Liberal Math

[john9blue]

Including the ones who are running huge surpluses?

Really, any government that prints its own money and spends it is "spending money we don't have". Whether that's corrupt or not depends on your opinion and the government in question. Usually the average Joe loses out, though.

[thegreekdog]

Just so you guys know, this is technically correct.

Before a state (or a company for that matter) starts its fiscal year, it has a budget (i.e. we're going to take in this much revenue and pay out this much in expense). So, if they say on March 1, 2009 that the budgeted $300 million of expenses and then, because of cuts, they only pay out $250 million of expenses, they have effectively cut their budget.

[Timminz]

Just so you guys know, this is technically correct.

Before a state (or a company for that matter) starts its fiscal year, it has a budget (i.e. we're going to take in this much revenue and pay out this much in expense). So, if they say on March 1, 2009 that the budgeted $300 million of expenses and then, because of cuts, they only pay out $250 million of expenses, they have effectively cut their budget.

Shocking, isn't it? It even holds true if they only spent $200 million in the previous year.

[thegreekdog]

Just so you guys know, this is technically correct.

Before a state (or a company for that matter) starts its fiscal year, it has a budget (i.e. we're going to take in this much revenue and pay out this much in expense). So, if they say on March 1, 2009 that the budgeted $300 million of expenses and then, because of cuts, they only pay out $250 million of expenses, they have effectively cut their budget.

Shocking, isn't it? It even holds true if they only spent $200 million in the previous year.

It's less about math and more about English. If they had used the term "cut expenses," then the OP would have some beef.