I would go even further and detail the cuts that have been made but show how they aren’t enough and talk about how they’re whittled down to much smaller cuts.
For instance, my congressman sought a $50 million cut in funding to the endowment for the arts. What he got was a $20 million cut which still leaves the endowment with $125 per year which will grow by a couple percent per year and surpass the $125 million in less than a decade.
I would also make a big deal of the money that is dedicated to one thing but gets siphoned off for other things. Things like highway funds paying for bike paths and highway museums. A few years ago Carl Levin sought $2 million out of highway funds to save a section of the old Tiger stadium in Detroit.
When it comes right down to it, the more money left in the hands of the people means more money spent closer to home in ways the better represent the wishes of the people.
The other thing the Republicans could focus on is divesting and privatizing a number of government functions. Amtrak, Rural Electrification Agency, TVA, US Postal Service, General Motors, and PBS can all be sold to raise money for the treasury. Romney made a big mistake by suggesting he wanted to shut off Big Bird. He should have talked about selling PBS to raise money to pay down the debt. In a world with hundreds of cable channels with arts, science, humnaities, and historical programming the need for government funded programming is at an end.