Slash & Burn

Much has been said about the consequences of 'Sequestration' and many have commented that they don't really understand it.

Below is some basic information that defines what the Tea Baggers have wrought in their failure to restore sensible fiscal policies.

The hostage taking has begun. The painful across-the-board cuts—known as sequestration—are officially here, and they’re going to be devastating for working families.

Some 750,000 jobs will be lost just this year, and many more will be lost over the next decade. Approximately 70,000 children will lose access to Head Start, while 600,000 children and mothers will lose WIC nutritional aid. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Find out how the extremists in Congress are inflicting pain on working families—and demanding cuts to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare benefits—just so they can protect Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans.

Why are the bullies in Congress tanking our economy and causing so much pain? They are holding the economy hostage so they can extract their ransom demands: destructive cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits. Working families are just collateral damage.

We do not have to stand by and let this happen. We can stand up to the hostage takers.

There is a simple solution. Make Congress repeal the sequester. Congress created it and Congress can make it go away. This not only would save our economy, but also disarm the hostage takers and protect Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid from benefit cuts.

Check out how congressional bullies are choosing to inflict pain on working families just so they can protect their rich donor friends, then share it with your friends:

go.aflcio.org/shocking-comparisons
In solidarity,


Christian Norton
Working America

P.S. A little confused on how we got here with the sequester?
Check out this awesome page from our friends at AFSCME that tells the story with gifs.






March 8, 2013

Across-the-board federal spending cuts, called "sequestration," went into effect on March 1. This year alone, sequestration cuts, compressed into a seven-month window, will reduce the budgets of most domestic agencies by about nine percent. And if sequestration is not reversed by the end of this federal fiscal year, those lower spending levels could be here permanently — locked in through spending caps on programs for years to come — even as our population continues to grow.

What does this all mean? Cuts to key environmental, health, safety, education, and other programs could lead to longer lines at the airport, fewer food safety inspections, less enforcement of critical air and water quality laws, and more. This undermines the quality of life we have all come to take for granted in America.

Please let your representatives in Washington know that this across-the-board contraction of the government is not acceptable. Not all government spending is equal.

Our elected representatives are in Washington to govern wisely and in the public interest. The sequester is a poor excuse for decision making. It makes it difficult for government to do its vital work: protecting the health and well-being of the nation.

Let your representatives know you do not approve.
Take action today to stop the sequester.

For Individuals: There are a number of excellent resources available for individuals who want to be heard on this issue, including one from Social Security Works.

For Organizations: We have launched a sign-on letter that is open to national, state, and local groups calling for a repeal of sequestration. The letter, along with the first few signers, is available on our website.

Please sign your organization on to the letter by contacting Patrick Lester (by March 12) at plester@foreffectivegov.org. Please mention if your organization is national or local and, if it is local, which state it is located in. Also, please consider forwarding this e-mail to your networks. Thank you!

In the meantime, you can find additional information about sequestration on our new webpage devoted to covering all the latest developments, Sequestration Central. Thank you so much for your help!




Warm regards,

Katherine McFate
President and CEO