Seques who?

Many readers are no doubt aware that large, across-the-board cuts in spending, known as sequestration, are due to take place March 1 in the federal government. During a conversation among colleagues about this, it was mentioned that the word sequestration is possibly being used only by those in the general Washington area, and may cause some confusion among those who are not familiar with it, and in many cases even among those who are. We have endeavored, therefore, to set forth an easily understood glossary of terms having to do with the cutback situation.  

Tax: an involuntary transfer of money from the general public to Congress for the purposes of 1) providing the public with goods and services and 2) giving the members of Congress something to argue about.

Fiscal policy: the raising of revenue by taxes and the apportioning of this revenue to various public needs, which are determined mainly through the time-honored method of Rock, Scissors, Paper. 

Budget: the amount of taxpayer money the government sets aside to fund various services such as education, the military, and what kind of food future astronauts might eat on Mars. 

Deficit: the amount of taxpayer money NOT in the budget that the government spent anyway.

Sequestration: the process of locking all members of Congress in the Capitol until they come to some reasonable solution to the budget crisis. (Not to be confused with defenestration, which refers to a rather abrupt and unwilling exit through a window. We will not make a remark here intimating that some individuals might feel that defenestration would offer a viable alternative should sequestration fail to produce an acceptable outcome.)

Budget surplus: despite diligent efforts on our part to determine the meaning of this term, those surveyed were unfamiliar with it. "Maybe an overbalance of Congresspersons?" one respondent mused.

We could go on, and probably will, but first, in the tradition of Congress itself, pause for a recess after having accomplished little, if anything. We hope that today's glossary terms have been helpful, and will allow you to confidently take part in conversations that may arise concerning the sequestration. If not, we suggest pretending. And staying away from windows.