The RP’s Weekly Web Gems: The Politics of Sequestration

Around a month since the automatic budgetary cuts known as the “sequester” began taking effect, many are still waiting for the fall-out.  When will the crushing blow we were warned about start to reveal itself?  According to Stephanie Condon, it may not be for some time yet.[CBS]

Not all sectors of our society have been so fortunate as to avoid stinging rollbacks.  One area particularly hurt by Washington gridlock, according to Howard Fineman, is front line medical research.  In a piece for The Huffington Post, Fineman uses the successful mapping of the human genome as an example of  investment in medical research which is still bearing economic fruit.  One would be forgiven for wondering what  medical breakthrough our current political gridlock is delaying. [HP]

So far there have been precious few opportunities to apply human faces to the “sequester” fiasco, barring the President or Speaker Boehner’s.  However as of April 1, the sequestration began to touch Medicare.  Lack of funding is reportedly forcing some cancer clinics to make tough decisions regarding how many Medicare recipients they can continue to treat. [WP]

This week President Obama announced that he would return 5% of his salary to the Treasury in solidarity with those who are being hurt by sequestration.  This is the sort of political theater which would normally inspire a collective eye roll from the masses.  Chris Cillizza questions, however, if this symbolic gesture could actually work. [WP]