White House unnerved and unprepared for sequestration - Refused to pass budget

Because the Democrat led Senate refused to pass, or even consider a House Republican budget, the government was facing a shutdown last August as it reached its legal borrowing limit. In a compromise, Republicans agreed to an increase in the debt limit, but required certainty in spending reductions. Thus the sequestration plan was enacted. It was meant to be a stopgap measure to give Congress time to forge a proper spending reduction bill. Since last August, it has become apparent that the Democrats want only to maintain or increase spending and increase taxes on the American taxpayer. Bill after bill has been passed by the Republican led House and sent to the Senate. Democrat Harry Reid has completely shut off debate on any of these bills and seems to be very happy to blame Republicans for any inaction.

Excerpt: Tens of thousands of civilian employees in the Defense Department could receive warnings about potential layoffs four days before the November election if impending spending cuts aren't averted, hitting presidential battleground states such as Virginia and Florida hard.

The alerts would come in addition to any that major defense contractors might send out at the same time to their workers under an often-overlooked law, a prospect that is unnerving the White House roughly three months before voters go to the polls.

grapples with the looming, $1.2 trillion automatic reductions in defense and domestic programs.

"I don't think anybody has been able to come to grips yet with the severity of what sequestration means," Vollrath told the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness.

Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-Va., the panel's chairman, reminded Vollrath that the cuts were part of the law that Republicans and Democrats voted for last August and President Barack Obama signed.

Read full article here.