Here is the deal--I will borrow a dollar from you and pay you interest. I will then give you the dollar back and borrow it again from you and pay you interest..AGAIN...I am such a dealmaker!!!

    If we ran our households like this a bankruptcy judge or a personal finance counselor would shake their head and we would feel shame...We actually give foreign aid to China! It is only $68 million dollars but...REALLY??  $68 million dollars would give 6,800 students $10,000 each for college scholarships.

""It's almost as if Japan (Or the U.S.) gives aid money to China, but then finances this charity by taking a loan from China, then paying interest to China on the charity it provided... to China. Yes the world is a complex place, but it's just an extremely peculiar arrangement here.""

    If I thought for ONE MINUTE that raising taxes at this time would actually improve our federal budget situation, I would support it...But can anyone who is reflectively in favor of increasing taxes, honestly say with a staight face they believe the extra revenues will be spent in a responsible manner by members of EITHER party?  We cannot operate in a vacuum and only think about increasing revenues. There are two sides to the equation and I don't believe the spending and/or debt side is being addressed in any serious way.  Please read the above excerpt again before answering...I am not anti-government or pro-government--I just want fiscally responsible government that follows basic accounting rules and is transparent.  I am certain we are getting neither...Tell me where I am wrong--I am open to ideas...Extra credit for students for helping me out...