Sequester Cuts Begin to Hurt

The sequester was overblown, right?  The economy hasn’t imploded, so it must have all been a head fake.

That’s the story some folks want us to believe.  But it’s not the case.  Sam Stein and Amanda Terkel have the goods:

The grips of sequestration are just now beginning to be felt and the effects are already quite dramatic.

Organizations and companies have begun laying off workers, while many more have decided not to staff vacant positions. Schools on military bases are contemplating four-day weekly schedules. Food pantries have closed, as have centers that provide health services. Farmers have been forced to go without milk production information, causing alarm in the dairy industry and the potential of higher milk prices. Workers at missile-testing fields are facing job losses. Federal courts have closed on Fridays. Public Broadcasting transmitters have been shut down. Even luxury cruises are feeling the pinch, with passengers forced to wait hours before debarking because of delays at Customs and Immigration. Yes, sequestration is creating the possibility of another poop cruise.

On the national level, sequestration may be defined by canceled White House tours and long lines at airports that never materialized. But on the local level, it is beginning to sting.

Their piece includes a list of 100 news stories from the last week illustrating the effects of the sequester the radical, irresponsible  GOP has given us (Tell me again why decent people are willing to associate themselves with that party).