There Should Be Grandeur: Basic Science in the Shadow of the Sequester

Just before any predictable disaster hits, it's almost impossible to take even a medium term view. With the sequester bearing down on us in a couple of days, identifying the immediate consequences is terrifying enough. Just check out the Obama administration's state-by-state list of the grim weeks ahead.The picture derived from that tally is evil enough, as we all (or should) know by now. In broad strokes , it will slow the recovery, cut economic growth, and act as a persistent drag on ordinary folks' attempts to make a better life -- hell, to pay the rent on the first of the month. But there is a sense, I think, that however crappy conditions may get for the weeks or months before some resolution emerges, matters will return to normal in reasonably short order. [More]