GAO: The sequestration only cost one government job...

That;'s because there is a ton of fat in every government agency and program. The sequestration never got anywhere the lean. 

Only one employee in the entire federal government lost a job due to sequestration, according to a government audit that found the only permanent cut came at the U.S. Parole Commission, which eliminated one position. …

“Despite relentless warnings about the dire consequences of sequestration’s budget cuts, it appears sequestration resulted in only one layoff,” he said. “While that’s good news for federal employees and other workers, it is devastating to the credibility of Washington politicians and administration officials who spent months — and millions of dollars — engaging in a coordinated multi-agency cabinet-level public relations campaign to scare the American people.” … 

Seven departments or agencies did furlough employees, but even that was less than a third of government agencies and departments surveyed by the GAO. Instead, those 15 departments and agencies that didn’t furlough employees ended up using leftover savings or cutting other programs. … 

According to the GAO, nearly every agency or department affected by sequestration canceled or limited bonuses, cut travel and training, and limited overtime.

Still Closed: White House Tours; Open: White House Parties for Obama's Muslim Supporters...

Priorities... 

Via WHD:

The White House continues to bar average Americans from touring “The People House” but nevertheless lavishes spending on all sorts of special invitees – from diners at last week’s Iftar dinner breaking the Muslim fast to sports teams and foreign diplomats.
Soon after the outcry over the cancellation of tours due to the sequester, the White House promised to see what could be done to allow some visits to resume. But nothing was done and no one can visit – unless President Obama finds you useful or amusing.

Favored guest have poured in this month, even though Obama was traveling in Africa for part of it.

Last week’s glittering Iftar dinner featured about 130 guests treated to remarks by Obama and bread breaking with senior aide Valerie Jarrett and National Security advisor Susan Rice.

Obama held a mass reception for the entire diplomatic corps July 19. He hosted the  2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion Louisville Cardinals July 23 and will gather with the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants today.

Keep on reading…

So, what ever happened to the sequestration apocalypse Obama and demos warned us about?

Even The Washington Post is forced to admit it was over-hyped...

Before “sequestration” took effect, the Obama administration issued specific — and alarming — predictions about what it would bring. There would be one-hour waits at airport security. Four-hour waits at border crossings. Prison guards would be furloughed for 12 days. FBI agents, up to 14.

At the Pentagon, the military health program would be unable to pay its bills for service members. The mayhem would extend even into the pantries of the neediest Americans: Around the country, 600,000 low-income women and children would be denied federal food aid.

But none of those things happened.

Sequestration did hit, on March 1. And since then, the $85 billion budget cut has caused real reductions in many federal programs that people depend on. But it has not produced what the Obama administration predicted: widespread breakdowns in crucial government services.

American Troops Rejoice: Pelosi Cant Visit Troops Because Of Sequestration

best news of the day for our servicemen and women...

Rep Hank Williams (D-ranged) is worried about "sequestration" and a "world without ballons"

Hey, did Guam ever finally tip over? 

“Mr. Speaker, like a kid at a carnival, I rise in full support of HR 527, The Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act of 2013.

Mr. Speaker, I’m relieved that and I’m sure that the American people are relieved as well that Congress is finally going to do something about one of the most pressing issues of the day, that is… we’ve got to ensure access to helium for all.

Surely those harmed by sequestration and those harmed by the Republican failure to appoint budget conferees appreciate the House spending two full legislative days on this most critical issue. The American people certainly understand the fact that 48 of this House’s precious time was necessary to pass such a non-controversial bill.

I’m pleased to support this bill which shows that this Tea Party congress will make the tough choice to keep children’s birthday parties on schedule and give industries that rely on helium the lift that they deserve.

Imagine, Mr. Speaker a world without balloons. How can we make sure that the injustice of there being no helium for comedians to get that high-pitched voice that we all hold near and dear to our hearts.

Imagine a world without balloons. Today the House has chosen to simply float above it all. And finally we are going to do something for the American people and we should all pat ourselves on the back for that.

Remember the $74,000 a week savings for cancelling WH tours? It's a lie...

Here is what we were told:

ABC News tried all day yesterday to get an answer out of the White House and Secret Service about how much money will be saved by canceling White House tours. Now we have an answer: $74,000 per week, according to Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan.

