What If We Followed Britain's Lead and Announced Nearly 500K Public Sector Job Cuts?

I am really interested in seeing how things will work out in the UK with this 490K job cut in the public sector.  First, I will be fascinated if the proposal actually goes through.  Second, I will be fascinated to see which UK agencies are hardest hit.

It might surprise some folks who know me to hear that I think this isn't necessarily a bad idea, and that it is one that I think we could consider here in the U.S.  The problem, of course, will be where to aim the hits.  Conservatives would try to deem that the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security as sacrosanct.  Liberals might try to deem Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as sacrosanct.  I think that our political climate, as it stands right now, would not tolerate across the board cuts. 

I think that we need an efficient well-run government.  No, it doesn't need to be some bare boned, beast starved conservative fantasy, nor does it need to be a bloated leviathan (which is more like it is now).  But no matter what happens, I want a fully funded Smithsonian Institution and National Park Service.  And I want the new markets and historic tax credits extended so that we can revitalize historic neighborhoods and actually help the various real "Main Streets" across the country (and create jobs that cannot be outsourced).  But that's just me.