Bad habits...

"As we limp through January with a wounded government, we are reminded of one thing. This shut down is a self inflicted wound. Who is at fault? Everyone who works in Washington."

Spitting on the sidewalk is a bad habit. Smoking is a bad habit. Chewing snuff is a bad habit. Using foul language, especially in mixed company, is a bad habit. Being flatulent on an elevator full of people is a bad habit. Get the picture? We all know what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior. To act inappropriate is a bad habit. But the worst habit of all, is perpetuated year after year by our federal government. And this year is no exception.

I am talking about the dreaded CR's, which are signed into law by whomever is sitting in the White House. CR = Continuing Resolution. A huge miscarriage of justice, we do to our Constitution each and every year. And why is that? For starters, they are much less work. It is like jaywalking instead of walking a half a block to the crosswalk (another bad habit). Sometimes the entire government fiscal year is covered only by a series of CR's from the year before. It is sloppy way to run an organization, no matter what the size.

Right now, the federal government is shut down. GOOD! It should be. In fact, it should have been shut down on October 1st when there was no authorized budget. That is the way it is supposed to work. No candy, no play. Or - no money, no work. Most people think the government is shut down because of the wall issue - including the President. President Trump should use this month as a teachable moment. Yes, the government is shut down due to a wall issue. But primarily it is shut down as there is no budget.

Here is one of the consequences resulting from the bad habit of having no budget. After using stop gaps to get through the current fiscal year using numerous CR's, soon everyone grows weary of them. So the rest of the funding documents are put together in a flurry of activity. At the end of the day, they resemble a bloated omnibus bill, with everything included but the kitchen sink. Nobody is happy with the bill, but everyone is glad just to have it over with. The net result is we now have a $22T debt problem.

Each year, every year, we hear our government leaders sounding like Carry Nation, swearing off booze. "No more CR's - ever!" is the cry coming from Emerald City on the Potomac. Yeah, right. With the schedules each Congress keeps, it is no wonder why they never seem to get their work done. And the contested wall on the southern border? Another good example of the Congress not getting their work done a decade ago. Remember? When all the naysayers on the wall were once for it? 

As we limp through January with a wounded government, we are reminded of one thing. This shut down is a self inflicted wound. Who is at fault? Everyone who works in Washington. Everyone who voted for those who work in Washington. In other words - time to look in the mirror, gang.