Here’s a poser for you. All these folks, Republicans, Democrats, Tea Party folks, you name it are absolutely adamant that the national budget MUST be balanced. They are equally eager to get or keep local State, County and City budgets balanced. I’m fine with that. I gotta keep mine balanced. If I don’t I get these nasty notes from the bank and they charge me this honking big fee for covering my ah - posterior until I get some more cash in. But the thing is they won’t wait too long for me to pay up.
Where’s the poser of a question? Just this. What do all these folks do when the big guys really do start trying to balance the budget? They are like little kids when Mom or Dad say’s, “No you can’t have that candy, that toy or that comic book because it isn’t in the family’s budget!” You can hear the screams of outrage throughout the store!
Yes, I am quite aware that it isn’t quite that simple. Especially as the “comic books”, “candy”, or “toys” are, in this case, usually things that a lot of folks see as necessities. Just as I see my piddling, almost makes it through the month but not quite, disability check as being an absolute need. After all if I don’t get it I don’t pay my bills and the bank will get very unhappy.
Things like class room size, special advanced classes for the smart kids, remedial classes for the not so bright kids, Fire Department and Police pay in big cities, swimming pools in the summer, after school programs during the school year, contracts to big companies that build weapon systems and employ lots of folks and the other companies that supply those big weapon system companies with the stuff to build the weapon systems are all on the chopping block now. People are rightly up in arms about this and they should be! After all these things are needed! They are necessary!
But then I remember when the times were a bit leaner for me. I didn’t go to the doctor (I was working then) not because I didn’t have insurance but because I had such a high deductible that I had to pay for each visit I just could not afford to go. I had to pick that insurance plan because it was the only one that would leave me enough in my take home pay to pay the other bills! Heck, even now, I’m considering not going to a rheumatologist as my Dr. suggested because it costs so much more ($50!!) to go to one. That and they are all in or around Dallas and I’m not sure I can afford the gas! But hey, at least I have insurance right? For now.
I saw an add on TV the other day where the advertiser was saying that “wasteful” and “unneeded” studies should be cut. Trouble is those studies employ people. People who pay bills and taxes just like us.
The point I’m trying to make is this: we all want the budget to be balanced. All of us. BUT. But none of us wants to pay the price of the balancing. The politicians just want to be re-elected so they bluster and make little puff cuts that will get them good press and hopefully re-elected. I just want to pay my bills, keep my car on the road and food in my tummy so I definitely don’t want them cutting my benefits! Teachers just want to keep their jobs for the same reason (though I have heard this odd rumor that some actually like teaching). The workers in the government contract plants and the businesses that supply them just want to keep their jobs to. We all raise cane and holler when they cut any of our services; when the streets aren’t repaired or the water bill goes up.
Yet I can’t help but go back to the family with a budget telling Jr. he can’t have that toy. After all Jr. also knows that he’s just GOT to have that toy. Just like you and me with our benifits or services.
What’s the answer? Heck if I know. I’m just not putting my neck on the block.
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