Congress is out of the office until Monday. They won’t come to the rescue. The anticipated automatic spending cuts coming today could impact Kansas schools, military bases, and even the cost of a hamburger.
The White House says the automatic spending reductions will be put off until as close to midnight to
night as possible. Call them the Cinderella cuts.
The law, passed by Congress on Jan. 2 simply says that “on March 1, 2013, the president shall order a sequestration for fiscal year 2013.” That’s budget talk for an $85 billion reduction in defense and domestic spending between now and Oct. 1. Obama can issue that order at any point in the day.
And White House press secretary Jay Carney says that means midnight, Friday or as close to midnight as possible: 11:59 p.m. and 59 seconds.
Because, Carney says, Obama is “ever hopeful.”