As I’ve said before, I’m not a real economist. I’m a health services researcher and a pediatrician. So, when I stray too far from health policy, I’m sometimes a little out of my element.
Take the debt ceiling, for instance.
Since Congress passed a budget not too long ago (both sides, by the way) that included a rather large amount of deficit spending, how can they now refuse to fund said budget? I can understand fighting for a budget that reduces the deficit. But passing a budget with a deficit, and then refusing to allow us to borrow the money to pay for it? How does that make sense? This is not a rhetorical question. I wish someone would ask a ranking member of Congress.
Here’s an idea, though. What if – to avoid default – the Treasury stops paying health benefits for members of Congress? Can you imagine the screaming?
