Agrument against lowering the drinking age to 18 in the United States Essay

Agrument against lowering the drinking age to 18 in the United States - Essay Example A behavioral argument in favor of lowering the drinking age cited the Prohibition experience and Engs (1998), for instance, has this to say: As a nation we have tried prohibition legislation twice in the past for controlling irresponsible drinking problems†¦ These laws were finally repealed because they were unenforceable and because the backlash towards them caused other social problems. Today we are repeating history and making the same mistakes. Intentions behind the above arguments vary and some maybe legitimate as well but the issues raised by those in favor of restricting the age limit for alcohol access to 21 has so far succeeded in presenting a stronger case. The reason for this is simple: the empirical evidences and the statistics point to the fact that lowering the drinking age would have adverse effects on individuals and the society in general. In the United States, the current legal use for alcohol consumption is 21. The statutes covering this prohibition can be considered as those intended to influence individuals in regards to health-related behavior. A short review of its history will reveal that the minimum drinking age was implemented immediately after the Prohibition when all of the US states adopted a stringent policy against youth alcohol consumption. When the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution was introduced, lowering the voting age to 18, a number of states have also lowered the drinking age. But by 1984, the federal government implemented a drive to standardize the minimum drinking age to 21 through a congressional initiative. This has been supported by numerous governmental agencies, organizations and individuals such as the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Council on Alcoholism, the Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving and the American Medical Association. Specifically, according to Wallander and Siegel

Food Technology Essay Example for Free

Food Technology Essay Let’s remember 1The key stages of the technology process are designing, producing and evaluating. 2A design situation is a scenario, situation or context. It sets the scene for a designer. A design brief is a statement that presents a task or problem to be solved as it relates to the design situation. 3It is important to analyse the design brief to ensure that the designer understands what is required of them and so that they can develop a criteria for success. 4It is essential to know the criteria for success before undertaking a design process so that a designer can refer back to these criteria during the design process and ensure that they are on track and making correct decisions. It is essential to know the constraints before undertaking a design project so that a designer stays within the boundaries of the project, particularly in terms of cost and schedule. 5Some methods of research and investigation that designers use may include: inspiration boards, interviews, the Internet, surveys, experiments, observations, textbooks, encyclopaedias, magazines and TV programs. 6Primary sources of information are original documents. Some examples of primary sources are interview responses, survey responses, observations or original documents. Secondary sources of information are collected from existing documents and might include textbooks, magazines, TV programs and Internet searches. 7Designers sometimes produce simple sketches of their ideas to ensure that they remember all of the details that they generated during the research and exploration stages. Their diagrams might be accompanied by labels that list materials, colours, size and other details. 8Designers will usually come up with more than one option for the design solution to ensure that the most creative and innovative solution possible is found, rather than just the first and most obvious idea. 9The best design option is selected by evaluating each idea against the original brief, the criteria for success and any constraints. 10Evaluation is an important part of the technology process as it helps the designer to make decisions about the design and the development of the solution. Evaluation also helps the designer to judge the success of the final result. 11Food designers may evaluate their food product solutions by performing a sensory evaluation with a panel of taste-testers. 1. 2 Factors influencing design Case study: Red Lantern 1The two factors that Mark Jensen of Red Lantern considers important when judging the success of a restaurant are limiting the restaurant’s impact on the environment and using organic and ethically sound produce. 2Some of the produce chosen for the menu at Red Lantern includes organic vegetables and herbs, line-caught fish, organic and free-range poultry, free-range pork. 3According to Mark, some benefits of using organic and free-range products include that they are free from pesticides and taste better. 4Pesticides used in farming contaminate the soil and the water table and are therefore harmful to the environment. 5Net fishing is a problem for marine ecology because of the amount of bycatch. Bycatch is a term given to the tonnes of marine animals caught in nets and killed every year. The bycatch is then discarded into the ocean because they are perceived to have no economic value. 6Energy use is being reduced at Red Lantern by using sustainable technologies such as energy-efficient equipment and light globes. Water consumption is reduced by replacing common wok stations that rely on a constant flow of water with a new type of wok system which stops water from being lost down the drain. 7Waste is managed at Red Lantern by using specially marked glass, plastic, cardboard and paper recycling bins. Vegetable waste is placed in compost bins. Let’s remember. 