Guy Ciarrocchi: Lies, damn lies, and budget ‘cuts’

Only in Washington could spending more of our tax dollars be called a funding cut. 

It’s a game both sides play — the GOP to exaggerate their fiscal stewardship and Democrats to decry anything that slows their mission of an all powerful, omnipresent federal government.

The Democrats’ rhetoric is more damaging because it costs more — and causes fear, anger, and division. The Left effortlessly misleads, makes up numbers, or exaggerates the impact of budget debates and DOGE discussions. Their goal is to acquire power, not caring if they frighten or harm others to advance their ideology. 

The sad reality is that most of the time a “cut” in spending is not a reduction in spending our tax dollars. It’s usually just slower growth than Democrats want.

While the debate over “the big, beautiful bill” (“BBB”) is still ongoing, the Democrats’ tone has been set by their Senate Leader, Chuck Schumer, who embodies the worst of the swamp, saying that this bill would  “force kids to go hungry.” 

The federal government will spend about $7 trillion in FY 2025-26 and Schumer wants us to believe that the budget will “force kids to go hungry.” 

So let’s begin with an explanation of reality when Democrats scream about “cuts.” 

If in 2024, your family spent $1,000 on various television apps and you needed to tighten your 2025 budget. Because you’re in debt, have new priorities, or need to save for a replacement car, you might cut spending in 2025 down to $700 on Netflix, etc. That’s a real cut — a reduction in spending.

In D.C., that’s not how they do business.

In Congress-speak, let’s assume each year you have been increasing the number of apps at your home by about $100. In 2025, Congress assumes that you will spend $1,100 – last year’s $1,000 plus the anticipated increase of $100.

When Republicans in Congress suggest spending just $50 more than last year — $1,050 total — Democrats argue that “app spending” has been “cut.” Worse, they play words games:

“Republicans cut app spending in half!” 

(Recall, in this scenario “app-spending” grew by a real-world $50 from 2024.) 

“Republicans offer the smallest growth in app spending in a decade!” 

(Because for Democrats, if you’ve been spending more money every year, you deserve what you expected. So, if you get more but not as much—you’ve gotten the smallest increase.)

“Republicans’ budget will cut thousands from families.” 

(How? Well, if you expect $100 more every year, and that increase becomes only $50, and then you arbitrarily pick a number of years of multiplied impact — 10 or 20 years is common in Congress-math — you arrive at a number that’s huge and frightening.)

Now take out “app spending” and insert “Medicaid.”  And instead of tens and hundred of dollars, use millions and billions. Then realize that activists arrive at a “scary” number and a mythological impact.

Next time you read or hear a news story on TV or radio, or see some “victim” activist crying on a self-recorded TikTok, realize that the numbers are not only misleading: it’s purposely being done for shock value. There’s a very good chance that the program being discussed is getting more money.

There is a variation of this playing out over actual Medicaid spending — and the financial (and social compact) imperative to get the program refocused on what it was supposed to do.

Medicaid was designed to make sure that poor children, their families, and those truly disabled had necessary medical care and emergency services. Over time, it’s grown into a behemoth and politicians expanded its coverage to include an ever-growing list of coverage and “care” — including gender surgeries, etc.

This program for the poor and disabled suddenly had thousands and thousands of single, able-bodied men getting taxpayer-funded health care. And they had no obligation to look for work, to work part-time, or even volunteer in the community —- requirements that Democrats starting with President Clinton spoke about and signed into law just a generation ago.

Today, Democrats decry the “slashed” Medicaid spending and label the work requirements “cruel.” And, they go further lying with claims that children will not be covered. 

Shameless. In fact, those truly eligible will have more money spent on them under the “BBB.”

Taking an out of control program and repurposing it back to its actual compassionate mission — and requiring that able bodied single people find a job, or contribute to society — is actually good policy and fair to everyone.

Let’s close with real numbers.

Pre-pandemic in 2020, the federal budget was $3.5 trillion, with a $984 Billion deficit — meaning they spent almost a trillion more than taxes received. 

By 2021, Congress spent a mind-boggling $6.5 trillion — almost doubling what was spent the year before. The added debt to the nation — to us — was $3.67 trillion. The debt alone was bigger than the entire prior year’s budget. But “Covid!”

The final Biden budget was $6.7 trillion, with a deficit — new, additional debt — totaling $1.83 trillion. 

Congress is spending much more than it takes from us in taxes, and growing our debt to record levels — ensuring that Americans will be paying for Congress’s abusive spending for decades with higher taxes, prices, and mortgage rates.

Plus, we learned from the work of DOGE, there are literally billions of our tax dollars spent that are wasted (Sesame Street in Iraq!), stolen (people over age 150 getting social security!) or lining the pockets of our enemies, or politicians and their donors (USAID). 

Spending more money than we have. Government programs expanding way beyond their mission. Our money going to people who don’t exist or aren’t eligible, spent with no records, and lining the pockets of insiders and our enemies. 

If we can’t all agree that we can slow the growth of some programs, or — heaven forbid — freeze some program spending, how will we ever begin to eliminate fraud, waste and the abuse of our tax dollars? 

Maybe we stop listening to those screaming the loudest.

Guy Ciarrocchi, former chief of staff to federal and state officials, is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. He writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.