Congress – Stalemate on Budget – Stop Gap Band-Aid No Longer Working for Either Party – Dems Want Fewer Cuts, Republican’s More – Obama MIA?

According to theLos Angles Times, the temporary spending measure passed in lieu of a budget for the past two years, has begun to bother both Republicans and Democrats alike. The Republican’s, specifically those elected in the 2010 landslide victory, are attempting to hold to the people’s request of cutting the fat off the budget, while the Democrats are concerned with cuts – and how deep those cuts go. Having one’s druthers, a budget should be drawn up and adhered to – it is the job of Congress to do so, and these technical ploys of continuing to stave off a budget and continue business as somewhat usual is ridiculous. The fact that the Republicans are gaining cuts with each passing stop-gap measure is admirable, but does it go far enough? The Democrats are weary of trying to hold onto every nickel and dime the taxpayer has available, saying the cuts go too deep.

So, what could happen? A government shutdown, which on the face of it sounds rather like a slice of heaven, with the government in limbo, no harm can come out of Congress. That said, with the government in limbo, payroll does not process and neither do many services that American’s, in general, have come to rely upon. Therefore, should the Republican’s rightly stick to their guns, and refuse to pass another continuing resolution, one would bet the House, that those Democrats and yes, possibly some Republicans, who, granted are stubborn (which politician so deeply tied to a party, not the people , is not? – and that goes for all political affiliations), would capitulate eventually. It depends on who has the greater will – those with the power of the electorate urging they reign in spending or face extinction, or those who are sitting on the hill with “years of experience”?

Cutting spending and making cuts in one’s budget is difficult at any time, Congress need only ask the average working American – with the inflation in Food and Fuel (which is of under-reported), those caught in the middle, or worse, those SSI beneficiaries who are of the Greatest Generation, having received no Cost of Living Increase over a two–year period, are now making the choice between steak or hamburger, fresh or frozen, or worse. If American households can make the cuts, so can the federal government. In simple terms, the less we owe, the stronger our dollar becomes, and that benefits all houses, those of Congress and those on Main Street.

As the budget battle continues, the website Politico is chastising the President - the Heading: "Obama is Staying In the Background on Deficits”. In other words, he’s letting the Congress duke it out, leaving his fellow Democrats swinging in the proverbial wind to do the job they were hired to do? He did his part, one can agree, he produced a budget, it is now up to Congress to battle it out and let the chips fall where they may.