"The goal of this blog is to help tribal leaders, and tribal communities, prepare for the austerity ahead. Over the next few weeks I want to explore how tribal governments might adapt to this cycle. And look for ways for tribes to mitigate the worst of shrinking budgets.

As I have been writing the choice ahead is severe austerity or austerity light. Either way it's going to be rough on the poorest communities in North America.

Today's post is about the worst of austerity.

There are three significant fiscal policy debates underway. By the end of March there will have to be some kind of resolution to each. Behind door number one: What to do about the sequester. The legislation that “solved” the fiscal cliff pushed sequester back a couple of months. So now it will either happen at the end of March or there will be a thoughtful review of all federal spending followed by budget cuts that equal sequester. (Well, I thought it was funny.) Behind door number two: The legal budget authority for the federal government is a Continuing Resolution. That expires March 27. And, Behind door number three is a fight over increasing the limit of debt that the United States is authorized to borrow."

Get the Story:
Behind door number three: Calamity (Mark Trahant 1/7)

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Mark Trahant: Deal makes another fiscal cliff debate inevitable (1/2)