Budget Cuts Lingo, Stranger Than Fiction

By Chris Banescu

Yesterday, the Senate Democrats soundly defeated the attempts by the Republicans in the House to implement a very minute cut for the 2012 federal budget. Referring to the approximately $61 billion that the GOP was recommending (a mere 1.6% when compared to the $3,700 billion budget being proposed) the Democrats "emphatically rejected a budget-slashing House spending bill as too draconian."

Yes, you read that right, a 1.6% cut is deemed "draconian." The party of "it depends on what the definition of "is" is", is once again re-defining the meaning of language and distorting reality to promote its scorched earth political agenda.

It appears that America is rapidly being transformed into an Orwellian caricature. The leftists who now dominate the Democrat party simply refuse to deal with the ominous fiscal dangers ahead and continue to shove the country towards bankruptcy. Simple concepts like common sense, fairness, reason, and pragmatism no longer exist for these politicians. Even the basic precepts of the English language are no longer applicable.

In the interest of fairness and balance, a budget cuts language reference guide is in order.

Budget Cuts - Sanity version
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Minute = 1-1.6%
Minor = 1.7-3%
Small = 4-6%
Average = 7-10%
Large = 11-15%
Significant = 16-20%
Serious = 21-25%
Drastic = 26-30%
Severe = 31-35%
Draconian = 36-40%

Budget Cuts - Insanity version
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Draconian = 1-1.6%
Catastrophic = 2-3%
Demonic = 4-5%
Apocalyptic = 6-10%

Chris Banescu blogs at chrisbanescu.com.