Congress and budgeting. Or not budgeting, as it seems...

I’m no fool, and neither are you. Yet, we both allow our elected officials to skimp on their most basic of duties.

For some reason, balancing a budget is the hardest thing Congress can do (or don’t do, as is the case on a regular basis). I get that – somewhat – but I find it totally inexcusable for the House and Senate to blatantly decide not to even put a budget together, or hold it off for a later date.

What benefit does this have for the American people? Why choose to pass a stop-gap budget? I understand the need: because Congress doesn’t do their job properly, spends money they do not have, and forces the American public to live beyond their means.

Now, if you were to do this, you’d probably be in jail by now. No person can continue to rack up such debts and spend an absurd amount more than what they take in for income. Eventually, your bills would catch up to you and you’d go under, so to speak.

Fortunately though, our government gives its best attempt at running like a business – although it can’t run as efficiently or effectively as a business – because it’s too big. There are too many parts, too many people, and too large of an organization to get in order. Fortunately the government can take out debts, much like a business; unfortunately the government can’t control it’s spending habit, much like business can.

Many, if not most politicians are not executives of anything. Sure, they run an office. Sure, they ran a campaign. Sure, they can lead a team. Sure, they may have been a doctor, or a lawyer. But many doctors and lawyers will tell you: “I’m not a business person, I’m a doctor/lawyer.”

I’ve gone on my tangent long enough; I hope you get my point.

We need to seriously consider who we elect to represent us and run OUR nation. Leaders and representatives who have even a little executive experience is better than one who has none in my opinion. At least they can say for a fact they have experience in particular areas and know what it’s like – opposed to simply “hearing” what it’s like from others.

We need to start taking seriously our local and national politics; we’re getting to an age of celebrity representatives, a condition that has little benefit to our country and the American people.

We need to, at the very least, hold Congress accountable and demand they perform the most basic of their duties:

1) Make a budget.

2) Balance it. Or make it look like you’re trying.