1The factors that may influence the development and production of a solution to a brief include: function, aesthetics, human form, scale, ergonomics, ethics, environmental issues, legislation, cost, sociocultural sensitivity, resource availability, physical and material properties and safety. 2Ergonomics relates to the human form. An ergonomic solution must be comfortable and safe to use without causing strain or injury to the user. 3The word sustainable means renewable or maintainable. A sustainable resource can be maintained at a certain level without causing damage to the environment. 4Organic foods are grown without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides. 1. 3 Innovation and emerging technologies Case study: Molecular gastronomy 1Molecular gastronomy is a term used to describe the application of science and technology to cooking. 2Some methods used to change ingredients into new foods are: drying, liquefying, gassing and freezing. 3Chefs of molecular gastronomy are successful in creating new food combinations and textures by first understanding the chemistry of food and flavour. 4Answers will vary. Let’s remember 1Some advantages of having an Internet refrigerator are: keeping track of what is stored in it, recording how long food has been in the fridge, having a built in video camera to leave video memos, being able to watch television or listen to online music while cooking. 2Reasons for putting a computer in a refrigerator may include: the kitchen is the source of action in many homes and is therefore a logical place for a computer; the refrigerator is always plugged in and switched on so it makes sense to include a computer. 3Nanotechnology is a new or emerging technology that refers to substances at the atomic and molecular level (that is, very, very small things). 4Nanotechnology will make the following possible: aIncrease the nutritional claims of particular foods by fortifying foods with hidden nutrients and vitamins. bIncrease the shelf-life of food by creating an invisible, edible, nano-wrapper that will cover foods, preventing gas and moisture exchange. cReduce allergic reactions in individuals by blocking the ingredient that causes the allergy. dReduce diet related diseases by programming smart packaging to release extra nutrients to people with deficiencies. eReduce food spoilage by allowing the development of special ‘smart packaging’ that releases nano-anti-microbes when it detects food spoilage. 1. 4 Design this! Case study: Urban Graze Cooking School 1Tarrah Laidman and Joel Owen started Urban Graze cooking school in August 2006. 2Students experience a range of high-quality food experiences in a fun and relaxed environment during an Urban Graze cooking lesson. Students are taught with a hands-on approach and work towards making dishes for the end-of-class group meal, which is eaten together at the dining table. 3Ingredients are selected for a class by considering what is in season and what is available. Local produce is used where possible and Tarrah and Joel try to include new food trends in their ingredient selection. 4At Urban Graze, each class begins with a brief occupational health and safety talk and an orientation of the equipment and facilities. A description of the class is given with an overview of each recipe. Demonstrations are given to the whole class as well as individual attention. At the completion of the class, food is shared around the dining table. 5Tarrah and Joel try to always use locally sourced ingredients and equipment. They grow some of their own vegetables and herbs. Case study: Veronica Cuskelly – recipe designer 1Veronica Cuskelly had had many roles: home economist, food consultant, recipe developer and cookbook author. 2The team creating a recipe may include a client, recipe developer, nutritionist, food stylist and photographer. 3A team approach refers to working together and sharing ideas. It requires clear and positive communication. It is important so that the recipe developer has a good understanding of the various elements of the brief. 4The essential elements included in a brief to create a new recipe may include: target market, specific produce to be used, maximum or minimum number of ingredients, steps or utensils to be used, preparation time allowed, cooking times, cost per serve, style in which the recipe is to be written and dietary requirements. 5The reason for establishing clear and positive communication between the client and the recipe developer is to ensure that all essential information is given and any difficulties or problems that may arise can be resolved easily. 6At the beginning of a project, the type of pre-work that Veronica undertakes may include research and information gathering, tasting food samples, looking at other similar recipes, speaking with a nutritionist and looking at current dietary guidelines. 7Recipe progress is checked and evaluated in different ways: submitting concepts to the client for approval; developing the approved recipe; testing three times; taste-testing sessions; modification as necessary and writing up the final, approved recipe. 8The essential components of a recipe that need to be tested and recorded are as follows: ingredients, quantities, steps or methods used, temperatures, equipment, timings. Let’s remember 1The three key areas of study in the Technology course are: built environments, products, information and communications. 2Ideas for a design project come from real-life situations. 3The steps for solving a design project are: a. Design (design situation, design brief, analysis, research, ideas) b. Produce c. Evaluate 4The success of a design project is decided by evaluating it against the design brief and the criteria for success. 5Ways of gathering information to help solve a brief may include: conducting surveys, interviewing relevant people, reading books, magazines or articles on the Internet, conducting focus groups or taste-tests.

