It is known as the Washington Monument strategy. Turf-protecting government executives and bureaucrats go out of their way to make spending cuts as painful as possible for as many people as possible. By applying any cuts to the very things the public benefits from most, bureaucratic infighters believe they can convince the public that every penny that goes into government is necessary.

Hence the name: If you use budget cuts as an excuse to shut down the Washington Monument, then every tourist who comes to the nation’s capitol will be reminded of what a terrible deed it is to cut government spending.