Here’s how they do the math:

The Secret Service says it takes an average of 37 officers to secure the tours. Each officer’s total pay (including benefits) averages $50 an hour. And, although the tours only are only open for 20 ½ hours per week, Donovan says the officers are on the clock for 40 hours. So – 37 officers at $50 an hour for 40 hours a week adds up to $74,000.

The truth is these agents were just reassigned and are still drawing the same salary. 

"Due to sequestration, Uniformed Division Officers normally assigned to conducting public tours will be reassigned to other security posts at the White House and all tours will be cancelled," spokesman Max Milien said in a statement.

Rep. Louie Gohmert discusses this deception on FOX News:

The Sequester ends children's WH tours, but Obama's personal aid and dog handler still on payroll...

 It cost $1.4 billion dollars for staffing, housing, flying and entertaining President Obama and his family last year. By comparison, the British Royal Family only cost $57.8 million.


Via NRO:

We are now firmly ensconced in the brutal Age of the Sequester, and things in America are grave. The federal government, we learned on Wednesday, is so strapped for cash that the president has been forced to cut off the People’s access to the home he’s borrowing from them. He didn’t want to have to do this, naturally — “particularly during the popular spring touring season.” But then Congress just had to go and acquiesce in measures that the president himself had suggested and signed into law. How beastly! We axed 2.6 percent from a $44.8 trillion budget, and now the president can’t even afford the $18,000 per week necessary to retain the seven staff members who facilitate citizens’ enjoying self-guided tours around the White House.

The executive mansion is not in that much trouble, of course. It’s certainly not in sufficiently dire straits for Air Force One ($181,757 per hour) to be grounded, or to see the executive chef ($100,000 per year) furloughed, or to cut back on the hours of the three full-time White House calligraphers ($277,050 per year for the trio), or to limit the invaluable work of the chief of staff to the president’s dog ($102,000 per year), or to trim his ridiculous motorcade ($2.2 million). If Ellen DeGeneres wants another dancercize session or Spain holds another clothing sale, the first family will be there before you can say “citizen executive.” Fear ye not, serfs: Austerity may be the word of the week, but the president is by no means in any danger of being forced to live like the president of a republic instead of like a king.

More evidence Obama administration is trying to maximize the sequester pain...

Barack Obama is deliberately inflicting pain on the American people in order to score political points. What kind of man occupies the White House?

Via Fox News:

Another federal employee has come forward to claim the Obama administration resisted efforts to ease the impact of sequester.

A U.S. park ranger, who did not wish to be identified, told FoxNews.com that supervisors within the National Park Service overruled plans to deal with the budget cuts in a way that would have had minimal impact on the public. Instead, the source said, park staff were told to cancel special events and cut “interpretation services” — the talks, tours and other education services provided by local park rangers.

“Apparently, they want the public to feel the pain,” the ranger said.

The National Park Service is among many federal agencies warning of a major impact from the sequester cuts, which took effect last Friday. The agency has warned of delayed access to portions of Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks, closed campgrounds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, reduced hours at the Grand Canyon visitor center and other ramifications.

Keep on reading…

Obvious: Obama administration trying to make sequester cuts as painful as possible...

How could any American take this stance? Oh, we are talking about Barack Hussein Obama...

Via Washington Times:

The Obama administration denied an appeal for flexibility in lessening the sequester’s effects, with an email this week appearing to show officials in Washington that because they already had promised the cuts would be devastating, they now have to follow through on that.

In the email sent Monday by Charles Brown, an official with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Raleigh, N.C., Mr. Brown asked “if there was any latitude” in how to spread the sequester cuts across the region to lessen the impacts on fish inspections.

He said he was discouraged by officials in Washington, who gave him this reply: “We have gone on record with a notification to Congress and whoever else that ‘APHIS would eliminate assistance to producers in 24 states in managing wildlife damage to the aquaculture industry, unless they provide funding to cover the costs.’ So it is our opinion that however you manage that reduction, you need to make sure you are not contradicting what we said the impact would be.”

“This email confirms what many Americans have suspected: The Obama administration is doing everything they can to make sure their worst predictions come true and to maximize the pain of the Sequester cuts for political gain,” said Rep. Tim Griffin, Arkansas Republican.

