WHAT HAPPENS IF SEQUESTRATION OCCURS ON FRIDAY?
By Miriam Raftery White House releases list of cuts to California “By God, across-the board cuts are the worst and most cowardly way to approach this situation.” –Senator John McCain (R-AZ) “Are Republicans in Congress really willing to let these cuts fall on our kids’ schools …slash military health care and the Border Patrol …Are they seriously prepared to inflict more pain on the middle class because they refuse to ask anything more of those at the very top?” — President Barack Obama February 25, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – If Congress can’t agree by Friday, automatic sequestration cuts will take place in nearly all federal programs. Half will hit the military, the other half will slice domestic programs. Both sides agreed in prior debt negotiations that the cuts were so severe that neither party would actually let them take place–and that the sequestration trigger would force Congress to come up with a more sensible plan before the March 1 deadline. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. Sequestration appears likely to occur on Friday–and the impacts are apt to be felt by every American, from long waits at airports to cuts in programs impacting students, senior citizens, the military, national parks, the unemployed, health programs, and much more. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said cuts will even harm the readiness of U.S. troops in the military. Economists and governors of numerous states warn that sequestration will likely halt economic recovery. Meanwhile Congress remains deadlocked over a Democratic proposal to raise taxes on the wealthy, along with cutting some spending, to avoid sequestration. Some moderate Republicans are speaking out on the neeed for Compromise, though Tea Party Republicans want Democrats to halt any cuts to the military and oppose all efforts to raise taxes on the wealthy, instead pushing for even deeper cuts in domestic programs such as education and Medicare. Last night, the White House released a detailed list of sequestration impacts on each state. Scroll down for details and view the full list here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/sequester-factsheets/California.pdf. California would face $5.4 million in cuts to funds providing meals for seniors, such as Meals on Wheels. Our state would lose about $87.6 million in funds for education, which would put 1,210 teachers’ jobs at risk. Another $62.9 million in special education funds would be lost and 9,600 low-income college students would lose funds. Head Start programs for 8,200 children would be gone. The Defense Department would furlough 64,000 civilian employees in California. In San Diego, maintenance/repair of five ships and aircraft depot maintenance in North Island could be cancelled. Army and Air Force base operations in California would also be slashed. Law enforcement statewide would lose $1.6 million. Job search help for the unemployed will be slahed, meaning 129,770 fewer people will get help. Public health will feel the pinch, with deep cuts to programs in childhood vaccinations, HIV testing and substance abuse. Programs that help domestic violence victims could lose up to $795,000, meaning 3,000 victims would not be helped in California alone. Tens of millions would be cut from clean water and air quality funds and grants that protect fish and wildlife in California. At the national level, the Office of Management and Budget calculations sequestration will also mean cuts to small business loan guarantees by $900 million. Up to 2,100 cuts in food safety inspections are predicted, as well as cuts to services helping mentally ill adults and children, research into disease cures and treatment at the National Institute of Health, and cuts to the National Science Foundation. The U.S. Border Patrol would lose work house the equivalent of over 5,000 border patrol agents. Cuts to Homeland Security would mean staffing cuts and wait times up to 50 percent longer at major airports, where FAA employees would also be furloughed. Important for our wildfire-prone region, the Federal Emergency Response Agency would see big cuts, slowing its ability to respond to natural disasters. Also, thousands of transitioning veterans returning to civilian life may be left without adequate help due to cuts in the Department of Labor’s Veterans Transition Assistance Program and the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program. One bright spot: The Department of Veterans Affairs is exempt from sequestration. Over 100,000 formerly homeless people, many of them veterans, would lose housing and emergency shelters would also face cuts, likely putting many people back on the streets. Troubling for many, 398 national parks could be partially or fully closed . Social Security could see a reduction in service, rental help for low-income families, and nutrition assistance for women, infants and children will see cuts so deep that 600,000 women and their children would be dropped if sequestration offers. Instead of forced sequestration cuts, Democrats want to reduce the national debt by getting more tax revenue from millionaires, halting some agriculture subsidies and cutting military spending after the end of combat operations in Afghanistan in 2014. A national poll by Pulse Opinion Research, reported by the Hill, found the majority of Americans (58%) want to cut the debt – but most strongly disagree with the approach sequestration would take. A whopping 69% oppose cuts to social programs; only 23% of the public would support slashing Social Security and Medicare. Just 29% of Republicans and 12% of Democrats would back cuts to those areas. Asked about defense spending, 37% of Americans polled said too much is spent on the military, while 18% said too little is spent. The poll numbers reflect the depth of the challenge facing Congress: 66 percent of Americans think cutting the U.S. debt is important – but voters show far less support for cuts in either military or domestic spending. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) took Republicans to task for the GOP’s efforts to force deep cuts in social programs while sparing defense and refusing to raise revenues. “I am not going to back off the sequestration,” Reid said, adding that the threat of sequestration was intended to result in a compromise—something the GOP has refused
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: CORTE MADERA PEAK
March 2, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) — “A beautiful day, and a huge chunk of granite in The East County,” photographer Tom Lemon says of this image he shot of Corte Madera Peak, also known as the “Half Dome of San Diego County” rising majestically above pine trees.
