Send In The Clowns

On April 8th, there could be another government shutdown, unless Congress passes a budget. They are still operating until a continuing operating resolution, their third one, unable to agree on a budget for this fiscal year. The Tea Party wants another $61 billion cut out of the budget (Who doesn't?). The Democrats think it is immoral to cut funding for homeless veterans, poor children and pregnant women in order for high income earners to get another tax break. The Republicans are simply praying the Tea Party doesn't cause a government shutdown that the Republicans could be blamed for. Certainly, no business can be run this way, with no manager knowing what their budget is. How can the largest organization on the planet, i.e., the U.S. government, be run this way? Of course, the easy way to eliminate this year's deficit is to end the war in either Iraq or Afghanistan immediately, but that's not going to happen. And, if that sounds too difficult, imagine the smartest way to eliminate the budget; which is reducing the growth in entitlements, like Social Security and Medicare, which compose over half of the Federal budget. Instead, the needed cuts will be from the discretionary spending on human services. Who needs those anyway, other than homeless veterans, poor children, and pregnant women? This indecision on the budget process may be silly and inefficient, but the indecision on raising the debt ceiling is insane. Failure to do this will have immediate and costly implications. It is at that point that the elected clowns become the elected morons.