It is our position that big government has become counterproductive. The president of the United States and Congress are treating the national budget crisis like a big game of “Kick the Can.” The “can” symbolizes major issues that go decades without resolution and continue to affect the livelihood of the American people. Nothing seems to get resolved as the “can” is kicked further down the road just so the players can keep the game going, i.e., remain in office to collect a handsome salary and lifelong benefits.

The latest such issue involves a government shutdown resulting in hundreds of thousands of federal employees being furloughed with interruptions in service affecting government contractors and consumers. The shutdown will cost taxpayers even more money with the promise of interest on back pay owed to furloughed employees.

Perhaps the president and Congress should move their game to the sandbox where they can all learn to get along. Continuing an endless federal spending spree on credit is really no different than recklessly racking up debt on a personal credit card and having the limit raised so it doesn’t have to be paid off. New debt ceilings can’t be purchased at the hardware store. They come at a much higher cost.