OK. Cut then. I doubt the government has to lay off 800,000 people to make a 2 percent cut in its budget, and I refuse to be bullied by this regime.

The White House will be threatening to lay off kindergarten workers next! Let it be done!

How in the heck can there be 800,000 civilian defense workers? That´s more than the whole Army! Sounds like we need to cut 300k or that are just in the way of the warfighters.

Based on the 800k number, looks like every employee will work a four day week until September.

Maybe they could just lay off 400,000 and give the other half a 50% cut in pay. Government workers get 2x pay to start with, so this is a move in the right direction. I am really looking forward to this sequester... first good thing to happen in DC in a long time.

It´s a start. Perhaps the parasites could find honest work.

Many local governments had to institute unpaid furlough days for their employees several years ago. Those cities survived, and the nation will survive this.

please, please, please furlough my liberal sister. She plans to retire at 70% pay (70G) next year. Private sector doesn´t make that kind of retirement.

This 800,000 number is preposterous. There are some 24,000 people working at the Pentagon. I´m assuming half are civilians. That´s some, generously, 15,000 non-military people. This would be the highest concentration by far. So where´s the other 785,000 people? That´s ridiculous! And where´s our press to question that number?

A good start.

Be still my beating heart.

Lucianne fans may recall that BJ Clinton got (or tried to get) Monica a cushy civilian job at the Pentagon as part of a payoff.

Must be really important jobs.

Some the comments here are ignorant. The reason there is so many employees is because there are that many rules and regulations that have to be followed.

Take my job for example I manage over $50 million in grants to ensure the readiness of my state´s National Guard. I am the only one that does this. Would your prefer some high school dropout making minimum wage do this job or would you prefer your tax dollars be protected by a college degreed person with years of experience?

This problem is not our fault and the furlough won´t fix the budget problem (the only way save real money is to eliminate useless programs). All that is going to happen is hurting Americans trying to make a living.

I guess Obama´s point is that he wants a bigger military, but those mean Republicans are forcing cuts he doesn´t want. Got it.

#12, how about we get rid of some of the rules and regulations, too and make the furloughs permanent? You´re not arguing that all those rules and regulations are necessary, are you? Don´t we all want to reduce the size of government, or does it depend on whose ox is being gored?

Besides the 800,000 number being more than a little suspect, this is simply proposing to furlough people 1 day a week without pay. This doesn´t sound like the tragedy people oare making it out to be. Drudge´s headline is way off base.

I´m with most everyone else.

Where in the world did this 800K number come from? Makes absolutely no sense.

So they might have to ´work´ 4 days instead of 5. Big deal. Things are tough all over.

How can a 2% cut to an INCREASE (not the existing budget that´s paying these people) to the budget cause 800,000 employees to be laid off??? How are they paying them now?

Obviously the Pentagon is not cutting their PSYOPS corp.

Cause this is a complete BS screen.

Bam Bams minions are doing their darnedest to frighten all the lofo voters.
Go ahead and surplus them Panetta. Sounds like a great idea.

Elections really do have consequences - who knew?

How many of the 800K didn´t have a government job in December of 2008? If you´ve added 800,000 employees while the economy is in the toilet, I don´t have much sympathy when some of them get reduced hours. The reason for the furloughs is to harm the largest number of people to blame the GOP.

I read elsewhere that sequestration will only cut 1% of the spending before September. That figure is dubious but so are all numbers about politics now.

But whatever the exact number it isn´t a massive overall cut. It will only have a big impact if it is all taken from one department such as Defence.

Now is the time for the GOP House to pass a Budget for the remainder of 2013 fiscal year and rush it to the Senate. Make Reid and the Democratstake it or leave it.

That shouldn´t be too much work, I suspect it could clear the House in 24 hours.

The new Budget should eliminate two or three entire departments but make a small increase in the debt ceiling with a provision that the ceiling will revert to the previous level after September if a 2014 Budget has not passed by then.

I really don´t care much anymore. Washington has erased any admiration I ever had for our government.

Good, can I pick one?

If this can result in a real cut, it will at least be a cut. Then cut a 1% next year, it a few years some progress might be noted.

Do It!

Thank you #14.