Keep on reading…

Big Sis caught lying about sequestration airport slowdown

Is everyone in this administration a bald-faced liar? 

Via Telegraph:

Airports have denied a claim by Janet Napolitano, the secretary of homeland security, that the sequester is already causing long delays for travelers at security screening checkpoints.

Ms Napolitano said today that major airports were seeing lines “150 to 200 per cent as long as we would normally expect” as result of the federal spending cuts that went into force on Friday.

“We’re already seeing the effects at some of the ports of entry, the big airports, for example. Some of them had very long lines this weekend,” she told a breakfast event organised by Politico.

When pressed for specifics she cited Chicago’s O’Hare, Atlanta’s Hartfield-Jackson and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), adding: “I don’t mean to scare, I mean to inform.”

However, when contacted by The Daily Telegraph, spokespeople for both O’Hare and LAX, as well as representatives from the travel industry, denied that airports had been hit by delays.

“We haven’t had any slowdowns at all,” said Marshall Lowe, a spokesman for LAX. Mr Lowe said that he had been on duty over the weekend and received no reports of unusual security delays.

Keep on reading…

Our national nightmare ends. Obama's Secret Service protection won't be cut by sequester...

Apparently, Obama's security comes before the rest of the country...

Via Politico:

Despite the sequester, the Secret Service isn’t going to skimp when it comes to protecting President Barack Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday.
Speaking at a Playbook breakfast at the Newseum, Napolitano said the teams of Secret Service agents assigned to protect Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be sheltered from the broad spending cuts required as part of the budget reduction that that kicked in on Friday.

“Obviously, one of the major responsibilities, if not the major responsibility, of the Service is the protection of the president and the vice president. So, the protective side, we’re going to protect that, of course,” Napolitano told POLITICO’s Mike Allen.
“What it really means is on the investigative side where we handle all kinds of financial, identity theft, cyber crime, counterfeiting cases that originate not just here but around the world, the Secret Service is the lead on many of those, those activities are being cut back,” Napolitano said.

An Office of Management and Budget report issued last week said the Secret Service’s operations budget will be cut 5 percent or $84 million on a budget of about $1.6 billion.

Obama suffering sequestration backlash approval meltdown...

Unexpected consequences for Obama...

Via Politico:

President Obama’s job approval rating took a hit over the weekend, falling to its lowest level in the Gallup three-day average since his reelection.

His approval rating was 46 percent between Feb 29 and March 2, down from 53 percent a week earlier.

The drop comes after Obama and Congress failed to reach a last-minute deal and automatic sequester cuts kicked in across the government on Friday.

His disapproval rating also jumped to its highest level since November, hitting 46 percent over the weekend, up from 40 percent a week earlier.

SNL Obama Skit: “I Really Have No Idea How Money Works” (Video)

He really doesn't...

About Obama's claim sequestration would cut the pay of WH janitors; it was a lie...

The Liar-in-Chief strikes again...

Via CBS News:

During his news conference to announce that he and congressional leaders failed to avert the sequester cuts going into effect tonight, President Obama gave several examples of people who will be directly affected by the cuts. It turns out, however, that one of those examples was in error.

"[A]ll the folks who are cleaning the floors at the Capitol -- now that Congress has left, somebody is going to be vacuuming and cleaning those floors and throwing out the garbage -- they're going to have less pay," Mr. Obama said. "The janitors, the security guards, they just got a pay cut, and they've got to figure out how to manage that. That's real."

The president's mention prompted Carlos Elias, the superintendent of the U.S. Capitol building and the Capitol Visitors Center, to email his employees within hours of Mr. Obama's comment.
"The pay and benefits of EACH of our employees WILL NOT be impacted," Elias wrote.

"There was a specific mention in the news today by a high ranking official that said 'The employees that clean and maintain the US Capitol will receive a cut in pay' (not specific quote but very close to it)," Elias continued.

"This is NOT TRUE," wrote Elias. "Therefore, I request that you please notify all of our employees about the importance of ignoring media reports." Read more here...

Backpedaling: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano regrets release of hundreds of illegal immigrants from detention centers

Janet Napolitano is full of sh*t...

Via Newsmax:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday addressed Republican criticism of the release of hundreds of illegal immigrants from detention centers, saying she wishes it had been spread over time rather than all at once.

