IgniteAmherst 2013 #02 Sequestration's Dirty Secrets by Jo Comerford

SEQUESTRATION’SDIRTY SECRETS

Jo ComerfordExecutive Director

National Priorities Project

Wednesday, March 6, 13

[Very] random survey


Question:


Question:“What is

sequestration?”


The answers


Conclusion:


Conclusion:The majority of

Americans have no idea


Think…


Think…Madonna in

Desperately Seeking Susan


Sequestration:


Sequestration:A bludgeon when we needed a calculator


Doing the same thing over and over again and

expecting different results


[IMAGE: basic 2013 budget pie with

mandatory, discretionary and

interest on the debt]Wednesday, March 6, 13

Property tax hikes,


Property tax hikes,Budget overrides,



School fees,



School fees,Toll roads,




Increased waste disposal fees,




Increased waste disposal fees,

and on and on…Wednesday, March 6, 13

Giving up the cat


Giving up the catwon’t be enough.


Fifty Years of Federal Spendingand Tax Revenue(as percent of GDP)


Fifty Years of Federal Spendingand Tax Revenue(as percent of GDP)

[IMAGE: just want the tax revenue, not the

spending]


[IMAGE: corporate andindividual tax chart]


Federal Budget


You and me

Federal Budget


You and me

Federal Budget

Massachusetts State Budget


You and me Businesses

Federal Budget

Massachusetts State Budget Cities & Towns


“Sequestration is madness,” she

wrote. “We should be out in the

streets.”


SEQUESTRATION’SDIRTY SECRETS

Jo ComerfordExecutive Director

National Priorities Project

nationalpriorities.org


Economy & Finance