Feb. 4, 12:25 p.m. — In what seems to be a budget rite of passage, the administration has proposed billions of cuts to Congress’ pet programs. This year is no different with the administration proposing 151 program terminations and reductions worth more than $25 billion.  Program terminations come to $7.1 billion and program reductions total $18.2 billion.  Our favorite is a $2.3 billion cut in federal highway funding.  For the record, the administration is doing the right thing – the lack of growth in Highway Trust Fund revenue demands funding cuts. But the proposal will go over like a lead balloon in Congress.

Obviously, Congress is an unreceptive audience, but the administration has done very little to defend its cuts in previous years.  If you don’t fight for the cuts, you are just using smoke and mirrors to hide growing deficit numbers.

Lists of cuts can be found at summary tables of the budget.