No, I’m not talking about cigarettes – those will kill you.  I hear that sausages will do that too, but I’m no doctor.

I’m talking about the budget deal.  It’s not great, but it’s not the end of the world.  And like it or not, its exactly what we asked for.

Two of the most-quoted cliches for the next couple of weeks are likely to be:

“There are two things people don’t want to see made: laws and sausages.”

and…

“Camel: a horse designed by a committee.”

We’ve got ourselves a little bit of both.  It’s a compromise, so nobody is happy.  That’s a good sign.  Consider the following:

• The far left and the far right HATE the deal.  Extremists run on a moral platform.  One side reminds us of our moral imperative to care for the sick and the poor, while the other prophesies the impending disaster that awaits from living far beyond our means.  As a militant moderate, of course I agree with both.  But when you run on a “moral” platform, there is absolutely no room for talk of “compromise.”
• By and large, people are angry at leaders on both sides.  That could be a good first step to real change.  We’ve been re-electing over 80% of our representatives to congress for the past 30 years.  (It’s only about 70% in the senate.)  The most reliable way to remove an incumbent is through retirement or death.  Who knows? Maybe we might see more than 50% of eligible voters come out to vote!
• People got to see the sausage made.  This was really, really ugly.  Fortunately, both sides helped put the “fun” in “dysfunctional.  Some of my favorites included:
• “Get your asses in line.”  Speaker Boehner to the Tea Party Republicans.
• “Then Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced-budget amendment and reform entitlements, and the Tea Party hobbits could return to Middle Earth having defeated Mordor.” Senator McCain.
• The President is holding the “Full faith and credit of the United States Hostage.”  Michelle Bachmann, Republican Presidential Candidate.
• “‘Frankenstein’ Omnibus Budget Bill,” House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy

Let’s be clear here.  None of this is new.  John Adams, our second president, was called “bald, blind, crippled, toothless Adams.”  In response, Adams said that Jefferson’s election would result in, “”murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will be openly taught and practiced, the air will be rent with the cries of the distressed, the soil will be soaked with blood and the nation black with crimes.”  Anyone who has “grown tired” of the vitriol that fuels Washington politics hasn’t been paying attention for a very, very long time.  This type of rhetoric is as old as America itself.

So the bill itself is awkward, and leaves much of the needed work undone.  I pay too much in taxes, but who doesn’t?  In a country as wealthy as ours, a single child should never go hungry.  As a teacher I consumed tax dollars, and there was never enough to get the job done right.  As a business person I resent sending a significant portion of my income to the government rather than saving it for my daughter’s education.  Yeah – we have more to do.

But, something got done, and that ain’t nothin.  Global markets are souring on the American dollar, so maybe that will serve as a wake-up call.  We took a ride on a really dangerous precipice, so perhaps that will focus the nation’s attention.

Either that, or we’ll moan and groan for a day, then get back to our reality shows and playing Angry Birds.