I Know It Goes To 11

But does it ever go all the way to "OFF?" Even when I pull the plug on my TellyaVision and squalid-state Difference Engine, the politicians are still in there, ever so faint, making weird little pinging noises against the screen.

Yeah, it's the Federal Budget Debate, in which the latest move has both sides agreeing to separate the fight over the Feds raising their "debt ceiling" (this is like picking your own credit limit...at age 12) from addressing the insane spending that got 'em into into the mess in the first place.

Oh, that makes sense...if you're making up your own rules! Once again, if you or me or the General Emporium down the street ran our finances that way, it would be improvident at best and very probably criminal.

And the posturing punditry? All they do is smirk and smarm about which side is "winning." Stuff it, you little weasels: the bottom line is, we-the-people are losing, losing to a narrow, political-class culture so addicted to making free with other peoples money that passing up an increase in it is referred to as a "cut," taxpaying individuals are always going to lose. (Eventually, those who pay no taxes get their turn at losing, too, once the money runs out).

I probably shouldn't even look at television or news sites in the morning. This last bastion of The West still has a long way to fall but it is painful to realize how far it's already slipped.