THE CAREGIVERS’ JOURNEY: A LONG AND WINDING PATH
By Marsha Kay Seff March 1, 2013 (San Diego) — Becoming your parents’ parent conjures up pictures of “tangled apron strings.” As a child, the strings seemed well-defined. You needed your parents and their role was to fulfill your needs. Now, with your parents aging and leaning increasingly on you, the apron strings are tangled and wound tightly around you. This role reversal isn’t easy for any of you. Your parents, no doubt, are fighting furiously to cling to their dignity and independence. At the same time, you’re pulled between the demands of your own family and the need to help your parents. You might be looking out for them – becoming their caregiver – out of love, caring for the people who loved and cared for you. Or you might feel a sense of duty to care for them, even though your relationship has been rocky. Regardless of why you ended up in this role, it’s a tricky one. Your parents will always think of you as their child. And listening to your advice and taking directions from their child is bound to rub them the wrong way at least some of the time. Neither is it a day at the beach for you to become the conductor of your parents’ later life. So you all do your best. Sometimes, you, as the caregiver, overstep your boundaries; often, they fight back. You push and they push harder. But the way I figure it, if you act lovingly, do what you believe is in their best interest, you can’t go too far wrong. At some time, you’ll probably have to take over your parents’ shopping, finances and medical decisions. You’ll be lucky if you can all agree on when the time is right. More likely, their dependency will be gradual. The biggest mistake you can all make is waiting until a crisis to make changes — until Dad trips on a rug and breaks a hip, until Mom forgets to turn off the stove and sets the kitchen on fire or until someone scams them and takes a big chunk out of their nest egg. The trick is to help steer your parents in the right direction without steamrolling them. You need to learn to suggest – not demand. After all, it’s still their life. I used to give my mom several choices – all of which I thought could work out – so that she could feel like she was still in control and making the decisions. “Mom, shall we install a shower seat or would a walk-in tub be better? Do you want to tell the doctor about your anxiety or would you like me to discuss it with him?” It’s not uncommon for aging parents to be unconcerned about their own safety, while that’s all the adult children worry about. The experts say we need to respect our parents’ wishes as much as possible, as long as they’re not endangering anyone else. I was more selfish about safety and health. I knew if they got hurt or sick, I was the one who was going to have to nurse them. At one point, my mom, who was unsteady on her feet and used a walker, insisted on buying slip-on shoes. I know she liked them because she could put them on without help. But I was scared to death she was going to walk out of them, fall and break a hip – again. Neither of us would give in. Finally, I told her she could buy the clogs on the condition that if she hurt herself, I would not visit her in the hospital. She agreed and bought the shoes. And, you know what? She was so scared of falling and proving me right that she paid such close attention to walking in those shoes that she never did have an accident in them. Then, there was the no-salt requirement when Mom was in heart failure and on hospice. The doctor said no-salt and I made certain Mom followed that regimen. Why? Would it have meant an extra week, an extra day? She’d probably have traded that time for fries and salty ketchup. I try not to beat myself up about mistakes I made as a caregiver, because I know I did the best I could possibly do. Even so, if I had it to do over, I would have done some things differently. I regret that I refused to give my dad his wallet and some cash when he was in a skilled-nursing facility, because he didn’t need money and I was afraid if would be stolen. It probably would have been. But, again, so what? It was a small expense in order to allow Dad to claim a little independence. You’ll make mistakes, too. The knots in the apron strings will become tighter. But cut yourself and your parents some slack. All you can do is what seems best at the time.
SAN PASQUAL WINERY’S WINEMAKER’S DINNER MARCH 11
March 1, 2013 (San Diego) – Terra American Bistro will host San Pasqual Winemaker Linda McWilliams on March 11 for a feast prepared by Chef Jeff Rossman to pair with San Pasqual Winery wines. The cost is $50 per person plus tax and gratuity. The menu will feature items such as Lobster Tapioca, Percini Crusted Sea Scallops and Pan Seared Duck Breast. For the full menu and information visit http://www.terrasd.com/san-pasqual-winemaker-dinner-coming/. Call 619-293-7088 or email info@terrasd.com for more information or to get tickets.