the bill

  No deal yet for a budget. Once again, we the people are being threatened with the government going broke. That's strange given the amount of taxes being collected every single day on almost every single thing. But I suppose when you give it away faster than you can bring it in that's what happens. But I'm certain a deal will be reached at the 11th hour. That seems to be the modus operandi. I have an idea on how to avoid that in the future. We make an amendment to the constitution that says, if no budget is submitted and approved thirty days prior to new fiscal year congress shall have all their pay and benefits suspended. They are then required to remain in session until such time as an agreement is reached. It could be included with the requirement for a balanced budget. No more spending more than you have! No congress you cannot write postdated checks! 

  Nearly half of the members of congress, 47% to be exact, are millionaires. It would appear that they have little trouble managing their own spending, in fact, increasing their wealth. Makes me wonder why they can't do the same for the nation, that is there job isn't it. We have elected these people to be the stewards of the nation's coffers. The purse strings are in their hands, and they aren't keeping them closed at all, in fact I think there is a hole in the bottom of the bag. But then again I get it, I'd be very generous with other people's money too, given the chance that is. Hey, you can afford it. If you can't I'll just some more from someone else. The rank and file members of congress have a salary of 174,000 a year. They average 147 legislative days a year. Their reported "hours" of working however are reported at a much higher rate, at least hourly. If we used the actual days they spent in session and said it was eight hours a day that equates to about 148 dollars an hour. Not bad eh. And that isn't taking into account all the perks that go with the job. But they will tell how they actually work 2940 hours a year. That's still fifty-nine dollars an hour. 

  Now those figures are just for the rank-and-file members. The leadership positions pay a good deal more. There are quite a few "leaders" if you look at the structure of the congress. The total payroll for congress is about 93 million dollars annually. So, we are paying our employees 93 million dollars a year and they can't manage a budget? Am I alone in seeing a problem here? Running the government should be no different than running your own home. The top priority has to be security! First, I need a safe place to live, then I need food on the table. After those needs are met, I can budget my remaining funds in any way I so choose. If I want to give it away that's my choice. That impulse to charity does not negate my responsibility to my family. The federal government has to operate in much the same manner. Take care of the citizens of this nation first and foremost. That is not happening! I think we need to "let go" of a good number of these non-productive members of congress. If they can't do the job, they're fired! No way should I a citizen and taxpayer of this land be threatened with the government shutting down because they can't pass a budget. The first thing on a spending bill should always be for the security of the nation. A spending bill isn't supposed to be a bill to be paid! And that is what we are seeing today. When you have to borrow money to pay the bills that isn't a spending bill, it's a bill. 

I remember listening to schoolhouse rock. I'm just a bill, on capital hill. That was in 1975. Today Bill is broke and homeless, probably being bussed to New York City. Heck Bill identifies as Jane and is worried about pronouns. Bill missed this episode of schoolhouse rock I guess.