I'm listening to an NPR talk show on Dubya's budget in which former Republican House budget chair John Kasich just gave an impassioned speech about how partisan bickering in Washington keeps serious problems, like the budget deficit, from being addressed.

When Clinton left office, there was a small, nominal surplus. Since then, Republicans have had firm control of all three branches of government. There is now a huge budget deficit.

Due, of course, to partisan bickering.