A little uneasy: Did we hear you right? Erskine Bowles is going to fix the deficit?

Everyone wondered why UNC system president Erskine Bowles was resigning his cushy post so abruptly.

Could it be that the investigation into the former Gov. Mike Easley scandals was turning up the heat on state government? Could it be the fact that he helped facilitate an $800,000 job for the former governor's wife and he thought it best to fade into the woodwork?

Nope. It is even better than that.

He is going to Washington to help President Barack Obama fix the deficit.

All of a sudden, do you kind of understand why Indiana moderate Democrat Sen. Evan Bayh is headed back to the private sector?

The problem with Washington is that it is full of retreads -- people who have served and use that service to call in favors and to get fancy jobs.

If you don't sense there might be a little politicking going on here, you should be reminded: Erskine Bowles was White House chief of staff in the Clinton administration.

Now, here is the next giggle.

We bet that if we asked just about anyone walking around the United States right now they could tell us how to cut the deficit.

OK, say it all together now: Stop spending money you do not have.

And while you are at it, quit hiring the same old demagogues with little to no real world experience to run the country.

Get someone who has had to make a payroll.

There, problem solved.

Published in Editorials on February 17, 2010 10:47 AM