Pope Francis Nixes Bonuses for Vatican Employees

I really like the cut of his jib. Is he interested in running for President?

Budgets, How Do They Work?

BUT THE CITY HAS ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A WAREHOUSE. Per The State, the Columbia City Council and city staffers are weighing how to pay for millions in sewer system upgrades, multimillion-dollar projects and an employee pay raise while city revenues remain largely flat.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/04/04/2708742/columbia-committee-grappling-with.html#storylink=cpy

Happy Friday - Don't Believe Everything You Hear

I have a particular set of skills.

Not much happening today, other than the ZOMG, end of the world, apocalypse now, 2.3% budget cuts that will force us to stop vaccinating children, inspecting meat, checking for bombs on airplanes, having firefighters, or any matching socks for our military troops.

I have a particular set of skills when it comes to all that: I don't believe all the bullshit I hear from politicians.

I suggest you do likewise.

Should the US Government Have a Budget?

When asked about this issue by ABC correspondent Jake Tapper, the White House Press Secretary, said this:

TAPPER: So therefore, the Senate should pass a budget as well.

CARNEY: I don’t have a –

TAPPER: I’m asking.

CARNEY: Well, I don’t have an opinion to express on how the Senate does its business with regards to this issue. The fact is because of the negotiations over the debt ceiling that resulted in the Budget Control Act, we have an unusual situation here in that the top lines for the budget going forward have already been set and agreed to by Republicans and Democrats alike.

TAPPER: So the — I’m not actually asking your opinion, but the White House’s opinion, because it’s the White House’s –

CARNEY: Well, I mean, I don’t have a –

TAPPER: The White House has no opinion about whether or not the Senate should pass a budget? The president’s going to introduce one. The Fed chair says not having one is bad for growth. But the White House has no opinion about whether-

CARNEY: I have no opinion — the White House has no opinion on Chairman Bernanke’s assessment of how the Senate ought to do its business. What the president believes is important is that the Budget Control Act that was signed into law by him last year provides the top line spending caps for the coming budget, and he will obviously meet those in the budget proposal he puts forward. And he looks forward to the Senate acting on the policy initiatives contained within his budget that will reflect the priorities he laid out in the State of the Union and also will reflect the priorities he laid out when he put forward his deficit and debt reduction proposal back in September.

Whoa! Why is this a question that you need to "dance around"? Is it controversial to say "Yeah, Jake, the opinion of the White House is that we would like a Budget for the Federal Government". Who would have a problem with that? Isn't that what Congress does? I'm pretty sure they even have committees and stuff for the budget. They're called the "Senate Budget Committee", and they even have  a snazzy website.

I kind of have an opinion. It's....that we should have a budget. If the Senate doesn't do a budget, I have a question for all the Senators:

"We're trying to save life on this planet as we know it today".

So says Nancy Pelosi. What could this be in response to? Alien invasion? Zombie apocalypse? Global warming? You would be wrong on all three. The threat to "life on this planet as we know it today"? The House Republican Budget Control Act.

Run for your life! It's a budget! It's going to eat us all!

(Permanent Press has obtained an artist's rendering.) Below the jump: