There was some talk of the sequester being prevented but that didn't happen. As it became apparent that the deadline was going to pass, the talk shifted to the idea that after the sword fell, a deal would be struck.

At this point, it does not look like there is any deal in the offing.

I'm thinking about now that whatever the fallout of the sequester may be, it will become the new status quo. There will not be any deal. The cuts will remain in place and the only deal will be us dealing with the effects. I have a feeling that this is going to mean even higher fees, rate hikes across the board and price increases as the pinch is felt by local governments and businesses.

In the long run, this might turn out to be a good thing because there can be no doubt that we, as a nation, have been living beyond our means. And, already, there are agreements being made to keep the government running (how big of a surprise is that?)

I have always maintained that if we eliminated only the inefficiencies, there would be plenty of money for everything we need. Maybe this is a step in that direction.

D.D.