The Smoke and Mirrors Behind the Smoke and Mirrors
Lots of posturing going on as those embarrassing fiscal numbers the Congress dutifully avoided crunching all year are coming down to the wire. Trying to beat the odds and still look statesmanlike before the coming elections, the old war-horses in the Senate are breathing hard, but it’s a muddy track.
The pleasure of watching the House and Senate round the far turn and whip their way home is soured by the fact that they’ve left us in the grandstand with nothing but two-dollar tickets. It’s turned into a race where the favorites are carrying too much weight and that perennial dark-horse, Increased Spending, looks all but sure to cross the finish line three or four lengths in the lead.
Desperation makes men of the boys. It’s smoke and mirrors time (once again) in the Congress.
Over on the Senate side, they’re taking up the 2007 budget. Delicately, with two-fingers no doubt, due to the smell. The Senatorial harrumphing and speechifying can be heard way over yonder in the distant and less dan…