DCPolitics

Barack Obama’s Phantom Sequester Cut

Even though he initially supported the modest spending cuts set to take place on March 1, U.S. President Barack Obama is now fighting against “the sequester” tooth and nail – going out of his way to make this net $60 billion spending reduction (out of a $4 trillion budget) seem…

Even though he initially supported the modest spending cuts set to take place on March 1, U.S. President Barack Obama is now fighting against “the sequester” tooth and nail – going out of his way to make this net $60 billion spending reduction (out of a $4 trillion budget) seem like the “end of the world as we know it.”

How desperate is Obama to make you desperate over the impact of the sequester? He’s fabricating entire agencies …

According to Reason.com, the September 2012 report Obama’s budget office (a.k.a. the OMB) is using to base its sequester calculations is riddled with errors. In fact, it lists cuts to agencies which no longer exist.

“The first line item on page 121 of the OMB’s September 2012 report says that under sequestration the National Drug Intelligence Center would lose $2 million of its $20 million budget,” Reason.com notes. “While that’s slightly more than 8.2 percent (rounding error or scare tactic?), the bigger problem is that the National Drug Intelligence Center shuttered its doors on June 15, 2012 — three months before the OMB issued its report to Congress.”

Oops …

Fortunately for Obama most Americans have no clue what the sequester debate is about, meaning he can invent agencies (and then decry cuts to them) with impunity – secure in the knowledge that most people will reflexively blame “Republicans in Congress” (even though both the White House and majorities of both legislative chambers endorsed the sequester as part of a massive ramp-up in deficit spending two years ago).

Wanna know what’s really happening with the sequester? For the best article we’ve read on the subject, check out this piece from Americans for Limited Government president Bill Wilson.

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10 comments

Smirks February 26, 2013 at 10:24 am

Come on, FITS. You’re really slipping.

This is one agency that closed its doors in the middle of 2012, long after the sequester was thought up and passed. It is quite plausible that it was not removed by error. Also, it is one agency, one error. Even Reason ponders -if- there may be more errors.

Going directly to the notion that it isn’t an error, but an outright attempt to dodge part of sequestration, is pretty laughable too, but so is calling one agency “agencies” and spotting one error “riddled with errors.” Thank goodness someone pointed out this grand conspiracy to prevent $2 -million- dollars out of -billions- from being cut, though!

There would have to be a significant number of non-existent agencies, or a significant amount of “spending” being “cut,” or for fucks sake, at least an agency that hasn’t been around for a few years, to really suspect something fishy. The sad truth is that Congress doesn’t like sequestration either and it will likely be extremely crippled or killed before it actually kicks in, at the last minute, and done the “legitimate” way of passing a bill to abort it, rendering such an asinine conspiracy completely pointless.

Reply
Bubbas Brother February 26, 2013 at 12:44 pm

Just one example of the scare mongering and out right blatant mis-management of this administration Smirks. It is indefensible for the President to be running around talking about the dollars and jobs that will be lost when we know that is a cut to the increase, not a cut to the base. Compounding the false basis of his argument are the simple factual errors he and his staff spout on a daily basis.

What do we want? Sequester!

When do we want it? Now!

Reply
Smirks February 26, 2013 at 9:24 am

Come on, FITS. You’re really slipping.

This is one agency that closed its doors in the middle of 2012, long after the sequester was thought up and passed. It is quite plausible that it was not removed by error. Also, it is one agency, one error. Even Reason ponders -if- there may be more errors.

Going directly to the notion that it isn’t an error, but an outright attempt to dodge part of sequestration, is pretty laughable too, but so is calling one agency “agencies” and spotting one error “riddled with errors.” Thank goodness someone pointed out this grand conspiracy to prevent $2 -million- dollars out of -billions- from being cut, though!

There would have to be a significant number of non-existent agencies, or a significant amount of “spending” being “cut,” or for fucks sake, at least an agency that hasn’t been around for a few years, to really suspect something fishy. The sad truth is that Congress doesn’t like sequestration either and it will likely be extremely crippled or killed before it actually kicks in, at the last minute, and done the “legitimate” way of passing a bill to abort it, rendering such an asinine conspiracy completely pointless.

Reply
The Colonel (R) February 26, 2013 at 12:44 pm

Just one example of the scare mongering and out right blatant mis-management of this administration Smirks. It is indefensible for the President to be running around talking about the dollars and jobs that will be lost when we know that is a cut to the increase, not a cut to the base. Compounding the false basis of his argument are the simple factual errors he and his staff spout on a daily basis.

What do we want? Sequester!

When do we want it? Now!

Reply
BigT February 26, 2013 at 3:48 pm

FITS told us there is no difference between Obama and Romney.
Who is stupid enough to accept any more of FITS’ genius political analysis after he said that?

Reply
Farmer's Daughter February 26, 2013 at 6:15 pm

Yeah, better we stick with yours. Lol!

Reply
BigT February 26, 2013 at 3:48 pm

FITS told us there is no difference between Obama and Romney.
Who is stupid enough to accept any more of FITS’ genius political analysis after he said that?

Reply
Farmer's Daughter February 26, 2013 at 6:15 pm

Yeah, better we stick with yours. Lol!

Reply
JC March 1, 2013 at 12:37 am

And this is why we will never come anywhere close to solving the debt crisis. Democrats will claim that cuts to entitlements will leave the poor in the street. Neocon Republicans and Democrat war hawks both think not increasing military spending will dismantle our military, and there is never enough money for our mindless imperialist wars and foreign aid. In the end, the “bipartisanship” that everyone clamors for won’t solve a damn thing. And we keep electing these asses. Only ourselves to blame.

Reply
JC March 1, 2013 at 12:37 am

And this is why we will never come anywhere close to solving the debt crisis. Democrats will claim that cuts to entitlements will leave the poor in the street. Neocon Republicans and Democrat war hawks both think not increasing military spending will dismantle our military, and there is never enough money for our mindless imperialist wars and foreign aid. In the end, the “bipartisanship” that everyone clamors for won’t solve a damn thing. And we keep electing these asses. Only ourselves to blame.

Reply

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