How is the Federal Budget like a loaf of bread? You got your Texas Toast and your breadcrumbs. Which one will fill you up faster? Congress seems to think it is the breadcrumbs....

A nice quick reference visual that gives you an idea of of the relationship between Mandatory ("Non-Discretionary") and Discretionary ("Non-Mandatory") spending in the US Federal budget.

To use a baked good analogy, a loaf of bread, mandatory spending items are thickly cut slices of bread. Think Texas Toast (the BIG circles)! Non-mandatory spending item are either (1) thin slices, like crostini's (medium sized circles), or (2) even smaller pieces, like breadcrumbs used for Thanksgiving stuffing (the small circles).

In budget negotiations politicians are trying to make a political meal out of the breadcrumbs (cutting the small-ish things) and think it will nourish the Federal budget body and make it healthy.

The real "bread", if you will, is in the Texas Toast. However, it is neglected, left to mold, and get crusty.

Oh, well, whichever side YOU butter your bread I hope you find this graphic warm and toasty.

Source: Mother Jones