Smoke and Mirrors

There are a couple of very simple facts about the budget passing through Congress right now. In order to confuse the issue, the Rethuglicans are trying to pass the budget as two separate, but paired items: i) a $54 billion reduction in spending programs, mostly making deep cuts in medicare and medicaid and other programs for the poor and elderly, and ii) a $70 billion tax cut, mostly benefiting the rich, who have already reaped the rewards of several prior tax cuts. Now, I work that out to a $16 billion increase in the deficit -- I mean, the math is hardly at the rocket science level. It's simple subtraction: $70 - $54 = $16, but I have yet to read a single news clip about this that makes that point. Most call it a "$54 billion deficit reduction bill."

The media are really wonderful, aren't they?