Budget Lock Up: America Held Hostage

I imagine this photo would appeal most right now to everyone in the “pox on both their houses” school.  Last photo I remember of a White House entry through that chained fence involved General McChrystal — right before Obama gave him the boot.  This shot, on the other hand, offering Reid and Boehner slipping into the big house for another media-enthralling, late night, 11th hour budget wrangle has a wonderful penal system vibe to it.

Why the association to prison, and prison negotiations and hostage-negotiations, even (with Washington juggling the well-being of social services and federal employees and student loan payments, etc., and with this budget exercise serving only as a prelude to an assuredly far-nastier and far-wider ranging impending next-budget battle), is beyond me.

Guards? Guards!!

(photo: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images. caption: Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) (L) and Speaker of the House Leader Representative John Boehner (R-OH) walk back to the West Wing after speaking to the press after a meeting with Congressional leaders at the White House April 6, 2011 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama met with Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Speaker of the House Leader Representative John Boehner (R-OH) to break a stalemate in budget negotiations between the White House and Congress which could force the federal government to close on Friday.)