Budget follies are in full swing in the nation's capital once again. Republicans, who agreed to automatic cuts a few months ago, are now trying to find a way to avoid defense cuts.

Not because the cuts would hurt national defense, but because the cuts would hurt defense contractors, who contribute to Republican candidates, when they aren't contributing to Democratic candidates or both.

Why can't rules stick? Republicans propose balanced budgets, but after agreeing with Democrats so there is no danger of passage. How's that for rule making?

The problem is quite simple: The players are making the rules for the game as they play. Imagine a ball game where both teams have to agree on rules during the game. The ball game would never get over and would not be fun to watch.

But baseball games do get over and they are fun. Why? Because there is an umpire, who calls balls, strikes, safe and out. With no arguments, well, a few, the umpire is always in charge.

Who is the umpire for Congress? That would be us, the voting public. Or rather half of the 21.4 percent of us who turned out for the city of Covington elections. Or one half of the 40.9 percent who turn out for highest office elections, governor, house/senate, president.

With a little more than 20 percent of us calling balls/strikes, safe/out, do you see why Congress is a mess? It is a mess we can clean up. But only by the other 80 percent of us voting. So we need to go to the polls and vote.

Vote how? Vote against every incumbent, whether Republican or Democrat (or other) for the next twelve years. Every election. Let's clean that rat's nest out. And keep it clean.

Patrick Durusau is a Covington resident.