National Mall / HealthCare Debacle Metaphor

Yep. Put them in charge of 1/5 of the economy.

Crumbling sidewalks near the Jefferson Memorial are sinking into the Tidal Basin. Reflecting pools are filled with green, smelly water. And millions of visitors have trampled the soil into virtual concrete where grass can't grow.

So they'll fix it right? Just like they'll assign funds properly to 1/5 of the economy, right? Yeah, right.

Last year, when dozens of ducks and ducklings died of avian botulism because the water in a mall pool near the Capitol was so fetid, and as urgent repairs were needed to stop the Jefferson Memorial's sea wall from sinking into the mud, the Senate killed a $3.5 million earmark for the mall.

Instead, funding went to projects back home. All told, Congress sent home more than $181 million in earmarks through the park service budget last year - an election year - according to data compiled by the group Taxpayers for Common Sense and analyzed by the AP. Nearly half that money was driven by lawmakers who were on the House and Senate appropriations committees.

Wait. You mean, given the choice between maintaining a decent park for everyone and giving money to their own voting bloc, they choose the latter? I'm shocked. Shocked I tell you.

At least we know that congress is so competent at running things that service will be efficient and without any wait times. Oh hell.

And now we are promised a tax increase for this wonderful service? Well, damn. Why didn't you tell me in the first place? Sign me up, man.

Less care. More waits. More inefficient. Higher taxes. Less choice. It has all the makings of success!