Sequestration? What are YOU doing to prepare for it?

[funeralweb]

Sorry JJ, but I think we have to cut the military. We also need to cut all entitlements. Cut about half the of the Federal departments altogether. We have to switch from deficit to surplus and start paying off the debt, IMO. There will be lots of pain to go around, but we can't stay on this path that we are on...

It's never going to hurt less.

 

[TRWXXA]

Don't forget to take note as to who decides what and who gets cut.

+1

The forced budget cuts are a drop in the ocean. But the Commie in Chief will make sure that cuts are implemented in such a way that the most chaos is created. Example:

Layoff air traffic controllers, and watch flight delays skyrocket. I can already see the video of people sleeping on the terminal floors on the 11 o'clock news. But CLT is still getting a new, $45 million control tower (I bet it winds up costing 3 times that).

President F&%#stick will have a carrier task force pulled out of the middle east, but ghetto dumb-dumbs will still get their "Obama phones".

It's all a bunch of hype. What is the 2013 sequestration cut? $110 billion?
Medicare fraud alone costs this country $60 billion a year. But Obama created the sequester. He wanted to scare the public into putting pressure on congress to pass his bloated budget. Now his bluff is being called, and he's afraid folks will see a $100 billion cut isn't even noticeable. Can't let a crisis go to waste (whether it's his crisis or ours), so he will use the budget cuts as an excuse to sabotage the federal government.

 

[BogWalker]

Not doing anything really. Theyre getting rid of pocket change. I doubt it will cause much more of a slump to the economy. We'll see a lot of complaining and maybe a few small strikes. Certainly not going to cause mass panic or death in the streets.

 

[jb1911]

I'm preparing by buying as much gun related things as I can. We went out to dinner last night and I had the bone-in rib eye at Texas Roadkill. Watching the Hawks dominate the NHL. But I was gonna do all that anyway.

 

[snowwalker]

lol

 

[rhino]

I still don't understand why a reduction in the increase of a future budget (not a reduction of the actual budget) translates to a need for furloughs this year.

Am I just dumb?

 

[Hohn]

I actually agree with several of your points. It is a big deal to lose 20% of your pay. And none of us should wish hardship on another.

I managed several DoD civilians in my career and I can tell you that there are very many hard working, good people. There are also several slugs that don't deserve the jobs they have, but can't be fired because of protected status and grievance processes and all that.

 

[in625shooter]

I still don't understand why a reduction in the increase of a future budget (not a reduction of the actual budget) translates to a need for furloughs this year.

Am I just dumb?

No! I am still trying to figure out why I have to give up 14 days of pay but my agency is still providing paid moves for promotions etc. Not running anything but if I was I would curtail the moves new hires for just a couple months and there is your savings. JMHO

 

[Hohn]

Funny how we're not hearing any articles about how Obamaphones or food stamps or social security or anything are being affected by sequestration.

That's odd.

 

[Dead Duck]

Am I just dumb?

No! I am still trying to figure out why I have to give up 14 days of pay but my agency is still providing paid moves for promotions etc. Not running anything but if I was I would curtail the moves new hires for just a couple months and there is your savings. JMHO

Actually - I think it was a trick question and I'm not falling for that trap.



I see it as a cut and kind-of a "prove a point" ploy that will take more time, money and resources to pull out then replace and reset back to where it needed to be in the first place.

It will cost more in the long run - and that is not on any graph that I've seen so far.
We could do so much better to cut unneeded grants, funds and whole departments like................how about BATFE for starters.

 

[Darral27]

I am thinking about taking a nap.

 

[RockofStrength]

I actually agree with several of your points. It is a big deal to lose 20% of your pay. And none of us should wish hardship on another.

I managed several DoD civilians in my career and I can tell you that there are very many hard working, good people. There are also several slugs that don't deserve the jobs they have, but can't be fired because of protected status and grievance processes and all that.

Absolutely. But if I'm paying them (and I am) and the department can apparently function just fine with them taking a 20% pay cut...um, yeah we're doing that. Working for the government is nice in that your job doesn't have to "go away" owing to bankruptcy etc. But you also are vulnerable to the whims of Congress and the voters.

 

[dbrier]

This issue is not as many are describing. There are a lot programs that will get zero funding after being funded for 5 or more years.
I have the chart that shows all the cuts for Indiana, but can't attach it, it's a pdf.

 

[jcwit]

This issue is not as many are describing. There are a lot programs that will get zero funding after being funded for 5 or more years.
I have the chart that shows all the cuts for Indiana, but can't attach it, it's a pdf.

So post the link!

 

[Miles42]

I am retired and on a fixed income so it is difficult for me to relate to what is going on right now. I am having a hard time dealing with the constant attacks on Social Security payments, money that was so called borrowed from the fund years ago.

 

[cobber]

Haven't had the pleasure of working for the feds, but I note that comparable fed jobs in my field seem to have salaries up to double (if not more) than you could expect to get in State government.

That and without guanxi (connections), there's no getting a federal job at all.

Let it come. If the world ends, so be it. If not, then let the Pres stop telling us it's not possible to cut spending.

 

[aaron580]

I am not affected at all. I have all I need right now and I doubt that any more will be needed. This is something that will pass. If it doesn't, I am prepared in just about every way...

 

[Grizhicks]

No! I am still trying to figure out why I have to give up 14 days of pay but my agency is still providing paid moves for promotions etc. Not running anything but if I was I would curtail the moves new hires for just a couple months and there is your savings. JMHO

I'm glad your's is only 14 days; my agency (DCMA) is saying 22 days (1 day a week for May thru September). My agency is hiring like crazy, which I don't understand; how can things be this tight and still have money for new hires???

Good Luck.... Greg

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

You are an angry individual. I'm curious to know how those that are serving are paying for congress? I completely agree with you that congress is inept.

The boys serving are doing exactly what they signed up to do. I owe them no pity nor would they want it if I had any to give. I am thankful for what they do.

The problem that you're not getting is that this isn't about them, or their honor, or yours. It's about a militaristic country over-reaching it's bounds. There is no reason our armed forces should've ever grown as large as they are now, let alone deployed to so many places. The is no reason for us to dump such an astronomical amount of money into defense each year.

Being in the military carries the same risks as any other government job. You are employed by the taxpayers and your budget may be cut. It is bound to happen eventually.

You are one ignorant individual. You obviously never served and have no one in your family that serves. Let me clue you in. ALL pay increases - even for those like my nephew that nearly got his head blown off - are frozen. With no money for training and deployment prep, those deployed now are on indefinite deployment. Meal rationing in Afghanistan. No carrier group for the gulf, therefore no fast relief for anyone in serious trouble...on and on and on. If you think this doesn't hit the military straight in the mouth you need to open your eyes, shut your computer off, get out in the real world and talk to some soldiers and sailors.

 

[Grizhicks]

Haven't had the pleasure of working for the feds, but I note that comparable fed jobs in my field seem to have salaries up to double (if not more) than you could expect to get in State government.

That and without guanxi (connections), there's no getting a federal job at all.

Let it come. If the world ends, so be it. If not, then let the Pres stop telling us it's not possible to cut spending.

Couple of things:

>> While fed jobs may pay more than the state; at least in my field, it's less that private industry.

>> The days of having to have a connection is long gone; most that work around me just applied 'off the street', but were well qualified.

Later, Greg