The sequester didn't cut enough. It needed to be about 30 or 40 times larger to make a difference, actuarially-speaking. But of course with this tiny, almost inconsequential paring of spending growth, they tried to inconvenience people as much as possible to produce some sort of public outcry in favor of restoring the draconian "cuts."
There's an actual name for this nonsense. It's called the Washington Monument Syndrome. Also, Mount Rushmore Syndrome. Also, firemen first principle. Put the most popular and essential line items on the chopping block, spare the most worthless bureaucrats and non-essential (often duplicative) programs, then dare Congress to be fiscally responsible for once. Typically, Congress blinks and caves. This time, they kinda-sorta didn't. But again, this thing was almost negligible. Practically a rounding error.