Freedom of Speech in Saudi Arabia

Freedom of Speech in Saudi Arabia Twitter is one of those social media that has revolutionized the way of sending thoughts to the whole of the world. It has rapidly changed the way of communicating with the people living at any place of the world. Its importance cannot be denied in any case. There are billions of people that are well aware from this medium. They have maintained their accounts in it to get the latest happenings in the country and in the outside world. This medium has become the reason for awareness in the Kingdom Saudi Arab. People are attached to it to get the information they need. They are not in exception and are making full of this facility. In the recent years, the amount of accounts prepared by the people living in the kingdom has been increased. People have started recognizing its importance. There are many reports issued by independent research institutions of the world that are supporting this fact. People in KSA are now well aware of its benefits and are recognizing that it is the best source to connect them with the world. It is not only the reason of creating a contact with the people, but they can also express their views with the world. The world has changed, due to this sort of medium. The awareness of the issues has been spread about in the world. People are now able to discuss these issues and provide their suggestions on them. Openly and bluntly speaking, the revolutions in the recent years, in the Arab countries are brought because of Twitter. In Saudi Arabia people can come up to one stage to share their thought. They know what else is better than this. While being at home, using twitter on their computers and mobiles, they are promoting freedom of speech. It was considered that there was lesser freedom to talk and express one’s views in KSA, but this is not the case anymore. People have got the environment that is performing its duty very well for them. Statement of purpose It is significant to know what is happening in the world. If you are not aware of all, this means, you are losing something important. Twitter is about knowing whether the people are concerning themselves with the innovative ways of chatting and expressing thoughts with others or not. This medium has created awareness among the people in KSA, and how you can raise your voice while being there. It has become the best platform for spending time on reading and discussing the news. This platform is not only limited to the news of the world that sometimes bore a person, but the entertainment stuff also exists in it. People in the Saudi Arabia are also having fun while reading funny and entertainment tweets. People were unable to criticize the policies of the government before this, and the local media were always talking about the qualities of the kingdom. Now the people are well aware and have a platform that will make sure that their voices and thoughts will be conveyed to the relevant authorities and the issues will be solved. One of the important things is that you can promote the things that you are doing. The persons living in the society come near to each other and they become able to convey their thoughts to a huge amount of people. it was not possible in the recent past. Importance or relevance of the project This project is very crucial for everybody to know about. People spend their whole of the lives searching for something that will make them able to show their beliefs to the world. There are still many people who do not think that it has become simpler than the past to convey their suggestions and views to the rest of the people. The reason for this might be that they are not having opportunities to do so; it is the responsibilities of the people living nearby them to make them aware of any such change and to provide them facilities. KSA is a place where the people have started recognizing its importance. The world has been changed and the processes of doing things have also been modernized to a large extent. The people should be told to use this medium to convey their problems and views to the whole of the world. The time has been changed and the importance of Twitter has been increased all around the world. Now the public gathering is held due to the help of these like media, that are very easy to access by everybody and are less expensive or sometimes, they cost nothing to the users for connecting themselves with the world. This creates social awareness among the masses especially in the countries like KSA where the kingdom prevails and it is difficult to convey the opinions and the views over any issue, like the criticism on the government for a project that did not suitably solve the issues of the people. Now the people are capable to show their concerns to the relevant authorities of the country. The rules and regulations and the ethics should not be exploited in the wake of freedom of expressions. Sharing views and making a tweet means you have to be in a limit that should not be crossed by hook or by crook. If the people are being provoked to destroy the system of a country, their