The sequester drowned my kitten.

[banner1124]

You missed your calling Banner, you should be a politician.

Only in government can you get away with that kind of thinking. The government locks up other folks that think that way. At least they used to.

Like it or not, government doesn't work like everything else. And, I say that rate of increase cuts are cuts only because that's the practical effect they have. In order to deal with those rate of increase cuts agencies actually have to do real cuts. It may not be the kind of cut we truly need, but for all intents and purposes it's still a cut.

[SemiAuto]

Can the FDA avoid drowning kittens?

Here are a few specific suggestions for constructive, cost-cutting reforms at the FDA — a microcosm of what might be achieved throughout the government, sequester or no sequester:

Quote of the day: "I doubt that there is a single federal agency that couldn’t do more with less, if only there were the will to do so. But bureaucrats’ self-interest is served not by frugality and efficiency but by expanding their responsibilities, commanding larger budgets and carving out grander empires."

[CajunRaven]

Can the FDA avoid drowning kittens?



Quote of the day: "I doubt that there is a single federal agency that couldn’t do more with less, if only there were the will to do so. But bureaucrats’ self-interest is served not by frugality and efficiency but by expanding their responsibilities, commanding larger budgets and carving out grander empires."

This describes Washington pretty well:

Even when there is obvious and long-standing dysfunction, the typical solution is to throw more money at the problem. As economist Milton Friedman used to say, only in government do we see a program or project fail miserably and conclude that it needs to be expanded.

[Sprightly]

I read somewhere that there were cuts to the budgets of two departments that no longer exist and have not existed in quite some time. Government bean counters -- perfect.

[CajunRaven]

Like it or not, government doesn't work like everything else. And, I say that rate of increase cuts are cuts only because that's the practical effect they have. In order to deal with those rate of increase cuts agencies actually have to do real cuts. It may not be the kind of cut we truly need, but for all intents and purposes it's still a cut.

A cut in the rate of increase is a cut in the ability to do more, minus inflation (for you Joy), so practically speaking, they should be able to "pretty much" do what they did last year with the same amount of money.

If prices rise, especially fuel, yes that cuts into last year's activities. But remember, they are still getting more, just not quite as much as they thought.

Given all this, do you really believe all the sky is falling crap they're tossing against the wall? And they mention teachers, firefighters, cops, EMTs. Aren't those folks paid from local and state funding?

[CajunRaven]

I read somewhere that there were cuts to the budgets of two departments that no longer exist and have not existed in quite some time. Government bean counters -- perfect.

That's true and I think Obama may have cited one of the the defunct agencies in his whirlwind scare the people campaign tour.

[soulflower]

Given all this, do you really believe all the sky is falling crap they're tossing against the wall? And they mention teachers, firefighters, cops, EMTs. Aren't those folks paid from local and state funding?

Education:

Public school funding comes from many sources – federal, state and local taxes as well as grants provided by both governmental and nongovernmental agencies. The federal government adds less than 10 percent to local education budgets, yet it contributes significantly to the rules for how the funding is used. Additionally, the United States invests 5 percent of the GDP in public education. Nearly half of the k-12 education funding in the United States is intended to come from the states, drawn from a combination of income taxes, fees and other taxes. However, some states resemble Illinois, where the state’s share is only 27 percent. The remainder usually comes from local property taxes.

http://www.lwv.org/content/role-fede...ty-and-funding

Local law enforcement and firefighters seem to get most of their Federal aid through grants and appropriations. The level of Federal funding varies by jurisdiction

[Rael]

The headline in the Sun today is meant to scare us. 'Cuts would hurt schools. Md would lose about 24 million next school year under the sequester'. Oh no! 24 million taken away from the children! Let's break the numbers down a bit. With 1424 schools in Maryland that comes to a bit less than 17 thousand per school. With 870000 students, that comes to under $28 per student. Do you really think a school, if needed, couldn't find 17k to cut? If they couldn't, if half of those students buy a drink in school half the time, raising the price by 7 cents would get you almost all the way there. Raise it by 8 cents and you are in the black with regards to the sequester. Hell, asking any parent who can afford it to buy two extra Joe Corbi's pizzas on the next fundraiser would get you almost to even. Of course, that is only necessary if you cannot find other money to save. They should put me in charge of this stuff. It isn't that difficult to tighten the belt when you need to.

[banner1124]

A cut in the rate of increase is a cut in the ability to do more, minus inflation (for you Joy), so practically speaking, they should be able to "pretty much" do what they did last year with the same amount of money.

If prices rise, especially fuel, yes that cuts into last year's activities. But remember, they are still getting more, just not quite as much as they thought.

Given all this, do you really believe all the sky is falling crap they're tossing against the wall? And they mention teachers, firefighters, cops, EMTs. Aren't those folks paid from local and state funding?

A good deal of the local and state funding in this country is heavily subsidized by the feds.

[soulflower]

A good deal of the local and state funding in this country is heavily subsidized by the feds.

Especially after 9/11 and all the extra Homeland Security funding

[soulflower]

Does anyone honestly believe that no one will lose their job or have their pay cut due to Sequestration?

[SemiAuto]

Does anyone honestly believe that no one will lose their job or have their pay cut due to Sequestration?

No one? Of course not. It happens all the time regardless of the sequestration. The point here is that the doom and gloom hyperbole of politicians at the government feeding trough is surreal.

It is two freaking percent. The government back in 2007 got by with significantly less and the world did not end.

[CajunRaven]

Does anyone honestly believe that no one will lose their job or have their pay cut due to Sequestration?

No, and I certainly feel for those that will be affected. But the parade of senior government officials over the last week telling of the horror we are about to see is way over the top.

[soulflower]

No, and I certainly feel for those that will be affected. But the parade of senior government officials over the last week telling of the horror we are about to see is way over the top.

I don't doubt that there is some exaggeration.

I would like to see spending reductions but I agree with the idea that across the board reductions are the wrong way to go.

Spending cuts need to be handled with scissors, not a sledgehammer...

[Brohan]

Does anyone honestly believe that no one will lose their job or have their pay cut due to Sequestration?

They can find new jobs in manufacturing, the auto and green energy sector.

[CajunRaven]

A good deal of the local and state funding in this country is heavily subsidized by the feds.

Sure, the feds subsidize the states for sojme programs, but they do pay a good deal of local state money to pay for these services not is it heavily subsidized.

You and SF make it sould like the feds foot most of the bill for local law enforcement, firefighting and EMT services.

I'll need to see some proof of that and I'm betting you can't provide it.

[Brohan]

A good deal of the local and state funding in this country is heavily subsidized by the feds.

So? The States have the power to tax for services they provide.

[foxhound]

No one? Of course not. It happens all the time regardless of the sequestration. The point here is that the doom and gloom hyperbole of politicians at the government feeding trough is surreal.

It is two freaking percent. The government back in 2007 got by with significantly less and the world did not end.

The furlough of government workers that is currently being considered means a 20% pay cut (actually, the effective pay cut rate is probably higher than that for many) for a very large group of largely middle class (and lower) folks. In an area like Maryland, where there are a *lot* of government workers, that is a big enough bite to cause a slowdown in the overall economy.