This week, the President wants to re-institute the Pay-As-You-Go law (from the Clinton era). It’s exercising fiscal responsibility without neglecting the nation’s business. This resembles my mother’s rule for keeping the closet inventory under control: for every new pair of shoes you buy, you get rid of a pair. Needless to say, there were never piles of shoe boxes in our household. I wish I could be as disciplined about books. But this kind of budgeting isn’t about managing accumulation. It’s making the case to spend money. Designating the needs vs. the wants.

The Fiscal Commission that was proposed and later blocked by several members of the Senate, will now be created by an executive order.

The question is whether all of the above is good fiscal policy or good politics or both? In a city that’s been pounded by two blizzards, I know no one at this point gives a hoot about how deep we are in the fiscal hole when your car’s buried in 5 feet of snow and the street in front of your home is still waiting to be plowed. The next question for the fiscal dialogue is “What is good debt; and what is bad debt?”

Snow removal and management is going to eat into our already depleted city budget in DC. Not all of us can afford private services. One guy with a shovel is now demanding $75 to clear off a porch. $75 now or a potential law suit later. I guess it’s time to cut back on the take out food for a month or two.