Try paying your Mastercard bill with your American Express card. It won’t get you anywhere for two reasons. First, it forces you to pay for money you’ve already spent with money you don’t have. And, second, doing so digs you further into debt. Yet, this is exactly what Washington is doing with each new stimulus dollar and each new bailout bill.

I can’t say I’m surprised either…according to a J.P. Morgan research report, a mere 8% of President Obama’s cabinet has real world experience…no wonder the policy wonks and academics think the bailout is such a great idea. Yeesh.