“The sequester”: Get the facts and get involved

Budget cuts we can't afford: Get the facts and get involved

Prevent severe cuts that threaten thousands of jobs and middle-class security

Starting March 1, devastating automatic cuts are taking effect if Congress doesn’t act, slashing vital services for children, seniors, the mentally ill, and our men and women in uniform. President Obama is offering a balanced approach to reducing our deficit. He’s asking Republicans in Congress to protect crucial investments for the middle class by closing tax loopholes for the wealthy, but they refuse to compromise. See what’s at stake, then find out what you can do.

The President's Plan vs. Republican Inaction

President
Obama

Congressional
Republicans

Reduce our deficit in a balanced way

YES: The President's plan avoids the harmful effects of a sequester and reduces our deficit by $4 trillion total in a balanced way by cutting wasteful spending and eliminating tax loopholes that benefit the wealthiest Americans.

NO: House Republicans would place the burden of deficit reduction on the backs of working and middle-class families by cutting vital services for children, seniors, people with mental illness, small businesses, and our troops.

Create jobs and keep our economy growing

YES: Reduces the deficit while protecting investments in education, clean energy, and research that will create jobs and grow the middle class.

NO: Guts investments in education, clean energy, manufacturing, small businesses, and other building blocks of the economy, threatening thousands of jobs, in order to protect tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans and corporations.

See what’s at stake

Cuts to education: Our ability to teach our kids the skills they’ll need for the jobs of the future is at risk. 70,000 young children would be kicked off Head Start, 10,000 teacher jobs would be threatened, and funding for up to 7,200 special education teachers, aides, and staff could be cut.
Cuts to small business: Small businesses create two-thirds of all new jobs in America and instead of helping small businesses expand and hire, the automatic cuts would reduce loan guarantees to small businesses by up to $540 million.
Cuts to food safety: Outbreaks of foodborne illness are a serious threat to families and public health. The automatic cuts could mean up to 2,100 fewer food inspections, putting families at risk and costing billions in lost food production.
Cuts to research and innovation: In order to compete for the jobs of the future and ensure that the next breakthroughs to find cures for critical diseases are developed right here in America, we need to continue leading the world in research and innovation. Most Americans with chronic diseases don’t have a day to lose, but the impending budget cuts would delay progress toward cures and several thousand researchers could lose their jobs. Up to 12,000 scientists and students would also be affected.
Cuts to mental health: The automatic cuts could mean that up to 373,000 seriously mentally ill adults and emotionally disturbed children go untreated. This would likely lead to increased hospitalizations, involvement in the criminal justice system, and homelessness for these individuals.

Five things you can do right now

Add your name in support of President Obama’s balanced plan to reduce the deficit and prevent devastating budget cuts.

Like and share this graphic on Facebook to spread the word and educate your friends.

Share what these drastic cuts would mean to you or your community.Tell your story.

Call your representative and tell him or her to prevent these devastating cuts and instead close tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans.

Share this page with a friend or family member so they have the facts, too: