I would like to comment on University of Southern Maine professor Susan Feiner’s commentary “Women and children last” (Maine Sunday Telegram, April 21).

Regarding sequestration, Ms. Feiner states that the “House Republicans have ensured cuts to programs that fund breast and cervical cancer screenings, child-care assistance and more.”

The austere across-the-board cutbacks notwithstanding, we must look at the facts involved with sequestration.

In 2011, President Obama’s budget director, Jack Lew (currently treasury secretary), and Rob Nabors, his legislative liaison, wrote the Budget Control Act that would trigger the 2012 Seqestration Act.

The president went along with the plan and ultimately signed it into law after both Democrats and Republicans passed it. No one thought this law would ever be triggered.

All this was reported by Bob Woodward in The Washington Post during the contentious debates leading up to sequestration. He stated that the administration must accept part of the responsibility for this plan.

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Professor Feiner has blamed this entire fiasco on the Republicans. No matter what party you belong to, no one should ignore the history leading up to this mess.

Facts are facts. The Obama administration, Democrats and Republicans all were complicit in bringing about the sequestration along with the consequences.

My hope is that both sides will cease blaming each other, and come up with solutions.

Lin White is a resident of Pownal.


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