Thinking about the debt ceiling deal that was enacted on August 2, spending time trying to understand the language and effect of the Act, and seeking accurate budget numbers, has led me to conclude that The Budget Control Act of 2011 calls for twenty-two percent cuts to security spending, but only ten percent cuts to non-security spending. Is this something that the Republican leadership in Congress would support, if they understood it? I don't think so.
The spin has been so heavy that Obama capitulated and the Republicans won the game, it is nearly impossible to see the facts in any other light. From Politico we recently have What defense cuts?, continuing the false narrative, and from Bloomberg Businessweek claiming the FY 2012 defense budget can be frozen at FY 2011 levels.
If you read the Budget Control Act of 2011 carefully, and then do the math, I think you may discover a very different story that goes "Barack Obama is a very tricky fellow." Details here.