• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / News / Sequestration set to take effect

Sequestration set to take effect

February 25, 2013 By Bob Hague

The looming federal budget cuts known as sequester will have devastating impacts in Wisconsin – or not. Not surprisingly, views about the sequester diverge along party lines among members of the state’s congressional delegation.

“The sequester is a classic example of something that no one ever thought would happen,” said Madison Democrat, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan. “It was a terrible idea.” But Congressman Reid Ribble, a Green Bay Republican, said it’s nonsense to cast blame for the sequester, as the House and Senate voted on it and President Barack Obama signed it. “This is one-half of one percent of the U.S. economy,” Ribble said. “It’s a tiny, tiny number. It’s not anywhere near enough to impact the economy nationally.”

The cutbacks known as the sequester would slash $85 billion from domestic and defense spending in 2013, and reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion over a decade. The policy was adopted in 2011 and was designed to be so draconian that it would force both sides to make concessions to reduce the deficit.

Pocan, who was just elected to the House in November, believes the failure to avoid the sequester can be attributed to doing things the Washington way. “In Wisconsin, if your ‘check oil’ light comes on, generally we get it checked and add oil to the engine. In Washington, they wait until the engine comes to a grinding halt, and then they go back and repair the engine,” said Pocan. “I just don’t find that to be a particularly logical or useful approach.”

The deadline for reaching some sort of sequester deal is Friday. Ribble thinks there could be a deal that would allow departments of the federal government to prioritize where the cuts will be. “I don’t think there’s going to be a deal on the top line number. Bit I think there is room to change how the top line number is applied,” he said.

The Obama administration on Sunday released details on how the automatic spending reductions would impact every state.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt





compeer financial celebrates beef month

Featured Stories

Republicans propose American Family Field funding plan

Kaul files lawsuit following Senate vote to oust WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe

Inconclusive Senate committee hearing on status of WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe

NWS offers tips to beat the heat this week

Renowned Menominee leader Ada Deer dies at 88

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Republicans propose American Family Field funding plan

Evers’ AmFam funding plan ‘a nonstarter’ with Assembly Republicans

New pitch clock could speed up MLB games this season, says UW expert

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC