Alexandria,LA-President Obama is due to meet Friday with congressional leaders to figure out just when The Sequester will be implemented into our daily lives. However, republicans feel that it will have already come into effect by then. White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters, "My understanding is it happens at midnight on Friday, 11:59." President Obama said, “The Sequester won’t happen overnight”. In his statement it is insinuated that it will come into play gradually. Though it may not be clear in congress when The Sequester will become official, it is very clear the impact that it will have on our communities.
EDUCATION
The biggest impact we will see almost immediately in Louisiana will be school programs and educational cuts, but it will also affect us on a much larger scale. There will be thousands of federal employees out of a job, and 15.8 million dollars will be suddenly gone for education. Teachers will also be at risk of losing their jobs. These will be automatic cuts in federal funding. In retrospect there will be almost 30,000 students less who are able to receive federal funding and somewhere around 50 schools will lose their funding altogether.
Almost 10 billion will be lost for educating the children who have disabilities. Head Start will be taken from around 1,500 Louisiana children, and this could ultimately cost some of their caregivers their home and job due to having to stay home with these suddenly displaced children.
Unfortunately, somewhere around 600 low income students will lose their financial aid for college. Oftentimes this is their only chance to gain a higher education. This is a sore injustice to them and to America.
DEFENSE
Somewhere around 7,000 employees for the Department of Defense will be furloughed. This means around 36 Million dollars in pay will be lost to these workers and their families. Funding for army bases to function in Louisiana will be cut by almost 60 million, and air force operations will be cut another 8 million. The New Orleans project at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base as well as the Blue Angels air show will be canceled altogether.
HEALTHCARE
Public health funds are looking to be cut by about 435,000 concentrating on infectious diseases, chemical and biological or radiological events and natural disasters. Funds for people suffering from addiction, HIV and the meals for seniors programs will suffer detrimentally if not be cut altogether, and there will almost definitely be changes in state funded insurance programs like LA Care, Medicare, SSI and Medicaid just to name a few.
Environmental Funding which will eventually affect the health of citizens are clean air and water funding lost at around 3 million. Wildlife protection will be included in environmental cuts. Meat inspectors will be lost and airport security and workers will be laid off.
These are just the most obvious and noticeable cuts in the Federal Aid that has been funding Louisiana and its citizens. There are sure to be more to come, and it is going to resemble a big and sudden splash more than a ripple effect. This is going to raise food prices and so much more. Please leave your feedback on your thoughts concerning The Sequester, and let us know what changes you have seen or expect to see from it.
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