Tony Soprano Runs My Government

Of the USA's 2011 budget (approximately $3.83 Trillion with a 'T') dollars about $1.6 Trillion (again with a 'T') is going to be 'borrowed'.

So we here in the USA will borrow about 42% of our annual budget this year.

Does anyone reading this really live by borrowing 42% of their monthly expenses?

Maybe a stupid 18 year old who gets a bunch of credit card offers in the mail and, before learning that there is actually a requirement to pay the money back, goes out and runs up the maximums.  Or maybe some guy on drugs who, rather than rob people, just runs up someone's (theirs or your) credit cards.   

Mobsters (like in the Soprano's) do when they get a hold of other peoples businesses or credit lines and bleed them dry.

No one responsible would act this way.

Increasing your debt by 10% a year - with not even enough real income to cover the interest payments.


Our government is taking about 10% of that in taxes, fees, etc of one sort or another and matching that 10% with the $1.6 Trillion in "borrowing".

The wondrous "budget deal" will save a whopping .9% of the $3.83 Trillion.

If my weekly take home pay was $380 this is like saving $3.80.

The only situation I have ever heard of where someone or something borrows money like this is just before your headed into bankruptcy.  If you are going down the tubes any bankruptcy lawyer worth his salt will tell you not to cut expenses (as you might think if you were responsible) but to go out and borrow as much as you can - so when you hit bankruptcy court your debt is as large as possible relative to your house and car.  That way the judge won't feel bad letting you keep those things and discharging the rest of your debt.  The only one who loses are your creditors.

And now we've borrowed a total of $15 Trillion - the entire USA GDP.  Not to mention the unfunded liabilities in social security, medicare, etc. are about equal to the GDP of the entire planet for one year.

The next fight will be to let us borrow more when we hit the debt ceiling...

What's even sadder is that some report the budget agreement as "good news". 

Its not.

That $3.80 savings on your $380 is nothing - one visit to Starbucks a week for a pumpkin rutabaga fusion latte or a couple of happy meals.  You can easily lose %1 of just about anything and not even notice - like your blood.  Many people lose that much of their brains in accidents and still function normally.

These day's that $3.80 is chump change.

Anyone responsible with a brain knows that in bad times you cut expenses until they are less than you take in.

No one who actually pays taxes would live this way either.

In fact, one I know lives this way...  at least not for long.