Deficit shrinking, but US manages to muck things up

The following editorial appeared Monday in the Philadelphia Daily News:

Obama's looking like a wussy substitute teacher

To be a good president requires the combined skills of chess master and middle-school teacher.

Congress' lunge to fix the FAA defangs sequestration

WASHINGTON

Budget cuts nix $90M in federal college aid

WASHINGTON — Schools near military bases and tribal lands will face a $60 million shortfall between now and September and aid to college students will be cut by almost $90 million, according to the Education Department’s plan to carry out the automatic spending cuts mandated by Congress.

Flight delays soar as FAA cuts hours for air controllers

Flight delays piled up all across the country Monday as thousands of air traffic controllers were forced to take an unpaid day off because of federal budget cuts, providing the most visible impact yet of Congress and the White House's failure to agree on a long-term deficit-reduction plan.

Ryan Field tower may close April 7

Tucson's Ryan Airfield and three other small Arizona airports remain on a list of small airports that face closure of their contractor-operated air-traffic control towers April 7, as part of automatic federal budget cuts expected to start kicking in next week.

Praising Obama, McCain backs revenue compromise in grand bargain

WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., says Republicans should compromise and increase tax revenues as part of a “long-term grand bargain” on the budget, and praised President Obama for reaching out to senators across the aisle.

FAA closer to shutting tower at Ryan field

Tucson's Ryan Airfield faces closure of its contract air-traffic control tower in early April - unless it can make a good case to keep it open.

Public housing tenants owing rent will feel federal cuts 1st

Public housing residents who owe back rent will be the first evicted if the city is forced to scale back its rental subsidy program because of federal sequestration cuts, city officials said Friday.

Defense cuts bigger threat to small AZ firms

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Defense cuts bigger threat to small AZ firms

PHOENIX - Smaller companies with contracts to supply products and services to Arizona's top-tier aerospace and defense companies face the greatest threat if sequestration cuts take effect, according to a new report.

Sequester cuts may shut tower at Ryan Airfield

The Ryan Airfield control tower is on a U.S. list of 200 contract control-towers that could be closed if the federal government needs to reduce its expenditures under sequestration.

Sequester cuts may shut tower at Ryan Airfield

The possible closure of the air-traffic control tower at Tucson's Ryan Airfield under federal sequestration cuts would compromise safety at the small airport, local aviation officials say.

300 immigrants released in state since Thursday

About 300 people have been released from immigration detention centers in Arizona since Thursday, when the federal government started to review each case in anticipation of widespread budget cuts.

The sequester is a manufactured crisis

Even during this desultory economic recovery, one industry thrives - the manufacture of synthetic hysteria. It is, however, inaccurate to accuse the Hysteric in Chief of crying "Wolf!" about spending cuts under the sequester. He is actually crying "Hamster!"

Ariz. companies fear big-time hit under sequester

WASHINGTON - A delegation from the Arizona Technology Council came to Washington this week hoping to persuade Congress to stop automatic spending cuts that would hurt state defense contractors and could lead to layoffs.

Flake, at forum here: Cut entitlements, not defense

Republican

Flake, at forum here: Cut entitlements, not defense

Democrat

Flake, at forum here: Cut entitlements, not defense

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Flake said mandatory budget cuts set to begin in January as part of sequestration should be focused on entitlement programs such as Medicare rather than the Department of Defense.

McCain: Defense cuts will hit here

Sen. John McCain talks with Raytheon workers. The projected quotes behind him warn of "irreversible damage" to the military if sequestration cuts are made. Another says cuts would be "catastrophic."