And so austerity begins across the United States. On March 1, a few hours from now, the federal government will officially sequester funds that have already been appropriated, $85 billion.

The way this will work: Sometime on March 1 -- as late as 11:59 pm -- the Office of Management and Budget will issue a sequestration order. The order will cite specific reductions in each budget account, money that must be stripped from this year’s budget that ends in September.

This is an old OMB number (and will change on Friday) but it gives an idea of what is at stake. Last September the OMB projected that account number, 018-10-0101, Indian student education, funded at $131 million, will need to drop $11 million. At the Indian Health Service that amount totals some $356 million. Another $325 million goes away for Indian housing (and possibly more because there is unspent funding already in the pipeline). And across Indian country, across the federal budget lines, a similar story. A sequester reduction between now and September that is significant.

And stupid.