tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post2654487057424407823..comments2024-03-27T21:23:40.339-04:00Comments on Chemjobber: A sequester thoughtChemjobberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-78020735152862113992013-03-04T01:27:47.514-05:002013-03-04T01:27:47.514-05:00Actually, Samuel71, we don't have to make any ...Actually, Samuel71, we don't have to make any cuts AT ALL. We have the sixth lowest non-defense spending of the 34 OECD nations, the second highest defense spending, and the fourth lowest overall taxes (all relative to GDP). It looks pretty clear to me that all of our problem lies in the defense department and the waves of failed tax cuts that we have been passing since the 1980s. Outside of DoD, there probably a few nickle-and-dime things that ought to be cut, but for each of those, there are five where spending ought to be increased.<br /><br />In the short term, however, we shouldn't be making any net cuts at all. Cutting when you are in a liquidity trap is simply counter-productive, as the private sector does not pick up the slack.Ogemaniachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02396797613368443908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-13376739606540017562013-03-03T14:09:08.284-05:002013-03-03T14:09:08.284-05:00But we DON'T have to make (any more) serious s...But we DON'T have to make (any more) serious short-term budget cuts sooner rather than later, or at least we didn't until this stupid process was set in motion. In the medium- to long-term, yes, we need to address especially health care costs and increase tax revenues. But neither of these is part of this ridiculous "sequestration". Unemployment is still high, and taking money out of the economy is likely counterproductive even regarding the deficit due to depressing growth. The fact that almost everyone ignores our immediate problems and focuses instead on the deficit represents a massive failure on the part of political leadership and the worthless media and pundit class.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-33106747985351266322013-03-01T20:52:39.768-05:002013-03-01T20:52:39.768-05:00"If we don’t offer the young bright minds a c..."If we don’t offer the young bright minds a career that is predictable, then we lose them."<br />I know this quote was intended to mean that people want a career with reliable odds of being employed long term at a living wage and viable pathways for advancement. But the wording of the quote is terrible- it sounds like bright people lack curiosity. Scientific research is never PREDICTABLE.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-30727487003229616532013-03-01T19:33:03.687-05:002013-03-01T19:33:03.687-05:00As much as this sucks for science jobs in the shor...As much as this sucks for science jobs in the short term, serious budget cuts have to be done sooner than later, and this seems like a sufficiently neutral plan. Certainly there may be better ways of budget-cutting... but what are they? And could they pass both the House and the Senate?Samuel71noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-46160891539036955142013-03-01T16:31:02.740-05:002013-03-01T16:31:02.740-05:00Yup. And the tenured professors in their 50's ...Yup. And the tenured professors in their 50's and 60's that dont have active labs, dont have grant money, make 6 figs a year, and wont retire wont be touched.<br /><br /> I really hope the sequester and NIH budget cutting does something to the tenure system---like ends it.NMHnoreply@blogger.com