Top story: Did you feel different when you woke up today? No? You will. Not in days, but in weeks.
- Sequester Day has arrived; Congress has departed. (The Washington Post)
- As per Sequester Day tradition, Mitt Romney has emerged from his hole to utter some kind of Sequester Day nonsense: This year, he calls the Republican’s reaction to President Obama’s position on sequestration “a very natural human emotion.” (Talking Points Memo)
- “There’s a greater chance sequester is the law of the land for the rest of the year than there is a chance for it to get “turned off” or re-negotiated. Happy Friday!” (First Read)
- Want to know how education budgets get slammed in your state? Business Insider has you covered with a set of interactive maps. (Business Insider)
- “After sequester starts, we will have a nearly 4-1 ratio of cuts to tax hikes as part of deficit reduction.” (Zachary A. Goldfarb)
- “U.S. newspapers illustrate cuts with images of grimacing lawmakers.” (Poynter)
- “GOP continues to have a mixed message on sequester -- some are complaining about the (defense) cuts; others are cheering them on” (Mark Murray)
- A great piece by Thomas Mann and Norman J. Ornstein on the 5 myths of sequestration, including ones on how “it’s Obama’s fault” and “it’ll reduce runaway spending.” (Thomas Mann & Norman J. Ornstein)
- Sequester Day Folk Art. (Colonel Flick/WilliamBanzai7) via (The Reformed Broker)