There will be some pain felt due to sequestration, but it won't be as bad as the apocalypse so many our of public officials are squealing about.
For the most part, government agencies have been quietly planning for sequestration all year and have eaten a significant chunk of its effects already. The reason being: a 10% cut so late in the year translates to a 20% hit over the last six months - which could be problematic to many.
But sequestration is just an annoyance. The real problem has been the uncertainty due to the never ending string of continuing resolutions. All of our elected leaders should be embarrassed by that.
Agree 100%, Congress and the administration should be working on the FY14 budget - not this self-inflicted shot in the big toe. It's likely we'll be under CR for the entire year.
It would be hard to plan your family's budget if you didn't know when you were getting paid, and when paid, how much it would be. It's just plain insane.
If Congress were to tell agencies: "Here's your budget for FY14, FY15 will be 1% less, FY16 1% less, and FYs 17-19 frozen at FY16 levels" - they would dance a jig.
Again, I agree but that's not how congress works. They'll say, "Cut 1% but don't touch <insert pet project back home here>.
A chance to do some real planning in regards to contract awards, modernization, refit & repair, manning levels etc.... without Congress manufacturing fiscal crises to derail sound planning and causing undo strife amongst federal employees with constant threats of shutting down the government or furloughs.