Napolitano told ABC News that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials decided to release immigrants deemed to be a low public-safety risk ahead of the across-the-board spending cuts set to begin on Friday.

“Detainee populations and how that is managed back and forth is really handled by career officials in the field,” she said in the interview.

“Do I wish that this all hadn’t been done all of a sudden and so that people weren’t surprised by it? Of course.”

Republican anger has been growing since the mass release came to light on Monday. Immigration officials reportedly said the decision was made to prepare for the sequester, which would limit the number of detainees held.

Keep on reading…

Obama: The sequester is going to cause Capitol Hill’s janitors to have less pay or something...

Give me a break...

Via NRO:

During today’s press conference, President Obama tried to illustrate the sequester’s negative impact by saying that Capitol Hill’s janitors and security guards will face a pay cut “starting tomorrow.” “They’re going to have less pay,” Obama told reporters. “They just got a pay cut and they’ve got to figure out how to manage that.”

But CNN’s Capitol Hill reporter Dana Bash spoke with the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms, who oversees the positions mentioned by president, and tweeted that there were no plans to make cut their pay, at least for the time being.

Obama swears he's not making this up...

Harry Reid upset the press isn't blaming Republicans enough for the sequester...

Harry Reid should remember the sequester idea came from the White House...

Via CNS News:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Thursday that the news media have an “obligation” to report that the Republicans are “unwilling to do what the American people want done” on looming automatic, across-the-board budget cuts.

During a news conference on Capitol Hill held on the eve of implementation of the cuts, known on Capitol Hill as “The Sequester,” a reporter asked Reid: “Can you understand the frustration of the American people that you’re blaming the Republicans, the Republicans are blaming you and nobody is talking until the day that these cuts kick in?”

Reid replied: “You know I read an editorial today, and I don’t know whether it was the Times or the Post, where the op-ed writer said, ‘You know, let’s call it the way it is. The Republicans aren’t willing to deal with the Democrats.

“So all this stuff — Democrats aren’t doing anything, Republicans aren’t doing anything –I believe that you guys have an obligation to report it the way it is,” he said.

Keep reading…

Amusing: Sequester forcing Joe Biden to take Amtrak...

Joe always loved choo choos...

Via FOX News:

As the federal budget goes off the rails, Joe Biden's getting back on -- with Amtrak.
The looming sequester is forcing the veep to once again take the train -- as opposed to military aircraft -- to his weekend trips home to Delaware.

Biden said Wednesday he initiated the change, calling it the one thing about the sequester that's working to his "benefit."

Speaking at the National Association of Attorneys General, Biden said that while he took nearly 8,000 train trips as senator, the Secret Service made him travel by air because the Amtrak "gives too many opportunities for people to interact with me in a way they wouldn't like to see."  

Obama flushes "waves" of illegal immigrants from detention in order to punish GOP for sequestration...

Illegal immigrations in a detention center in Georgia via Palm Beach Post

Obama would give them green cards if he could figure out a way.

WASHINGTON — The federal government released groups of illegal immigrants from custody across the country Monday at the same time the White House was making its case that impending budget cuts would harm efforts to protect the border and enforce federal immigration laws.

Advocates reported “waves” of illegal immigrants being released from at least three detention centers in Texas, Florida and Louisiana.

U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement confirmed the release of some illegal immigrants Monday night but would not say how many or from which detention centers.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/02/25/184148/in-face-of-coming-budget-cuts.html#storylink=cpy

Our national nightmare is over. Obama's paycheck is exempt from the sequestration...

Obama was behind the sequestration. We should have known his paycheck would be exempt. 

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama won’t have to worry about his paycheck if the spending sequestration included in the Budget Control Act that he signed into law in 2011 begins taking effect this Friday.

A report published last month by the Congressional Research Service--“Budget Sequestration and Selected Program Exemptions and Special Rules"--identifies certain programs that are exempt from sequestration and lays out special rules that govern the sequestration of others.

Section 255 of the Budget Control Act includes “Compensation for the President” as one of those exemptions (Page 19)

They actually specifically exempted “Compensation for the President?”  Seriously? A president with integrity would have made sure his and congresses paychecks were included.