Sequester in Santa Monica

Like spoiled children inured to getting their way, the poorest voter to the riches corporations have grown accustomed to receiving the federal money. The American people need to feel the hurt which follows from cutting federal spending. States and cities take too much money from the government in the first place, whether through municipal obligations or government contracts. The sequester does not touch Medicare or Social Security, which remain the deepest drivers of our nation’s debt.

Cutting spending will always be a “bad idea” for one interest group or another. The United States federal government has a spending problem, to begin with. Congress and the President raised taxes on individuals who make more than $400,000 a year, which leaves about 1% of the country who will pay higher income taxes, while the majority of Americans expect more from the state.

Congressman Henry Waxman asked the rhetorical question: “When will the adults show up in Washington? He would not want to hear the answer, for the same adults which elected him, the divided Congress, and reelected President Obama chose to elect the same adults who refuse to ease the partisan gridlock in Washington D.C.

Everyone, including Santa Monica, will feel the hit of the “meat ax” sequester March First. So far, Congress has come up with nothing to delay the cuts, budget actions which were designed to be a “bad idea”. At this point, it would be a better idea just to let the cuts go through, no matter how painful.