Reduction in defense spending as a means of reducing the budget deficit

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324096404578356733687767090.html?mod=us_most_pop_newsreel

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2013/02/americas-sequester

http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/sequestration

    It is that time of the year again when everyone's thoughts return to the political divide in the capitol. This time the code word is "sequestration". The budget sequestration can be thought of as one of those safety features in the constitution that prevents the government from spending more than it originally intended to. According to a definition of the term by Dr. Paul Johnson, a political science professor at auburn university, sequestration would result in automatic spending cuts across the board for almost all government programs unless congress reaches a deal to raise the budget resolution spending cap or pass a new budget spending resolution.
    The current congress has decided to work on new budget plans that would resolve the various budget deficit problems without crippling various government programs. The republican proposal being worked on by Senator Paul Ryan contains a number of significant budget cuts to federal programs. The biggest cuts would affect the Affordable Care Act Medicaid program (Obamacare's changes to Medicaid and Medicare). The democratic party's proposal contains more tax cuts and retains all elements of Obamacare.
   The divide still remains in what each party wants and in what each group is willing to concede but the gap is getting smaller. The republican proposal included a cap on defense spending and this might be a sign that they are willing to cooperate. The democrats should take the opportunity and work to resolve this crisis before it escalates and cripples the country's fragile economy.