minds are being agitated with the hatred by using a social medium. Relevance to communication theory Twitter also understands to fulfill the requirements of the communication theory. This theory is very vast and covers all the factors that occur in the social media including the face to face, chats, and likewise sort of communication. People in Saudi Arabia are able to follow to their desired personalities as in it the â€Å"following system† prevails. You get tweets in which, the persons to whom you are following, share their thoughts. It is the communication software that is being used widely by the people of the world. They are getting most of it by connecting themselves by following the people they like. Twitter is evolving with the passage of time. More and more features are being included into it so that the people could make full of this media. Various sorts of companies with their twitter accounts attract the employees from all around the world. This is known as innovation, which was never thought in the past. When there are many benefits of it, there are many factors that are becoming the reason of its misuse. Some people are negatively using it and are becoming the reason of many problems. They are making the environment unsafe, which is not policy of any social media. Still, there are a lot to do to make it safer place to be at. The management of the Twitter is not able to have check and balance on all the tweets of the people. It is the people’s social responsibility to make sure that they use it for the positive works. Communication has become very easy and comfortable with the invention of this medium in the KSA. It is least expensive and affects the huge amount of people. Their number is being increased in the Saudi Arabia. They are concerned about this media and provide their feedback when needed and when they think it is suitable to take participation in the issues being discussed. Just an account is what you need to get your message spread all around the world. The multi-national, educational, charity and governmental organizations in KSA are using this medium and making full of this facility. They share their message in the shape of tweets and call for the opinions of the people. They are not required to spend huge sum of money on the advertisements whereby the feedbacks of the people is difficult to take and provide them the solution at spot, if they have any problem. The other pitfall of them is that the message of only one side comes into scene and the other party waits for the right time to get in contact with the first one, to tell him, what the issue was with his message. This might be creating barriers in the way of all freedom of speech. People of the Saudi Arabia are well known with all these kinds of factors. They know attracting a huge amount of people has become very easy now. Communication theory is all about transferring the information from one person to another. It should be conveyed effectively and this is what is provided by Twitter. The feedback is taken from the audience, whether desired or not, they are not bound to provide or not to provide the reply to a certain situation. Nobody is there to halt their ways in this regard. Feedback is very crucial without it; the process of communication is not completed. When the people are able to provide their feedback with ease, there is no issue with the freedom of speech in the society. It is what the society of the KSA has started recognizing.

The Chrysalids Joseph Strorm Character Sketch Essay -- essays research

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Written by John Wyndham, The Chrysalids tells the reader about Joseph and his life, which revolves around religion. Joseph, as the reader learns, is an extremely religious, authoritive, and temper mental man. As the story progresses, Joseph’s character traits begin to show more and more. Joseph’s character traits become more prominent, and Joseph begins to choose his religion over his family. Towards the end of the novel we learn that Joseph is out to kill two of his children. Joseph is a man with many problems, which would get the best of him in the end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Living in Waknuk makes it extremely easy to be controlled by your religion. Joseph was a very religious man towards his family and the community. In the community of Waknuk Joseph was considered the â€Å"Head Priest† of his religious group. Each time a deviation was notified Joseph would quickly stop everything he was doing to pray for forgiveness. Stopping everything to pray for forgiveness is a big thing considering that the deviations were not his. This shows that he does not want God or his religion to look down on himself. Lastly, Joseph is always trying to do his best because he believes God is always testing them. He shows that he does not want to upset God in any way. All of these examples show how religious Joseph truly is. Joseph Strorm was a devoted and completely reliant man upon his religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As being the leader in Waknuk, it ...

