A few days ago, the Congress passed aid for damage caused by two hurricanes, a three-month continuing resolution, and an extension of the debt ceiling for three more months.  The debt ceiling and calls to raise it come up entirely too often, and each incidence exposes another failure of Congress to control the purse strings as the Constitution mandates. Ask yourself why, with the astronomical amounts of money collected in taxes, it is so often deemed necessary to raise the debt ceiling and why members of the House and Senate feel that they can cover up their failure to do their jobs with this simple but long-term dangerous cop-out.  You might also wonder why the news media don't look critically at this go-along-to-get-along and kick-the-can-down-the-road good-old-boy networking, practiced by Republicans and Democrats alike, that is picking the pockets of our children and grandchildren. Budgeting in Congress is not like budgeting anywhere else. ...(Read Full Article)