Sequestration: How we got here

Sequestration is an extremely crude way to cut approximately 2 percent of federal spending. It is analogous to forcing a grossly obese person to lose a few pounds by not feeding him for a few days. On this issue, at least, it appears that Republicans and Democrats agree. So, one would think that the boys and girls who brought us the idea of sequestration (President Barack Obama, a Democrat, from whose White House the concept of sequestration arose, the Democratically-controlled Senate and the Republican-controlled House) ought to be able to agree on a smarter way to cut approximately 2 percent of federal spending.

February 25, 2013