More Proof the Budget Deal Was a Scam

Nearly a week after the budget deal in Congress was approved, Americans and analysts are still reeling over the proximity of a government shutdown, and even worse, the fraudulent nature of the supposed “savings” found in the deal.

Conservative pundit Mark Levin called the budget deal a “historic scam,” while Joe Weisenthal of Business Insider went a step further, dubbing it a “gigantic fraud.”

Weisenthal, who analyzed the figures found in the deal, outlined by the National Journal via the Congressional Budget Office, determined that the total savings are nowhere near the touted $38 billion. In fact, the National Journal indicates that the only way that figure can be reached is through gimmicks, and that the savings are closer to $350 million.

National Journal explains:

A comparison prepared by the CBO shows that the omnibus spending bill, advertised as containing some $38.5 billion in cuts, will only reduce federal outlays by $352 million below 2010 spending rates. The nonpartisan budget agency also projects that total outlays are actually some $3.3 billion more than in 2010, if emergency spending is included in the total.

The astonishing result, according to the CBO, is the result of several factors: increases in spending, especially at the Defense Department; decisions to draw over half of the savings from recissions; and cuts to reserve funds and and money for mandatory-spending programs that might never have been spent.

Rest of the story: http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/7118-more-proof-the-budget-deal-was-a-scam