose.
Agriculture's Vilsack defends cuts to meat and poultry inspections as part of sequester

Agriculture's Vilsack defends cuts to meat and poultry inspections as part of sequester

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reached out to local media around the country on Thursday to defend plans to furlough meat and poultry inspectors for 11 days spread through July and August as part of the federal sequester.