Care Plan Essay

Impaired Comfort related to sickle cell anemia as evidenced by acute vaso-occlusive crisis. The patient’s pain should take precedence as the nursing diagnosis, because it is in all-encompassing factor that affects the client’s ability to function within the other areas of Maslow’s hierarchy of physiological needs, such as breathing and sleeping. The pain from the vaso-occlusion makes it difficult for the client to become comfortable enough to rest in addition to other factors that affect sleep patterns. The pain caused by the client’s chest pain also makes it difficult to for her to take deep, adequate breathes and to assess her lung sounds. 2. Ineffective Breathing Pattern related to acute chest syndrome secondary to sickle cell anemia as evidenced by alterations in depth of breathing. Breathing should be prioritized as the secondary nursing diagnosis, because the patient’s sickle cell anemia is presenting her with diminished lung sounds in the lower right lung. Since the primary nursing diagnosis is associated with vaso-occlusion, the client is not getting proper oxygenation to parts of their body, and interventions may include administering analgesics to treat the discomfort, of which an adverse effect may include an altered breathing pattern, it is especially important to pay attention to and assess respiratory functioning in order to treat the effects of smoking and administration of analgesics on respiratory function and assure adequate oxygenation. 3. Disturbed Sleep Pattern related to excessive noise as evidenced by reports of being awakened all night. Disturbed sleep pattern should be prioritized third, because lack of adequate rest can cause fatigue, further discomfort, and decreased ability to function and perform ADL’s which is important to a client’s self-esteem and independence. Nursing Care Plan Nursing Diagnosis: Acute Pain related to vaso-occlusive crisis secondary to sickle cell anemia as manifested by grimacing and verbalization of pain Outcome/Short Term Patient Centered GoalsPlanning/Interventions ImplementationRationale for interventionsEvaluation Short-Term Desired Outcomes The client will â€Å"perform appropriate interventions, with or without significant others, to improve and/or maintain acceptable comfort level,† a 5 or less on a 0-10 pain scale, by the end of the day (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). Long-Term Desired Outcomes The client will â€Å"identify strategies, with or without significant others, to improve and/or maintain comfort level† by the time of discharge (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). 1. â€Å"Assess pain intensity level in a client† every hour utilizing a 0-10 pain scale (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). 2. Describe the adverse effects of unrelieved pain† every hour along with each pain assessment until patient verbalizes understanding (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). Teach the client about prescribed medications (oxycodone, for pain), such as how to use it, how often to take it, how much at once, and the desired and adverse effects of it. 4. â€Å"Ask the client to report side effects, such as nausea and pruritus, and to describe appetite, bowel elimination, and ability to rest and sleep† by performing an interview every hour while assessing pain level (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). 1. The first step in pain assessment is to determine if the client can provide self-report† (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). 2. â€Å"Ineffective management of acute pain has the potential for†¦neuronal remodelin, an impact on immune function, and long-lasting physiological, psychological, and emotional distress†¦ † (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). 3. â€Å"Instruct the client and family on prescribed medications and therapies that improve comfort† (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). 4. â€Å"Constipation is one of the most common side effects of opioid therapy a nd can become a significant problem in pain management† (Ackley & Ladwig, 2013). Short-Term Desired Outcomes The client is able to properly utilize the prescribed oxycodone in their therapy to achieve a comfort level of 5 by the end of the day. Verbalizing an understanding of adverse effects of unrelieved pain helped patient understand the importance of reporting an accurate pain score whenever experiencing discomfort. Goal Met. Nursing interventions for this goal were effective to help the patient achieve a more comfortable state. Long-Term Desired Outcomes The client is able to identify and report the side effects of the oxycodone, so that they can report any nausea, constipation, or abnormal sleep patterns to a nurse or physician. Goal met.

