Biden Reports ‘Good Progress’ in Budget Talks

No matter what anyone says, I love Joey Biden. He just cracks me up. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Conservatives love him because he is a gaffe goldmine. There’s always one in the family.

He is so positive and sunshiney with this budget showdown. Of course we can find some common ground! Of course we can find a way to keep the government going! Of course! The pom poms look great with your suit, Joey.

From a generally sunny Northern California, I hate to bring the dark clouds. But this is what Representative Mike Pence from Indiana said:

“You never get a second chance at making a first impression. Our first impression with the American people needs to be that we kept our word and we found the budget savings that we promised to find. I’m still cautiously optimistic that we’re going to do just that.”

So for him, and I’m sure many freshman Tea Party representatives, this is what it’s about. Appearances. They want to show their constituents that they are fulfilling their campaign promises. Even if it means screaming and jumping up and down like 3-year-old children who want their way. Thing is, the public sees both. If they keep insisting and refusing to budge, they will look more like the 3-year-olds than the politicians trying to keep their promises.

Don’t toss the pom poms just yet, Joey. There is a sunbeam in there. At least one of them gets it, like Representative Steve Womack of Arkansas:

“Compromise on the subject of spending is a tough sell. It doesn’t mean it’s an impossible sell. There is a serious mandate to cut spending. Now having said that, I also live in a realistic world and I understand the dynamics involved in having one leg of a three-legged stool under our control.”

So keep pumping the sunshine. Maybe the positive energy will turn this around. By next Friday. Midnight.