“Across the board, same cuts” isn’t intelligent, as many programs, valuable ones, can’t continue if reduced any further, even another 5%. Others, bloated programs like farm subsidies (to tobacco!! for example), and yes, “defense” and even “homeland security”, could easily survive a 30% reduction without affecting real functionality. The real problem is the public, and especially that “TEA Party” right wing small segment demanding cuts, has NO CONCEPT of what most government agencies and programs actually do.
For example, cuts to NOAA are touted and that public says , oh, yeah!, but when storms ravage their area, because predictions and warnings weren’t available (like for tsunamis as well) it’s all “government’s fault”. Right.
“Across the board, same cuts” isn’t intelligent, as many programs, valuable ones, can’t continue if reduced any further, even another 5%. Others, bloated programs like farm subsidies (to tobacco!! for example), and yes, “defense” and even “homeland security”, could easily survive a 30% reduction without affecting real functionality. The real problem is the public, and especially that “TEA Party” right wing small segment demanding cuts, has NO CONCEPT of what most government agencies and programs actually do.
For example, cuts to NOAA are touted and that public says , oh, yeah!, but when storms ravage their area, because predictions and warnings weren’t available (like for tsunamis as well) it’s all “government’s fault”. Right.