Anticipating the Sequester

The childishly enacted sequester is due to kick in a month or so from now, requiring large cuts in federal spending with the attendant loss of jobs and slowing of economic growth. Of course, the adult thing to do would be to simply repeal the requester legislation, but we are sadly short of adults in today's DC.

The Democrats should be preparing the public to see who will be responsible for the economic consequences to come by pointing out that, although they would be happy to repeal the sequester, the Republicans refuse to do so. The Democrats need to be loudly pointing out that cutting federal spending means jobs will be lost, and when it happens the Republicans will be to blame.  It's an opportunity for them to press home the simple fact that cutting spending means lost jobs, as they should have been doing for the past three years.  If the consequences of the sequester means more of the public will come to see the connection between federal spending and employment rates, then the Democrats will be in a better position to stand up against future irresponsible calls from the Republicans to cut spending, and they may even be able to push for more spending to boost employment, as our Nobel prize winning economists have been pleading.

But the Democrats meed to be laying the groundwork now - we know the Republicans will be blaming the administration for the coming downturn, and they may persuade an unprepared and gullible public.