Saturday, April 9, 2011

Continuing Resolutions....

Next window please, it's not my job
I don't understand the "in the weeds" part of the federal budget, but I sure got a dose of the bureaucracy the last few days watching CNN Live.  Both the Senate and the House...  pointing fingers at who's fault it was that we were operating for 6 months into the fiscal year without a budget to operate the business with. 

That may be exactly why I don't understand.... I said "business" and should have said "government".  I forgot the fact that we do not operate as if we were a business, we operate as if we are a government.  Thus, we spend much more than we take in, we don't and can't make a profit...  we operate slowly, using last year or last decades mentality, after all , that's the way we always ran it, why change?

The only good thing I saw happen tonight was that Congress finally came together at the literal eleventh hour and reached a deal.  Day after day, pointing fingers, making accusations and to come together and be so stomach wrenching god awful thanking the other side for working with them to make this work.  gag me with a spoon.  I just don't understand how the fed can step in and block strikes or work stoppages because of the potential impact on the economy or the lives of American people.  In 1997, the Clinton administration blocked a potential strike at American Airlines and cited the huge impact a strike would have had on the economy and on Americans' travel plans, yet they were willing to shutdown over 800,000 of their own.  Any effect on the economy there?  Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Who are the winners?  All those thousands of Americans who's lives would have been turned upside down by a government shutdown.  At some level, we all live pay check to pay check, missing a check would have been a killer for some.  The military spouses that live on the edge taking care of business while their loved one fights for their lives and our freedom...  loss of a check would have been unconscionable.

Thanks Congress, not so you can pat yourselves on the back for being 6 months late with doing what you were put there to do...  thanks for taking care of those that put you there (and those that can take you out of there).

As a final thought that can prevent this constant fiscal disaster....  make Continuing Resolutions (CR) automatic.  If congress does not have an approved budget in place by a certain date, the CR automatically goes into effect and remains in effect until congress has an approved budget.  Let stress, less wasted time....  there I go being logical again.