We've had sequestration before, in the 1980s; the dire predictions made then failed to materialize. President Barack Obama, who proposed sequestration in the first place, and his surrogates in the administration, would have us believe the cuts, which took effect March 1, would quickly result in chaos. Their picture presented is the firing of police, firefighters, prison guards and air traffic controllers to absorb the reduction in spending.
A clear example of a half-truth vision appears in the editorial "It's not that hard, Washington," Feb. 26, in which you talk about "tens of thousands" losing jobs or taking cuts through furloughs, point out how unemployment lines will "grow even longer," how the economy "will likely stall, if not reverse," children will go without vaccines and the nation will become noncompetitive.
This is fear-mongering. It does not reflect the results of a rationally applied 5 percent cut. These are the same arguments made in the 1980s.
The Times Union could have noted that $65 billion was injected into the economy in the form of funding for rebuilding and infrastructure development after Superstorm Sandy, which offsets the 5 percent budget cut. You could have noted more careful management of existing programs would obviate the need for cuts elsewhere. You could have noted there will be some pain associated with the cuts, but the result will be a stronger, more vibrant nation.
A pessimistic, half-empty mind-set may sell papers, but is hardly truth.
JAY MURPHY
Clifton Park