Sequestering: A real threat, a real solution, or a political game?

One week from now, various spending cuts are supposed to take place in the US. Some, including the US President Obama, are very concerned about what this will do, while others have differing views:

22 February 2013

Economy Slow Down Predicted As Sequester Looms

CAPITOL HILL — U.S. President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to take action to prevent $85 billion in automatic spending cuts — known as the “sequester” — from going into effect on March first. The sequester deadline resulted from a battle over raising the debt ceiling in August of 2011. Congress and the president agreed on a future threat of severe mandatory budget cuts as a way of forcing action to cut the national deficit. But the threat did not work, and now, the cuts are poised to happen within days — unless Congress finds an elusive compromise to cut spending.

Democrats and Republicans in Washington are once again approaching a showdown over how to reduce the national debt — with Republicans calling for cuts in domestic spending programs and Democrats asking that tax loopholes be closed on the wealthiest Americans.

This time, the Republicans who control the House of Representatives are threatening to let the cuts take effect. “The sequester will be in effect until there are cuts and reforms that put us on a path to balance the budget over the next 10 years, period!” explained House Speaker John Boehner.

President Obama is warning the cuts would be brutal.

“These cuts are not smart. They are not fair. They will hurt our economy,” Obama stated. “They will add hundreds of thousands of Americans to the unemployment roles. This is not an abstraction. People will lose their jobs.”

Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer blames Republicans.

“Thousands of Americans will lose their jobs or be furloughed, including teachers, researchers, law enforcement agents and military contractors. Everyone should be clear that sequestration is a Republican policy,” he said. “And it is a bad policy.”

But some Republicans, like Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, think the sequester does not really go far enough.

“Few people understand that the sequester does not even cut government spending. It just slows the rate of growth,” he noted.

The Defense Department says troop training and maintenance of aircraft and ships would be delayed or suspended if the cuts take effect.

And some 800,000 civilian defense workers would each be forced to take one day a week off — without pay.

Some economists say the cuts could have a ripple effect on the entire economy — and on services Americans depend on. http://www.voanews.com/content/economy-slow-down-predicted-as-sequester-looms/1608633.html

The Non-Existent Spending Cuts Wrought By The ‘Devastating’ Sequester

In a city known for its perpetual evasion of responsibility and chronic shifting of blame, Washington D.C.’s sequester debate is more of the same…This basic storyline – played out time and time again – is directly responsible for our nation’s $16.5 trillion debt, its soaring deficits, its unfunded liabilities and its inability to sustain anything resembling a real economic recovery. In fact the $630 billion tax hike associated with the recent “fiscal cliff” deal is the latest example of our economy paying the price for politicians’ refusal to rein in spending.

But the current debate over the sequester – an across-the-board $85 billion reduction scheduled for the final nine months of the current fiscal year – is notable for both its unfounded hysteria as well as a surprising role reversal.

To recap, the sequester was originally supposed to total $109 billion – but lawmakers delayed its onset by two months during the fiscal cliff negotiations. Now U.S. President Barack Obama – who first proposed the sequester as part of the 2011 debt ceiling deal – wants to delay it again…

According to The Wall Street Journal ”federal domestic discretionary spending soared by 84 percent with some agencies doubling and tripling their budgets” during Barack Obama’s first two years in office…

Unlike prior spending debates, the sequester features Republicans attempting to shift the onus for cutting government onto Obama. U.S. Speaker John Boehner has repeatedly referenced “the president’s sequester” while decrying its “harmful cuts.” What hypocrisy. Obama and Boehner both supported the sequester as an excuse for yet another unsustainable run-up of our nation’s credit limit – which exhausted its latest $2.1 trillion increase last December (after less than seventeen months). http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/02/22/the-non-existent-spending-cuts-wrought-by-the-devastating-sequester/

Sequestering is not the real solution to the US debt situation. Without going into all the details, let me simply state that the sequestration will contribute to the weakening of the US military (see also Pentagon concerned about additional looming defense cuts–prophetic ramifications?) and have certain negative effects on the economy of the USA.

That being said, the reality is that even with the sequestration “cuts” or some other deal that could possibly happening in the next week, the total debt of the USA will rise.

The reality is that something needs to be done (and it may essentially be some type of sham, like the “quantitative easing” programs are; see Doubling QE3 is not good). The politicians are making it clear to me, at least, that it will take massive devastation and the return of Jesus for the needed solutions to be implemented here.

Biblically, these debt increases are more dangerous than most in the USA realize. Notice what the Bible warns about those who increase debt in the end times:

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry…5 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man… 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his–how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you. Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:3,5,6-8).

The USA is in more debt than any country in the history of humanity. Despite biblical warnings, the USA continues to increase its debt and engage in political posturing. At some point in time, the USA will likely start to experience massive inflation and currency devaluation. And afterwards, its creditors will rise up (Habakkuk 2:7). The realities of USA debt as well as policies of the Federal Reserve like “quantitative easing” are setting the stage for the absolute end of economic dominance by the U.S.A.–have no doubt about it (although there could be some major positive economic events before that happens).

While the Republicans and Democrats have often used this as a major partisan fight and sometimes treat this like a political game, the reality is that the rest of the world is also watching and is very disturbed by all of this (see IMF: Suspending debt ceiling hurts United States tremendously). The Europeans and others are realizing that the USA is losing its position of world leadership–and when it does, this will be the final “time of the Gentiles” that the Bible warns of (Ezekiel 30:2-3; Luke 21:23-24; Revelation 11:2). The leaders in the USA are causing the nation to err (cf. Isaiah 3:12; 9:16).

The policies and decisions in Washington, D.C. are helping to create the conditions for the upcoming European Beast power to fill the void in economic (and even military) leadership that the USA is in the process of making. The Europeans, and others, will watch what the politicians in the USA do in the next week and realize that the USA simply does not have a political system that will allow it to lead the world economically for too much longer.

Change is coming, and in several years, those in the USA (as well as their Anglo-allies) will not like the change that is coming.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.