Any of you trembling in fear because of the Big Bad Sequester? For a little perspective, consider this chart:
As the CBO report shows, only $44 billion of the $85 billion sequester will be cuts in actual federal outlays for 2013. That number pales in comparison with the projected level of spending that year, the $845 billion deficit, and the $224 billion on interest payments.
Meanwhile, here's the misleading question of the day:
Conservatives frequently wonder whether Republican politicians are reliable partners in their quest to reduce the size of government. And with good reason. But there is a parallel question that conservatives never ask: Are conservatives reliable partners in the Republican quest to reduce the size of government?
Libertarians want to reduce the size of government. Conservatives do, too, sort of. I haven't seen much evidence that Republicans care that much about it. They just want to beat Democrats more than Democrats beat them.
