Why sequester 'crisis' is a joke - Obama delivers half billion to Palestinians

[Zax2me]

A top U.S. official said Friday that the frozen funds have been quietly unblocked after Obama and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with top Palestinian and Israeli leaders during his visit this week.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/2013/03/23/U-S-quietly-unblocks-almost-500m-in-frozen-funds-for-Palestinians.html

You know what - fine. Some of this was budgeted under 2012. Even so. Cancelling White House tours, sending out threats that traditional Easter White House activities may have to be cancelled because of sequester -
We deliver 50 billion in foreign aid annually but are told we are at crisis level here ourselves due to sequester.

The politics on this is juvenile. And a loser for the Administration because you cannot go to Israel, whip out checkbook for a half billion and then go home and say we cannot afford White House tours.
President Obama is smarter that that - is he not?
Then who is the advisor on this...strategy - that apparently needs an advisor himself?!

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. K&R

We can't even afford universal health care like what they have in Israel.

[woo me with science]

2. It's all a sick joke,

and the joke is on us.

[tritsofme]

3. Sequestration is not smart policy, these are the stupid results

The WH doesn't get to pick and choose.

[Igel]

7. Not entirely true.

Depends where the cuts fall and what the appropriations says.

The WH has a pool of money for operations. One thing funded by that pool is the WH tours.

NASA has a pool of money for a variety of operations, including the educational and public outreach.

In each case, it's been decided that other things that the money also covers are more important.

It's easy to be cynical. The WH billed the sequester as a kind of fiscal cliff with immediate horrible results. The results have been muted. Except for some horrible results that are at least on the surface voluntary.

Whether or not they're really voluntary depends on what *isn't* being cut. Was it a choice between the Mars mission and the NASA outreach programs? Or was it a choice between upgrading the executive washroom versus the outreach programs? I haven't seen.

Was it a choice between the WH tours and optional visits to Camp David or other presidential trips to Iowa or Idaho? Or was it a choice between the WH tours and some vital function like the switchboard? Again, dunno.

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. It's like the worst movie you've ever seen...

or being forced to read Flowers in the Attic over and over and over and over.

It's all bullshit. Don't forget the money, tanks, and other military toys for Egypt.

[bhikkhu]

5. Well, I'm not going to cry over cuts to military spending

not even caring who gets "blamed" or who is saying what about it - I haven't followed the issue well.

Except that last year when they made the deadline and the spectrum of cuts if it wasn't met, all I could see was win-win. The social program cuts that were being talked about had been replaced by cutting military spending! How did Obama ever get the repugs to agree to that!

And even if it happens and we get flak for it, sometimes the greater good is served by swallowing a little blame, even when you know better yourself.

[liberal_at_heart]

6. I'm going to cry over cuts to education

My children's school district is loosing $350,000 next year.

[bluestate10]

8. The money was allocated years ago and was frozen until President Obama released it. nt

[Sadiedog]

9. I am crying over the effects of the cuts on the Head Start Program that I work at.

We are losing slots for 34 children, and are closing early. I am being forced out of a job I love because I cannot financially deal with losing the days. It might not seem like much to some people but 150 dollars a month out of the 1200 a bring home sends me out the door. I have always loved my job and the children and families. My heart is breaking.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

10. If we can't afford it at home then we shouldn't give to those abroad

It is making people very angry.

[Scuba]

11. I'm curious as to why $500 Million in foreign aid to Palestinians is thought of any differently ....

... than any other government spending that continues.

Where's the outrage of the continued funding of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, now at $400 Billion and counting for a plane that doesn't work.

Where's the outrage about the $3 Billion in foreign aid to Israel, or the aid to Egypt, Haiti and Kenya - all over $1 Billion in 2011? What about foreign aid to Jordan, South Africa or the Philippines? All receive more than the aid to the Palestinians.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_foreign_aid

Where's the outrage over the $6 Billion for replacement of the M113 Tank?

Source: http://defense.aol.com/2013/03/22/army-issues-rfp-for-6-billion-m113-replacement-armored-multi-p/

Why is foreign aid to Palestinians more offensive than these other expenditures?

[Katashi_itto]

12. Wheres the outrage over $3 Billion in foreign aid to Israel?