Before I touch on this touchy subject...I want to say that I am not sparking a political debate here about which party will do a better job because I think all political parties are only interested in perpetuating their own personal interests.  That being said, I want to make the following observations:

When I think about a budget for my own family, I consider the money I have coming in and then fit my spending and saving within that amount.  It's just that simple.  If I'm overspending my budget, I can't get my DH to run to his boss and say..."Oh hey, I spent more than I made last month so you are just going to have to give me a raise to cover what I've already spent and maybe some so I can spend more next month."  What?  That would probably get my DH fired. 

When gas prices started climbing, I would say that everyone here made some adjustments to the amounts they were spending in other areas or changed their driving habits to compensate.  Not just us, but other businesses and organizations with budgets that are impacted by high oil prices (like local school boards - all of those buses).

So far, I think all of that was pretty obvious and makes a lot of sense.  Now the part that doesn't....

Why, then, can government be allowed to continue to spend outside their budget, especially when all of us are tightening our belts?  We are their bosses and they continue to ask us for more money because they overspend.  I'm not suggesting that they eliminate any critical funding right now (welfare programs, social security, health care programs) because with the unemployment rate jumping up lots of people will need that.  What I'm suggesting is that they eliminate earmarks, the sugary-feel-good name for spending formerly known as pork-barrel spending.  This often comes in the form of pet projects of senators or congresspersons...projects that wouldn't be approved otherwise can be tacked onto an agency's appropriation bill that will be approved.  These are projects that cost a couple of a million here a couple hundred thousand there...stuff that might seem small to a senate and congress that regularly spends many times that amount, but as we all know a penny here and there will eventually become a dollar.

If you want to see what I'm talking about so far this year, then Google

earmarks office of management and budget

The first thing that should show up is the website for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  If you select the "Estimates of FY 2008 Appropriation Earmarks" link, it will take you to the current year earmarks in a chart.  If you keep clicking the links in the left hand column (appropriations bill, agency, bureau) to get to the account it will take you to pdf files that give you the list of what the earmarks are.  You will be astounded and disgusted at the amounts of money thrown around.  I'm not saying that some of these projects aren't good ideas, but I think that in a time of belt-tightening for the average American, are all of these things actually necessary at this time or can we delay them until the FIT IN THE BUDGET??  Come on politicians...let's get it right for once.

Why? Because they can. Always been that way and probably always will. A definite like death and taxes IMHO.

WHY does Michigan's legislature get to be one of the few full-time legislating bodies in America, and get to vote themselves a raise every year IN SPITE of the fact that Michigan's economy is in dire straits?

Because they can.

A couple fo wise folks onthis Forum suggested that we all read the book, THE CREATURE FROM JEKYLL ISLAND:  A second look at theFederal Reserve, by G Edward Griffin.  I'm only half-way through, but I can recommend it without reservation.  It is all about how the government's central bank manufactures money & makes wilder the swings from boom to bust.  Yes, the author is a conservative, but liberals can learn from it too IMHO.  Yours in Him, Deb

I have to agree with you Falconinburgundy... what got me thinking about it yesterday (seriously) was that the FDA is down by 500 employees and they state that it would take over $500 mil for them to get things back under control. Um... and earmarks for non-existant companies and teacup museums are important to all Americans how? when there is a food outbreak that has cost 167 people their lives (in this last one). Whoever created the earmark idea should have their ears and eyes checked. 

I have often thought if I ran my "household budget" like the government does, I would be homeless. It seems so simple to spend less than one has, but this doesn't work for government on a local or national level. Our government could really cut so much waste & still have enough to do a better job for needed programs, if they would only do it.  

 The great myth perpetuated upon the American people is that this is a democracy, of the people, for the people, by the people.

When the common man, you and I, can run for the highest offices at a local, state, and national level and not need the wealth of King Midas, then that is a democracy.

When the common man, you and I, can vote for our representatives pay scale and benefits and retirement perks at the local, state, and national level, then that is a democracy.

When the electoral college is banished, and politicians win based on popular vote, then that is a democracy.

Until then, the bloated "representation" will continue to represent the common man by paying back the favors that benefit themselves and wasting the common man's hard earned tax dollars, because they always have, they always will, and they can.

Until the common man, you and I, have the power to hold our "representatives" accountable by voting on their pay/benefits/retirement and the abillity to vote out poor non performers often, then what we have is NOT a democracy.

imho 

I wonder what it will take for us to do something about it...that's assuming that we still have enough power at all to do something...and what is that something we would do anyway?  Do we even have a option at this point?

 As someone pointed out, the pork barrel projects are public knowledge, although most people don't know where to find them. Maybe one way would be to bring them into the open. Find something your Senator or Representative has done and bring it to the light in a blog, a letter to the local newspaper, a call to the radio station, anywhere you can. If enough people started doing that, maybe - just maybe - they would begin to be more careful about what they supported. Just be as loud as we can... other than that, I don't know of a practical solution.