Congerss and the Budget Process

In engaging in a budget simulation “game”, I have discovered just how difficult it is to craft a budget. Politicians in Congress have a devoted voter base that they must make sure is represented. This was showcased in the game through the three medals, or goals that you had to choose at the beginning of the game. To meet these goals, you must be sure to keep programs that your following supports, and/or cut those it does not. There are a few major issues a member of Congress must consider when crafting a budget. The first of these is bluntly to craft a budget that is reasonable, offering a decent amount of government programs/benefits, while simultaneously trying to minimize the amount of debt created. Secondly, the members of congress must worry about the consequences of the programs they cut on the general populace. I too, was confronted with these issues when playing the simulation. To be successful in the simulation, you must carefully choose what your “trophies” or aims are. You must cut and adopt certain programs in order to fill up each trophy to completion, one half of the battle in crafting a good budget. Therefore it is best to pick trophies that represent similar aims. Each issue is shown with its price, pros, and cons. It seems rather simple to just have to cut programs willy-nilly, that is where the cons come in. The cons illustrate the social impact that cutting a certain program will have. This doesn’t play much of a role in game terms, but it allows players to see what an actual member of Congress would be faced with when cutting programs from the budget. Lastly, I needed to make sure I not only made a feasible budget for this year, but watch the meter in the bottom right corner. I needed to ensure that this budget would prevent the government from going bankrupt in the years to come. Decisions like these help to create a multifaceted approach to elucidating the process by which our Congress members must deal with the budget process, creating a somewhat accurate, yet entertaining simulation.