I have seen very little indication of the GOP suffering in real life..
Since automatic 7% annual increases are built into the federal budget, any cuts to the budget would have to be more than 7% per year to achieve a net reduction in spending. A reduction in the rate of growth is not a cut.
In DC speak, only increasing spending x% after proposing a y% increase is a cut.
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985
Budget Enforcement Act of 1990
Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
Yep, one more act ought to do it.