We have become a nation of addicts.
         We’re addicted to all sorts of things, but there’s a type of addiction we need to get under control or we’ll lose our nation.
 It’s uncontrolled government spending.
         It’s become very popular to speak in psychological talk about addictions and codependency. It’s as if we are afflicted with things, and we just can’t help it. We’re addicted.
        Some say this is just psychobabble. Others swear by it.
         In any event, our nation is at serious risk because the government is consistently overspending. We are heading for a showdown someday.
        Our government officials don’t when to stop spending---other people’s money.
         Finally, Congress did something right.
        They voted yesterday to not increase the debt ceiling (unless there was also a commitment to decrease spending). I heard the pundits say it was just a symbolic vote. Well, if that’s true, they chose the right symbol to send.
        So many of these people in Congress are addicted to spending that I think they should start mandatory meetings of Overspenders Anonymous on Capitol Hill for our Representatives and Senators---and the President and his cabinet.
        "My name is Congressman Bob, [Crowd: Hello, Bob] and I'm addicted to spending other people's money..."
        Seriously, this thing is out of hand; every American should be alarmed.
        It seems that all real efforts to put off this reckless course are falsely mischaracterized.
        For example, Congressman Paul Ryan is trying to save Medicare, but he’s being falsely accused of trying to ruin it. His plan increases Medicare spending over time, just not at the projected rate of growth.
        It’s time for many politicians (not Paul Ryan) to join Overspenders Anonymous. It’s time for us back home to stop clamoring, “Give me, Give me.”
        It’s hard for politicians to consider long term solutions because they’re so used to thinking in 2-year, 4-year, and 6-year election cycles.
        It has been said that government is not a producer; it’s a taker.
         The government has no money of its own. Every tax dollar comes from someone, and it comes by the implied threat of force. (If you don’t think it’s by force, then ask those that have chosen not to pay, and the IRS is making an example out of them. It’s an irony of history that Eliot Ness couldn’t nab Al Capone, but the IRS sure did.)
         We seem to be a society run on credit. But to borrow an expression from Shakespeare, "neither a lender, nor a borrower be."
        I used to enjoy interviewing author and financial guru Larry Burkett until he died a few years ago.
        Larry once noted, “In our society today you can borrow to buy things that you can't afford to own. And credit doesn't eliminate the decision that you can't afford to own---it only delays it and makes it worse...Unfortunately, it's a lot of fun to get into debt because you can buy things that you don't have to have and you can buy things that you can't afford to own.”
        Why is it hard for anybody to see that the government can’t keep spending money they don’t have like there’s no tomorrow? It make no sense to me.
         It’s like dieting. If you insist on eating an apple fritter, then be prepared to make some other concession in your diet or exercise schedule to compensate. Or be prepared for such splurging to show up on your waist.
         We just can’t keep spending without having to pay the piper.
         Based on the $14-trillion dollar figure of our national debt, every single American owes on average $45,162 to the government.
        We are stealing from the next generation.
         I’m glad for yesterday’s vote. It’s the first step---albeit, maybe just a baby step---toward getting this under control. This reminds me of how the addict can’t begin to turn around, until he admits he has a problem.