A Contradiction In Terms

OR JUST A GOVERNMENT MIND SET: I saw on the news this morning a report about the government trying to pass a budget to keep the government from shutting down. The Republicans in the House wants the Senate to pass a bill and send it to them. They also want budget cuts. There was also a mention of picketing for a budget by the TEA Party. Harry Reid said something like, "No one pays any attention to the Tea Party. There is only a small minority of people who even notice them." Not a accurate or direct quote, but close. Uh! Harry, didn't you notice the results of the last election? So all the Tea Party candidates didn't win. Many did and several that didn't garnered a lot of attention. Pay attention Harry. Pass a budget bill and fund needed government. Emphasis on needed. Get rid of the pork. Now, to the item that actually spawned the thought for this blog. In the little paper we get here, ( emphasis on little paper, 8 pages sometimes) on the front page was these articles. Since January 1, 2011, not quite three months into the year, New Mexico has had 199 wild fires, burning more than 119,000 acres. 1400 of those acres were right here in our county. A grass fire that burned so fast with the wind that the fire fighters couldn't get a handle on it for some time. Another article was on the weather. Windy conditions predicted for as far ahead as the weather predictors can predict. Last article. The United States Forest Service is planning a prescribed burn for an area in about two weeks. All three of these items were on the front page of the paper. New Mexico is so dry the grass is about the color of this type. And brittle and ready to burn. And it is doing so. Often. There has been a few more fires and acres added to the total since the paper came out just two days ago. We haven't had any substantial moisture in many years. It will take several years of above average moisture to even begin to catch up. And probably several years of responsible government to get the budget back in order. But that's OK. Lets set fire to the forest that is so dry it will burn quickly if a little breeze comes up. And lets pass a budget that spends ( read burns ) money we don't have on things we don't need, just so I can make my constituents happy and they will re elect me. I think the mind set is going to have to change. I'm an old man, but I hope the change comes in my life time. I'm afraid it won't. And That's The View From The Ditch Bank.