Obama Resists Simple Fixes for Sequestration Cuts

Obama Resists Simple Fixes for Sequestration Cuts

The little secret of sequestration is that the Obama administration could fix much of the problem pretty quickly. But it doesn't want to.

Congress tells executive branch agencies how much money they can spend and how they should spend it. Sometimes the instructions are broad, and sometimes they are quite detailed. Cabinet secretaries and lower-downs are bound to work within those congressional directives.

But if Cabinet officers want to spend the money differently, there is a long-established process for doing so: They ask Congress for permission. It happens all the time, with lawmakers routinely giving the executive branch the OK...