I Might Need Therapy...

To All,

I was putting together all of the numbers, statistics, and data that needs to be done for a reasonably accurate tax bill that we hand out every April 15th.

I try to keep things simple. #1) Pull out the old bill; #2) Go through it line by line to see what information is out of date; #3) update the information; #4) do the math and fill in the new data.

Simple, right?

Right.

So why do I believe I might need therapy? I think I might be the only American who has burst out laughing and giggling at a Congressional Budget Office Report. This is sadly true.

To clarify, I use the CBO report to determine deficit spending projections. I use this to show that not only are we being irresponsible today but that there is no end in sight AND our elected officials know this!

Last year the CBO was projecting deficit spending through fiscal year 2012. So I need to review their current report and see what madness lies ahead.

When I pull up the report (it is very easy to see) I just see negative projections for as far as the budget goes out (fiscal year 2019). This is when Doug starts his little giggling fit. I did not get hysterical, but I was definitely beyond a loud guffaw.

I do not know what I expected to see, I really do not. I was just taken so completely off guard by this insanity that I laughed for a good 60 seconds, maybe even approaching 2 minutes.

If you would like, here is a link to the CBO table I was looking at:

http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=10014

Look down at the bottom and click the link to "Budget Projections". Please let me know if you start laughing, giggling, cackling or making any other noise that might indicate that I am not alone.

What I appreciate about this is that you do not need a degree in Economics or an interpretation by a CPA to read it. This document is put together simply, concisely, and horrifically bleak if you consider the mess it will leave for future generations.

I giggle for us, I cry for our children and future generations.

With All Sincerity,

Doug