Federal Government of the United States and Sequestration

Understanding Sequestration Christine Miller Webster University Author Note Christine A. Miller, Webster University. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Christine Miller, 21356 89th Street, California City, CA 93505. E-mail: [email  protected] net Abstract Understanding sequestration can be overwhelming. What are government sequestration and the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 and how do they impact us? Which government agencies will feel the impact the most? Are there agencies that are exempt from the sequestration?And finally, is there a way to prevent the sequestration? A budget sequester is when money under current law is used to fund the budget deficit. President Barack Obama signed into law on Aug 2, 2011 a federal statute titled The Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011. This federal statute will impose limits on discretionary programs by more than $1 trillion over ten years from 2012 through 2021. These limits are based on the Congressional Budget Offi ce baseline from 2010 (Kogan, 2011). Sequestration was technically triggered when Congress failed to reach an agreement by Jan. 5, 2012, but because the cuts do not begin until 2013, Congress really has until the end of this year to enact new legislation that would cancel or delay the cuts (OMB Watch, Nov 6, 2012). As an employee on a military installation, the impacts of the sequestration could cause short and long term effects on our contractor support. Understanding Sequestration Sequestration can be broadly defined as the action of taking legal possession of assets until a debt has been paid or other claims have been met. In government terms, a sequestration is an attempt to reform Congressional voting procedures.This is an effort to make the size of the Federal government's budget deficit a matter of conscious choice rather than simply the outcome of an appropriations process. A process in which no one ever looked at the cumulative results until it was too late to change them. If the appropriation bills passed separately by Congress provide for total government spending in excess of the limits Congress earlier laid down for itself in the annual Budget Resolution, and if Congress cannot agree on ways to cut back the total, then an automatic form of spending cutback takes place.This automatic spending cut is what is called sequestration (Johnson, 2005). What are the major elements of the BCA of 2011? First, it allowed the President to raise the debt limit by $2. 1 trillion. This limit is estimated to be enough through early 2013. Second, established limits on annual appropriations bills which cover discretionary or non-entitlement programs such as defense, education, national parks, the FBI, the EPA, low-income housing assistance, medical research, and many others; the limits reduce projected funding for these programs by more than $1 trillion through 2021.Third, it required the House and Senate to vote in the fall of 2011 on an amendment to the Constitutio n to mandate a balanced budget every year. Fourth, it established a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to produce legislation to reduce projected deficits by at least an additional $1. 2 trillion through 2021 (beyond the savings generated by the discretionary caps). And finally, the BCA established a contingency mechanism to ensure that $1. 2 trillion in deficit reduction would be achieved if the Joint Select Committee failed.This provided for automatic, across-the-board budget cuts in many programs in 2013 and reductions in each year from 2014 through 2021 in the annual caps on discretionary appropriations as well as automatic cuts in selected entitlement programs (Kogan, 2011). Which government programs will feel the impact the most? If sequestration does take place the cuts will be divided evenly between the defense and non-defense programs, approximately $55 billion each.Non-exempt non-defense programs like Head Start and education programs will have an 8. 2% cut, appro ximately $38 billion. Non-exempt non-defense mandatory programs like agricultural disaster relief will have a 7. 6% cut, approximately $5. 6 billion. Payments to Medicare providers and health insurance plans will have a 2% cut, approximately $11 billion. In addition, non-exempt defense discretionary programs will have a 9. 4% cut, approximately $54. 