Slaying the Make-Believe Sequester Monster

I’m normally not a fan of the media, but every so often you find examples of real journalism. Here are some powerful, well-done stories from local TV stations.

1. Exposing the plethora of benefits available to those who want government-subsidized idleness.
2. Exposing how eminent domain laws are used to screw poor people out of their property.
3. Exposing local government officials engaged in a witch hunt against an innocent man.

Newspapers also sometimes speak truth to power.

1. A Michigan newspaper exposing how motorists were getting ripped off by illegal speed limits.
2. A Pennsylvania newspaper exposing how a local bureaucrat  union tried to stop a boy scout from improving a local park.
3. A New York newspaper exposing the education establishment for giving teachers $100,000-plus salaries for doing nothing.

Now I can add another story to the list. A local TV station in Washington, DC (with a viewing audience of countless overpaid bureaucrats) had the courage to run a story debunking sequester hysteria.

I’m partial to this report for the obvious reason that it featured me.

But even if this story didn’t use any of my soundbites, it would still be worth sharing because it’s not often that you see a reporter explain Washington’s dishonest way of measuring “spending cuts.”

I’ve complained about that sleazy tactic while appearing with John Stossel and Judge Napolitano, but I didn’t think a regular journalist would ever expose the scam.

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The latter part of the report focuses on the potential impact of sequestration on the defense budget.

I’ve previously explained that the defense budget is disproportionately impacted, but I’ve also cited Cato’s military experts when arguing that our national security will not be endangered.

Indeed, military spending will be higher at the end of the 10-year period than it is today.

Now I want to share this amazing info-graphic prepared by Zach Graves, another Cato colleague.

A thorough and compelling collection of data. It belongs in the visual-impact Hall of Fame with these gems.

• The crippling fiscal cost of the welfare state – but how little of the money trickles down to the poor.
• Exposing Obama’s miserable jobs performance.
• The importance of saving and investment if we want workers to enjoy higher wages.
• The TSA’s Orwellian (and incompetent) approach to airline security.
• Showing how the burden of government spending has exceeded the growth of the economy’s productive sector.