Don Gaetz on the Sequester

Republicans in Congress are more concerned about pleasing conservative media than governing. Republicans on the local and state level have to explain to their constituents why their jobs will suddenly disappear. Case in point is Florida Senate President Don Gaetz.

"What's not debatable is that sequestration has created a sense of uncertaintly and instability in sectors of the Florida economy," Gaetz, a Niceville Republican, said during a speech at the Capitol Tiger Bay Club meeting today.

Gaetz noted there are five military bases in the Panhandle region he represents. Directly and indirectly, the defense and aerospace industries employs thousands of people who are already being fuloughed and could face layoffs, he said.

Republicans have talked about massive budget cutting as creating jobs. Balancing budgets and job creation are not one and the same. Britain used drastic austerity measures after the 2008 crash. The results has been a disaster.

What has British achieved through its austerity? Since Cameron took office in spring2010,unemployment hasn’t budged much past 7.9%. Consumer confidence declined further. And gross domestic product, the sum of all goods and services, is below the level when Cameron assumed power.