Trucking, Sequestration and the Howling

Trucking, Sequestration and the Howling

Unless you been on another  planet lately, or totally ignoring the news, there was a lot of BS and out right lies from the adminstration and Congress regarding the so-called sequester and how bad Americans would be suffering if a financial solution to the budget wasn’t reached. 

Industries from coast-to-coast who are on the government dole, and getting handouts, are crying over the mandated sequester cuts.

For example, everyone from, from milk producers to craft beer brewers,cattle, fish, rice and potato growers to  folks who received government issued nut and vegetable forecasts and estimates.  The apple forecast is another item, which has a crop estimate set to be released in August for the 2013 season.

Cutbacks also are expected in border service by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in coming weeks.

The sequestration cuts were put in motion during the 2011 debt ceiling negotiations.  The plan was get lawmakers off their butts and find some common ground over the federal budget, instead on continually delaying it until a later date.

Here’s a novel idea.  How about the individual industries who are losing the government funded reports and estimates, pay for it themselves?  Actually, the USDA recently suggested as much.

About $1.9 billion in USDA funding was eliminated by the automatic cuts, known as sequestration, which took effect on March 1.

The trucking industry was degregulated more than three decades ago.  It is truely operating in a free market, competitive system.  Instead of government hand outs, trucking has only received more regulations and taxes from the government.

But the pressure is already building on Congress to cave.