Republicans in Congress have forced across-the-board budget cuts—called sequestration—that will cost more than 1 million jobs this year and many more jobs over the next decade. There is a simple solution to make this problem go away: repeal sequestration. It is that simple.
Republicans are using sequestration as leverage to get their way in Congress. They want to cut Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare benefits and gut essential services working people depend on, while protecting tax breaks for Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans.
The solution is to repeal sequestration—not replace it—so we can put these manufactured crises behind us and focus on the urgent problems of putting America back to work, raising wages and reducing economic inequality.
Tell your elected leaders to put working families first.
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The Consequences of Austerity Are Dire
Celeste DrakeSevere budget cuts (for example, the kind required by the sequester), also known as “austerity” policies—expected to be implemented in 119 countries across the globe in 2013—are the wrong solution to the world’s economic crisis, concludes a new paper released by the Initiative for Policy Dialogue and the South Centre.
Key Dates
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Across-the-board "sequestration" cuts began
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Continuing Resolution expires; Republicans threaten government shutdown
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Suspension of debt ceiling ends; GOP threatens to cause default
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U.S. Treasury hits debt ceiling, defaults on loans
How Did We Get Here?
Congressional Republicans held the economy hostage in the summer of 2011 with a manufactured crisis. They threatened to tank the U.S. economy and allow America to default on its obligations—and they're doing it again.
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