Simply put, sequestration is the employment of automatic, across-the-board spending cuts in the face of annual budget deficits. (from about.com)

NOTE:  Congress has chosen to exempt certain very large programs from the sequestration process (for example, Social Security and certain parts of the Defense budget), and the number of exempted programs has tended to increase over time -- which means that sequestration would have to take back gigantic shares of the budgets of the remaining programs in order to achieve the total cutbacks required, virtually crippling the activities of the unexempted programs.  The military faces a large cut if sequestration takes place.

1.  Who is responsible for the Budget Control Act (sequestration)?

2.  Mr. Galen states in para. 18: "Here's what we know: The Congress and the President are incapable of cutting anything from any program, ever. If the only way to reduce spending is by instituting automatic cuts, then I am for allowing the sequester to take effect and see what happens."  Ask a parent if he/she agrees with Mr. Galen and to explain why or why not.

3.  The bottom line here is:  the federal government spends a lot more money on programs than it takes in in taxes.  Should the government cut spending to reduce our national debt? Why or why not?