Recent Federal Spending Cuts Are Not Significant With Respect to the Budget Deficit

In the August 8th issue of C & E News, there is an article entitled, "Science and the Debt Deal" by three C&E News reporters.

They indicate that the raising of the federal ceiling by Pres. Obama included a deal to reduce $900 billion in federal discretionary funds over the next 10 years. $90 billion per year in budget cuts is not significant compared to a budget deficit of $1.5 trillion.

Even so, none of the projected $90 billion annual cut in spending will occur immediately.

Since that annual cut is insignificant with respect to the total problem, Congress should quit quibbling with that and get on with the major project of eliminating whole agencies, such as the Department of Energy and the Department of Education.