The Illinois Budget: A Parable

You are subsidizing your child.  Each month you give them money for food, rent, and necessities.  Your child, instead of spending all the money on what they're supposed to, spends a big chunk on hookers and blow, putting the difference on credit cards.

After awhile, your child comes to you and admits they spent a bit more than the were supposed to and asks if they can have a bit more money to cover the credit card bills and expenses.  You agree. They then go out and spend that money on more hookers and blow, throwing parties for their friends.

This cycle continues until the child's credit cards are all maxed out, the companies are threatening legal action, they're about to get thrown out of their apartment, and yet the child STILL is spending what they get on hookers and blow instead of food, rent, etc. because the parties are so popular with their friends.

Do you continue to give the child more and more money thinking they'll suddenly be responsible with it and at the cost of your own livelihood or do you cut them off as much as possible until they PROVE they're responsible?

This is the question facing Illinois in a nutshell.

Thus endeth the lesson.