Henrietta & Brighton, N.Y. -- The talking heads and politicians have debated the budget talks known as “sequestration” for the last couple of weeks. Newscasts both locally and nationally have spent days detailing the potential impact of each cut on our lives while also pointing out that it could be weeks or months before it is felt.
While President Barack Obama signed the sequestration order on Friday in Washington D.C. many of our neighbors in the Rochester area went about the task of enjoying their weekend.
“It doesn't really mean anything. The politicians aren't doing anything to solve the problem, all they do is call each other names, blame each other," said Bob Edelman of Henrietta on his way into a movie. "To me personally it doesn't matter. I'm going to do what I normally do for the weekend. I'll go back to work Monday."
"I think the average individual is a little reticent until it impacts them individually," speculated Frank C. Carpenter of Rochester while also believing that politicians can be blamed for the public’s apathy towards this issue. “I mean right now they're just kicking the can down the road and everybody is waiting for the other shoe to drop."
At a local bar in Brighton some of the talk focused on the confusing word being used to describe even more confusing budget cuts.
"What does it mean, sequestration?” Sheila Kildea asked. “It's very confusing, I wish they would just put it in black and white terms…maybe if it was a jury being sequestered but no I don't get it."
"I'm fatigued because we have nothing but politicians and I wish we had some statesman that would talk to each other and find some middle ground," Paul Dyson of Geneseo added.
"These things affect people and it's not just a number but it's become all politics and I don't think it's positive and helps the country,” Mike Pringle of Pittsford concluded.
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