The 2011 Budget Control Act dictates automatic – and devastating – spending cuts of $1.2 trillion that will take effect beginning next year unless Congress and the president take action to avert this sequester. Congress should vote to repeal the sequester and replace the cuts with more sensible ones, such as limiting farm subsidies and reining in health-care costs more.
Discretionary spending has already taken a big hit and is not the primary source of our fiscal problem. Reallocations and reforms within this category are needed, but current levels of already-capped spending are barely sufficient to keep the country strong, both militarily and domestically. Domestic spending programs such as education, infrastructure, research, and those targeted at lower-income families should be preserved.
Democrats will be pleased these programs are spared from drastic cuts, while the GOP will be relieved that the defense budget can avoid the sequester’s ill-considered ax.
