Even Americans who pay close attention to government and what it does typically fail to have a comprehensive and non-political understanding of government spending or the budget. The scope of it is just too broad for people to really understand unless they have to vocationally.
If asked what should be cut, it’s an even money bet that the Republican retired Montanan cop would pinpoint the right’s punching bags, interior, education and energy, and of course, welfare, because screw poor people.