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The pensions cuts (for everyone, and that includes the widows and the disabled) only "saves" $0.6 Billion per year, out of a Federal appropriations bill that spends $1.1 Trillion just this next year.

This was never about saving big money.

Here is what I think happened:

- Ryan desperately wanted a deal, because he was always the guy with the big ideas, but never any leadership or legislative victories

- The Democrats would not budge on big Entitlements

- Hagel called Ryan, and offered him the scalps of military retirees, disabled military, surviving widows/widowers, and currently serving military on a silver platter ("Go ahead, cut their pensions....we will propose even more cuts to military pay, housing, and healthcare next year!")

- Ryan jumped at the chance, and he foolishly figured he could maybe even parlay the military pensions cuts in order to sell further cuts in other programs (i.e. "Hey, the military got screwed....and they had to take it....so maybe can we cut you guys too? Please?")

Ryan desperately wanted a deal, because he was always the guy with the big ideas,

big LIBERAL ideas?

That makes sense in ‘how’ they occurred. Still though, it’s reprehensible and even more than that; it’s stupid. Thus proving once again that the GOPe truly deserve the title: The Stupid Party.