I have been giving it a lot of thought and I hope we are properly identifying the problem. I think we are when we say the government lacks responsibility and accountability. Further, they have no responsibility for their results. We have been fighting the war on poverty for what?, 50 plus years and after all the money and all the efforts, you can’t tell the difference. If fact, we are probably spending more on the war on poverty ie: entitlements than ever this year.

How do we turn the tide to governmental responsibility and accountability? What would Dave Ramsey say if our president called his show and was honest?

Pres: “Dave, our spending is out of control. We are creating nothing for our efforts but debt. The numbers are astronomical.

Dave: Well how much income do you make? Are you ready to eat rice and beans? Do you want to live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later?

We need to follow a lot of Dave’s advice as a nation. Here are some suggestions:

· Budget: One of the first things that Dave would recommend is that we get on a budget. Not just a budget that lets government grow out of control but a budget that targets a reduction in the size of government relative to GDP. A budget should take in to account our debt and not only provide for debt service but provide for elimination of debt over some reasonable time in the future.

· Multi year forecast: The government’s budget should not be for the next 6 month with interim funding if we need more money. We should be budgeting for the next 10 years. We should be addressing the sunset of social security if it is unsustainable. All should be addressed within the confines of balancing the budget and planning for future balanced budgets regardless. No more stealing from our children because they can’t yet complain. No more promises we can’t keep.

In the final analysis, we are doing as a government, what no family or company can do and survive. We spend huge amounts of money on lifestyle that is unsustainable.

Look at it like this: What if a farmer had a dozen children and lived on his working farm with his parents and all of “We the People” are his chickens and pigs and cows and ducks. (They are the government, get it?) What if the farmer put up fences to keep the cows from the pasture (regulation) and instead of planting crops, he gave way his seed to a guy to build a bridge over the creek, (government spending) to a family down the road because their farm failed (entitlements, Acorn, foreign aid) and the rest, he ground into flour to feed his 12 kids shiftless kids who don’t help around the farm. (Pork Barrel projects).

Without tending, his chickens are molting and no longer lay eggs (Unemployment), his cows are scrawny and no longer give milk (Declining small business) and the pigs wandered off to a farm next door where they were better tended and fed. (The Chinese get our bacon.)

So the farmer mortgages the farm at higher and higher amounts and rates because he is no longer a good risk. And after most of the livestock dies, (Lots of unemployed chickens and no small business cows) the bank forecloses and the farmer can no longer say who gets what. (Government collapse)

So, who can we get to balance our national budget and put us on a path to financial responsibility and accountability? Who is going to stand up to the seniors, when SSI cuts back. Who is going to stand up to the community when the handouts they received for the last 50 years stops coming. If we find this Superman or Wonder Woman, (actually, we need a few more than 1,000 of them all in office at once) who is going to stand with them against the all of the special interests that are being shewed away from the trough?

I think that is the challenge. The challenge is not stopping healthcare, the challenge is changing the paradigm of government. What scares me is that none of us may be tough enough, patriot enough to get it done. We may have already past the point of no return. Is it too late?