Just how out of touch is our government with reality.....

You may have heard that the Republicans were threatening to shutdown the government unless they got concessions from their Democratic colleagues. So how much did those fiscal conservatives we elected get in concessions why $4 Billion in budget cuts. Sounds like a large number until you realize how large the budget is. Currently the budget is projected to be $3.82 trillion. To put these numbers in perspective if a family of four had an income of $44,000 and cut its family budget by the same percentage as our elected officials the family would have to skip ordering pizza on Friday night ($44) for one week. Hardly a sacrifice.

So they  negotiated a two-week compromise on spending … agreeing to a paltry $4 billion worth of budget cuts as part of a deal to keep the federal government operating through March 18.

Seriously, $4 billion out of a $3.82 trillion budget is a joke. Then again, so is the $61 million that Republicans are hoping to cut out of a proposed seven month spending plan. That is status quo tinkering around the edges – not real spending reform.

So … why are we even here? Didn’t lawmakers pass a budget last year?

Actually, no …

For the first time since 1974 the U.S. Congress failed to pass a budget in 2010, largely because former U.S. Budget Chairman John Spratt was too busy shoving “Obamacare” through his committee.

As a result, on September 30, 2010 – the last day of the federal fiscal year – lawmakers passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through December. A second continuing resolution passed that month which has been funding government ever since.

That’s the resolution that expires on March 4.

 US House Passes 2-Week Budget