<...Democrats tend to cut defense. Repubs tend to cut social security.

Ha. Show me a single Federal budget that spends LESS in a given year than the year before and I'll eat my hat. In Washington Newspeak, increasing the budget by 4 percent instead of 8 percent is considered a draconian "cut," and Democrats can then be seen squatting on the mats, whipping out the short swords and spraying their own guts across the floor in protest. Although we are spending twice the amount in constant dollars as we were in 1974, any cuts in any program are seen in Washington as the harbinger of certain hideous doom for all mankind. For the record, Republicans have NEVER cut Social Security. They only proposed a reduction in the rate of increase. As noted above, this is now considered a "cut," and the Democratic press is only too happy to go along with the terminology.

The Clinton administration, however, increased taxes on Social Security payments, which a more objective person might have interpreted as a cut in benefits. No one seemed to notice this.

...DC is a porkfest.

Boy, you said a mouthful there! Total agreement.