Most days we’re not sure how White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer does what he does, but we’re certain we don’t want to do it, especially after the fireworks at Thursday’s press briefing. Members of the press had plenty to say about the briefing on Twitter afterward, but one quote from Spicer regarding the president’s budget proposal amused quite of few of them.
Spicer on the budget: "There's this assumption in Washington, Jonathan, that if you get less money, it's a cut." pic.twitter.com/x10NSDidkN
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 16, 2017
In retrospect, sure, Spicer could have (and should have) stated that more eloquently, but it’s hard to jump on the press for retweeting a quote like that one as anxiously as they did; you hand a kid a pinwheel or a bubble wand and they’re gonna run with it too.
With all the buzz recently about Chelsea Clinton being groomed for a run for Congress, though, letting her get in on the snark (hours late) without a quick reality check just isn’t going to happen.
If you have less money one year versus the previous year, that is called a ____ ("cut"), otherwise know as ____ ("less money") #wordproblems https://t.co/LENhFlSN4k
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) March 17, 2017
Apparently you've never had to budget.
— Laura (@NonsenseEnd) March 17, 2017
Yeah, that’s no way to think if you’re imagining being taken seriously in D.C. Like Spicer stipulated, “there’s this assumption in Washington” — and that assumption is, each and every year, the government will give you more money than it did the previous year, and if it doesn’t, that’s a cut.
Here’s a chart that should help clear up the long-term effect of real cuts vs. what the government considers a cut.
https://twitter.com/Madroton1/status/842556104995491841
In D.C. thought, if the budget was supposed to go up 10% next year but is changed to a 5% increase, it's a 'cut'! #baseline
— ❌Conservitarians.com❌ (@Conservitarians) March 17, 2017
some grants/initiatives end as scheduled so certain departments get less the next year-not a "cut," but u already knew this
— Taurus4 (@Taurus4ew) March 17, 2017
you guys love our $$$
— DividedStatesOfAmer (@DivStatesOfAmer) March 17, 2017
Maybe Chelsea would understand increases and cuts better if she had a look at the Clinton Foundation’s books when it was certain her mother was going to be president, and then after that plan fell through.
Having less money can also occur through misappropriation, excessive spending, theft etc… Your game is lame….
— Deplorable ML (@Deplorable_ML) March 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/BannermanJack/status/842561555170574336
Speaking of Hillary, here’s a campaign spot from 2008 in which she goes into some detail on her own approach to budgeting. Just imagine every government program is a Christmas present and Hillary is Santa, ya’ll!
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