6 billion (OMB Watch Nov 2, 2012).This includes keeping military bases open, paying salaries and research and development. The approximately $55 billion in 2013 defense cuts will be imposed in a similar but not identical manner. The defense cuts will occur through across-the-board, proportional reductions in the funding provided for defense accounts in the appropriations bills. War costs within the National Defense function are subject to sequestration, as are defense unobligated balances carried over from prior years.Although military personnel are not exempt from sequestration the President can exempt some or all military personnel fun ding from the sequestration. This is because the funds for fiscal year 2013 will already have been appropriated by Congress. However, if he chooses that option, the cuts in other defense funding would have to increase. As of Nov 13 the President did exempt military personnel from sequestration (OMB Watch Nov 2, 2012). Which government programs are exempt from automatic cuts?A number of programs are exempt to include Social Security benefits, all programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, interest on the federal debt, refundable tax credits, and several low-income programs. Low-income programs that are exempt include food stamps, child nutrition programs, Medicaid, foster care, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, mandatory funding under the Child Care and Development Fund, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Supplemental Security Income program (OMB Watch Nov 2, 2012). So what are the expectations for 2014 and beyond?The process for 2014 and out is quite different. The required defense funding cut of approximately $55 billion in each year from 2014 through 2021 will occur through reductions in the annual statutory caps on defense funding that the Budget Control Act sets for each of those years if sequestration is triggered. Unlike in 2013, there will be no automatic cut of all affected defense programs by the same percentage; instead, the Appropriations Committees will decide how to live within the newly reduced defense funding caps (Kogan, 2011).For non-defense programs the process will be the same as in 2013 for entitlements but different for non-defense discretionary programs. Medicare payments to both providers and health insurance plans will continue to be cut by 2 percent. However, because Medicare costs are projected to rise through 2021, the dollar amount saved will increase from $11 billion to approximately $18 billion in 2021. In years 2014 through 2012, the remaining amount of the approximately $55 billion i n non-defense cuts will be applied proportionally to other non-exempt mandatory programs and overall non-defense discretionary funding.Because Medicare will take a progressively larger share of the $55 billion non-defense cut, other non-defense programs cuts will continue to decline (Kogan, 2011). One of the biggest concerns of the sequestration is the possibility of prompting a recession in 2013. The combination of expiring tax cuts and the reductions in spending on discretionary government programs, known as the ‘fiscal cliff’, could throw the country back into recession. However, the hopes are that a budget deal would be reached in early 2013 that would retroactively cancel the sequestration.Within the Department of Defense (DoD) there is a lot of concern with sequestration and the automatic cuts that would be implemented in fiscal year 2013 if Congress fails to reach an agreement on the deficit reduction plan. The Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is working with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure the Department is ready to implement sequestration in January if it occurs. In the meantime, consistent with OMB guidance, a memo titled Guidance on Fiscal Year 2013 Joint Committee Sequestration has been issued stating that DoD needs to continue normal spending and operations.The memo states to not let our programs, personnel, and activities to begin to suffer the harmful effects of sequestration while there is still a chance it can be avoided. The memo has directed that all commanders and managers in the DoD continue the defense mission under current laws and policies, without taking any steps that assume sequestration will occur (A. B. Carter, personal communication, Sep 25, 2012). In other words, the DoD is to continue business as usual. Although it is business as usual, government contractors may feel the greatest impact.In conclusion, sequestration would have long enduring and painful effects on all aspects of government agencies, DoD and non-DoD alike. If Congress does not meet the requirements imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011 DoD government contractor layoffs and potential government shutdowns may occur and non-DoD government programs, like education and Medicare, will have long term consequences. Sequestration can only be prevented if Congress passes legislation that undoes the Budget Control Act of 2011 before January 2, 2013. References Johnson, P. (2005). A Glossary of Political Economy Terms.Retrieved from http://www. auburn. edu/~johnspm/gloss/sequestration Kogan, R. (2012). How the Across-the-Board Cuts in the Budget Control Act Will Work. Retrieved October 30, 2012, from http://www. cbpp. org/cms OMB Watch (Nov 2, 2012). Mitigating the Impact of a Temporary Sequester. Retrieved November 4, 2012, from http://www. ombwatch. org/mitigating-impact-of- automatic-spending-cuts OMB Watch (Nov 6, 2012). White House and Federal Agencies Could Manage Effects of Automatic Spending Cuts in E arly 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2012, from http://www. ombwatch. org/node/12266