What “Budget Cuts” Really Mean
Politicians and bureaucrats love to warn about “devastating budget cuts.” You hear it every time there’s a deficit or a new budget fight. The trick is, “cuts” almost never means what normal people think it means.
Official meaning
When they say “budget cuts,” the picture they want in your head is this:
- Services are being slashed.
- Staff are being laid off.
- Vulnerable people are about to be kicked to the curb.
Sometimes that happens. But most of the time, that’s not what’s going on.
What it really means
Inside government, “cuts” usually means something very different:
- Last cycle’s money is already spent.
- Agencies build a bigger number for the next cycle (baseline + all their wish‑list items).
- If they get anything less than that higher number, they call it a “cut” – even if they’re still getting the same or more than last time.
In other words:
“We used all the money we had, we asked for a raise, and we’re mad we didn’t get the full raise.”
That’s not how any normal person uses the word “cut.”
Why they use this word
They use “cuts” because it works:
- “Cuts” creates fear: people imagine schools closing, cops laid off, and seniors abandoned. That makes voters more willing to accept new taxes, fees, and debt.
- It hides responsibility: if you admit, “we grew spending faster than revenue,” people start asking who signed the bills. “Cuts” shifts the blame to “the economy” or “austerity,” not the folks who over‑promised.
For activists and agencies, “cuts” is a pressure tactic. The scarier the story, the bigger the leverage.
How to spot it in the wild
Next time you see a “cuts” headline, ask three questions:
- Is total spending actually going down, in dollars, from last budget to this one?
If the answer is no, it’s probably just a smaller increase being sold as a “cut.” - Are they talking about cuts from a “projected” or “requested” level?
That usually means they built a fantasy number, didn’t get it, and are calling the gap a cut. - Are they also pushing new taxes or “revenue options”?
“Cuts” plus “new revenue” in the same sentence is a tell: they spent to the edge, then want you to fill the hole.
