Debt Ceiling and Plastic TesticlesDear Mark: What is it with the tea party? That crazy wing of the Republican Party is holding up the raising of the debt ceiling because of their stubborn principles. Don't they understand by not compromising they are going to ruin this country by collapsing the economy? John Boehner's plan seems fairly reasonable, so why won't they compromise? — Do the Debt Deal in Delaware Dear Do: Principles can be such a nuisance to Democrats, especially when they differ from their number one principle that government knows best and should spend as much of somebody else's money as possible to enforce that principle. The tea party, which has been demonized, vilified and mischaracterized by the likes of President Obama, Harry Reid and the head of the Democrat National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, has one guiding principle. That principle is that our government is too large and spends too much money. Seems harmless enough. Speaking of compromise, I have used this analogy before. Let's say you believe two plus two equals six, and I say it equals four, and then you propose a compromise that two plus two equals five, and we agree to that compromise. That is not a compromise because two plus two definitely does not equal five. The agreement is factually inaccurate and just plain wrong, no matter how many votes one can muster to support the agreement. I use this analogy to bring up the debt issue debate that has inflamed Washington. The numbers do not lie, as the budget deficit for 2011 is expected to be $1.6 trillion. According to the Office of Management and Budget, the deficit in 2012 will be $1.1 trillion. In 2013, it will be $767 billion — but only if the economy significantly improves.
The reason the tea party is in an uncompromising mood is that politicians have fooled them with broken promises, clever accounting tricks and sleight of hand for far too long. Because of the 2010 November elections, the magic show is officially over and the tea party is pulling back the curtain. Democrats are acting as if Boehner's plan is the most draconian proposal in all of history, yet his plan merely proposes spending cuts of $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. Democrats are shedding more tears than the "Oprah" finale. The reality is that at the current spending levels, the national debt will increase by almost $10 trillion, and Boehner's plan barely scratches the surface. What will Democrats do when the tough decisions need to be made? You'd better build an ark for those tears. Dear Mark: Our government is constantly overreaching into our business, but this one takes the cake. A woman in South Carolina is facing a jury trial for a ticket she received for hanging plastic testicles on the back of her pickup truck. There are so many other problems that our police should worry about, and plastic testicles should be at the bottom of that list. — Good Government Gone Groin Dear Good: When I first read the story, I thought the truck belonged to Hillary Clinton and the parts hanging on the trailer hitch belonged to Bill. Actually, I'd like to call up that novelty company and have an order sent to Washington. Fake testicles have got to work better than what our politicians are currently using to solve our economic problems. Dear Mark is a public platform for your enrichment and entertainment. E-mail your questions to marklevy92@aol.com. To find out more about Mark Levy, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM 
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