Henny Penny politics: When New Orleans wanted to increase taxes, they would explain that if they didn't get the tax increase, they would have to close the coroner's office and dead bodies would pile up in the streets. That thought was enough to convince voters to approve the tax increase.
Today, virtually every bureau and agency is fear mongering by picking the most vital part of their work to be the one that must be cut back. No air traffic controllers in the control towers, no food inspectors in plants, 1,000 FBI agents forced off of the job, etc. In reality, the sequester is only 2.4 percent of their budgets.If the president and the two parties could agree to a modification to allow bureaus and agencies to cut the "nice-to-have" and retain the "vital," this sequester wouldn't amount to a bump in the road. On the other hand, if the real intent is to close or curtail vital functions to excite the citizens to approve more taxes, there will be no change.-- David White, Fort WorthHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
