Everything is blamed on that “sequestration” - out of 3,500 billion, 85 billion has made this huge impact on our nation? Like if you had 3,500 dollars 85 dollars would impact your household???
And would returning to the budget of 2007 -- $1 trillion and change less -- plunge us into ruin? How did we ever get by just those six short years ago?
If you know the particulars, then you’ll understand why $85 billion out of $3.5 trillion is significant. First off, the government didn’t reduce spending in anticipation, so the cuts are effectively twice as large as they would have been otherwise. We’re halfway through the government’s fiscal year. Secondly, a lot of spending was isolated from sequestration. In the DoD, for example, active duty pay was off limits. That significantly increased the impact of the cuts (again) on those areas that were cut. Finally, the DoD took 1/2 the cuts even though it’s far less than 50% of the budget.
For these reasons, the DoD will be far more seriously impacted by sequestration. Yes. Even the cost of a holiday celebration is a significant expense when there’s so little discretionary money left in the DoD’s budget.
I know some FReepers think all government employees are scum. There are even some FReepers who think the military needs to be decimated. However, the military is one of the few constitutionally enumerated jobs of the federal government, and the active duty force does not work alone (without their civilian counterparts). That’s why these cuts are militarily significant even if active duty pay is untouched. It’s like making your car payment while not having enough money for gas and oil.