Uh Oh,. Now They've Done It.

       It's hard to believe. No it's nearly impossible to believe, and yet Congress is about to pass a budget. And yet that budget actually includes additional funding for programs like Head Start. The vote could come as soon as today. Not only that but it appears that it could actually pass. It's a budget that includes more than conservatives want but less that Pres. Obama asked for. I think they call that compromise. Hard to imagine isn't it?
       But that's not what's most striking about this budget. What's most startling is the fact that in an election year, the budget runs until October. Now I understand all about fiscal budgets and that our federal budget runs from October to October each year. Actually, I mean it's supposed to. But did I mention it's an election year for all of the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate?
       So with elections coming up the next month after this budget runs out, what's gonna happen on a new budget before election day? You don't suppose it'll become a campaign issue do ya? I suppose they all realized that folks won't notice no new budget is getting voted on since no budgets are voted on, on time, anymore. Ahh the camaraderie of Congress. What a blessing it is to know that no matter the vitriol of the campaign trail when they all come together in Washington, there is a chorus of Kum-By-Yah before the gavel brings the separate chambers into session.
       But what about that date in October? Hey, with all the great minds in Congress, it's hard to believe they couldn't come up with a plan to carry into mid November, at least. Or after the first of the year, even better. It's gonna be hard for either side to raise the question of any other issue in the campaign conversation. Like immigration; Is it in the budget? How about jobs; What line item in the budget is that? Well we do need to talk about Iran; Not in the budget. Guns, no. Voter rights, no. Education, it's in the budget isn't it? States rights, what? Taxes, Now you're talking.
       Well, maybe with luck, it won't pass. Congress could get a bad reputation if they wound up passing a budget with bi-partisan support. That's no way to run gridlock. Good gridlock means no compromising. Not even for the good of the country. it just isn't done.