It's hard to hold a candle/In the cold November rain.
Once the election's over, it's all downhill from here if you're not a winner. They are not long, these days of wine and roses--or, perhaps, Guns and Roses.
Yes, I did vote. But in general, I am awfully disaffected when it comes to current politics. For this reason, then, it was ironic that I read the following item about the federal budget yesterday, Election Day.
(Note: Hey, don't stop reading! Most people's eyes glaze over at the mention of the federal budget, and in many ways I am no exception. However, this process is where the government spends our tax dollars, so it is in theory worth following.) The government's appropriations are usually decided in a series of 13 appropriations bills related to different federal departments. As a rule (but not often in practice), this process is supposed to be completed by October 1.
To date, the only two appropriations bills for FY 2003 that have been signed into law this year are for Defense and Military Construction.
Good to know: whatever happens, we can always afford war.
Also, The American Institute of Physics keeps a vigilant eye on this stuff, with an interest in the scientific bills. Here's a recent update.
Posted at November 06, 2002 09:23 PM