When I have a slow day at my restaurant I do a fast calculation of my assets: dishes, booths, kitchen equipment and other paid-up assets. It just makes me feel better after a slow business day that I am going to be OK. I look at our country's debt and want to add up the assets our country has. The American worker and family that is honest and puts in a hard day's work to support their family, that is worth a lot for our country, but what about our country's debits? 15 trillion in debt, leadership on both sides at a standstill, spending more money than we are taking in. It is hard to see a future for our country unless we get this under control and I mean to the point of national legislators watching every penny. I tell my servers one straw per drink, not two, but one. In Washington DC we can not even afford one straw for our politicians' milk cartons during their nap break. About 3 years ago I asked Vern Elhers' aid about having a balanced budget amendment. Some people say that this is not the compassionate thing to do but I think that we have no choice. A friend of mine told me about his family member who could not budget money and was always behind on bills. He would help her with money but finally said, "I will help you out by giving you a budget and financial advise." This was one family member caring about another. I picture the balanced budget amendment as the same thing: us caring about our country and getting things in order. I am still waiting for Vern Ehlers' aid to call me back about the balanced budget amendment. Maybe his aid could not afford the minutes on his government cell phone. I can understand that. Remember one straw per drink when you come in my place and if you're at Chilli's ask for three.
