Topic: Sequester

Following the end of the government shutdown, federal employees returned to work and tourist sites like the National Zoo reopened. The hosts question how White House tours resumed despite previous claims that they were cancelled due to the sequester.

Raytheon (RTN) stock has seen a significant increase, rising from approximately $40 to $75 in 2013, amid talk of missile strikes in Syria. Each Tomahawk missile costs roughly $1.4 million, leading to concerns that military action is being driven by defense contractor profits. The hosts discuss the difficulty of tracking congressional stock trades and suggest that the timing of the conflict coincides conveniently with budget sequester pressures.

President Obama's economic claims regarding 7.2 million new jobs and falling deficits are scrutinized. The rhetoric is described as being filled with vague generalities and child-like economic theories. The president's use of the term "Washington" to distance himself from government failures is noted as a common political tactic used to deflect blame for "eroding middle-class security."

A USA Today report based on Associated Press data claims four out of five American families are near poverty, with the majority being white. The "sequester" budget cuts are explained as merely reductions in planned spending increases rather than actual cuts to existing budgets. Additionally, European banks are reportedly on the hook for derivatives related to Detroit's bankruptcy, and Philadelphia is suing banks over the LIBOR scandal.

President Obama's "juice" to pass his second-term agenda is questioned following the failure of a gun bill and sequester cuts. The segment also addresses reports regarding the administration's "kill list" and the use of predator drones in counter-terrorism operations.

The media's prediction of an "airplane apocalypse" due to sequester-related FAA furloughs is debunked. The hosts, one of whom is a pilot, explain that air traffic control operations are binary and cannot simply be "furloughed" without shutting down airspace entirely.

General Martin Dempsey testifies about an $800 million budget for US Cyber Command, specifically to defend the ".mil" domain. The hosts express outrage at the high cost for a narrow scope, especially during a sequester. Dempsey mentions that these capabilities include "offensive cyber" and reconnaissance of threat networks external to the United States.

First Lady Michelle Obama's attempt at a Twitter Q&A using the hashtag #AskFlotus was "hijacked" by critics asking about vacation costs and school choices. Questions ranged from the impact of the sequester on White House tours to the First Lady's role in dictating children's diets. The incident is cited as a major public relations failure for the administration.