"Illogical" Sequester Cuts Questioned...by NBC

The Sequester is only one in a long line of financial crisis created by the federal government. In an unusual development, NBC's Brian Williams asked if the White House is "picking it's targets".

It is rare that the mainstream media would challenge any decision by the Obama Administration, which makes the report by NBC particularly newsworthy. Williams started the report, "Sequestration a Symptom of Washington Dysfunction," led by NBC's Lisa Myers by noting that the idea for the report was spawned when a senior White House aide showed up for another newscast with a six-member entourage.

He said, "It got us thinking of government spending in the era of so-called sequester budget cut package." Williams gave the example of White House tours, which "will stop due to a lack of funding," but meanwhile, "all kinds of other things go on." The "other things" in which Williams refers includes a massive amount of government waste, fraud and abuse.

Williams said, "This has led to charges that the White House is picking it's targets, looking to make it's point in a big, showy way." The "point" to which Williams refers is that despite the rampant government waste and excessive spending, the most visible and damaging cuts seemingly are the first to be put in place.

Lisa Myers continues to address the White House tours, and notes ironically that "yet, earlier this week, a 20 car motorcade with tons of security took the president across town for dinner with senators to talk about the budget." How much did that excursion cost taxpayers? Myers continued to state that "there could be more of that if the president plays golf this weekend." President Obama's recent golf excursion with Tiger Woods and big oil executives (including the Chair of Halliburton), reportedly cost taxpayers over $1 million dollars.

Myers gives some examples of high-profile cuts that would impact American citizens, versus excessive spending in other areas that any reasonable person could see should be a low priority for spending. For example, Myers references:

• the recent decision made to cut the tuition assistance program for the army;
• the Federal Aviation Administration announcement that towers may be closed and Air Traffic controllers may be furloughed; "yet it is spending $20 million dollars a year giving money away to tiny airports...which may get one private plane landing per week";
• the Department of Homeland Security is threatening to furlough airport screeners; while a grant program perhaps should be cut first that paid for a $286,000 armored personnel carrier for Keene, New Hampshire.

It is refreshing that the mainstream media is challenging some of the seemingly political cuts made by the Obama administration in the wake of sequestration.

Watch the report here: