Economics Daily Digest: How the sequester hits home

By Tim Price, originally published on Next New Deal

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Eight Ways the Sequester Could Ruin Your Life (Daily Beast)

Caitlin Dickson explains why your spring getaway should take place in a bunker with a well-stocked library and a freezer full of beef if the sequester takes effect. Though even if the sequester's canceled, it doesn't sound like the worst way to spend a weekend.

The state-by-state impacts of sequestration (WaPo)

The Obama administration has released a state-by-state breakdown on the effects of looming budget cuts, from teacher layoffs to fewer vaccinations. And we can only afford to keep one of the Dakotas running, so their governors will have to draw straws.

The Lindbergh-Baby Economy (TNR)

Timothy Noah argues that commentators who blame the White House for creating the sequester are forgetting it was a ransom they paid to end the debt ceiling crisis, while the GOP's rhetoric was one step above cutting and pasting letters from magazines.

Austerity, Italian Style (NYT)

Paul Krugman writes that in the current Italian elections, Mario Monti, Germany's PM-by-proxy, is running behind both Silvio Berlusconi and an actual comedian. It seems Italian voters have decided the proper response to austerity is to laugh rather than cry.

The recession was her fault (Salon)

David Dayen notes that the Justice Department has successfully prosecuted and jailed Lorraine Brown, the one woman responsible for inventing mortgage fraud all by herself. How could you do it, Lorraine? Those poor mortgage servicers were counting on you.

The 2% Mystery: Why Has QE3 Been Such a Bust? (The Atlantic)

Matthew O'Brien argues this round of quantitative easing hasn't been effective because the Fed doesn't want it to be, which is why it says it will accept slightly higher inflation in the same tone you use to tell your partner you're okay with the in-laws coming to visit.

White House directs open access for government research (Reuters)

Mark Felsenthal reports that the Obama administration is siding with critics who believe taxpayers deserve free access to the results of the research they're funding, though there will still be a one-year embargo to make sure we don't all innovate our faces off.

This Week in Poverty: How Obama Can Fight Hunger Now (The Nation)

Greg Kaufmann highlights a new report that outlines executive actions President Obama can take to advance his pledge to end childhood hunger and offset sequestration cuts that would otherwise leave many low-income Americans fighting for scraps.

Tim Price is Deputy Editor of Next New Deal. Follow him on Twitter @txprice.