More than usual, Congress has flamed with hypocrisy over the past two weeks. With decisive votes they have demonstrated that austerity is something you inflict on others, not something you and your kind should endure.  The notion that the nation shares equally in the pain of budget cuts has been utterly incinerated.

First there was the catastrophe of eliminating Saturday postal deliveries. The bankrupted U.S. Postal Service was driven to desperation in proposing that Saturday delivery would be eliminated as a necessary step toward preserving its viability.  It was clearly an unpopular move that would affect most every citizen adversely.

But we know U.S. citizens will suffer whatever hardship is necessary to avoid deficits, don’t we?  We realize that we can’t spend money we don’t have, or so the deficit hawks remind us.  But no, this was an inconvenience too far! Rural voters were outraged by this threat to their six-day-mail-delivery way of life. Congress heard their cry and thwarted the economy measure proposed by the Postal Service.  Saturday mail delivery must stand, deficits or no!

Then there were the air traffic controller furloughs forced by the dreaded sequester. Suddenly the lack of substitute controllers was slowing down air traffic. The nation was experiencing flight delays. Business traffic was impeded, and citizens who could afford regular air travel were inconvenienced.

Turns out it was a problem easily solved by voting to allow money to be transferred from one account to another. Congress was happy to oblige before departing for a well-earned Spring Break.  Voters were mollified to see their representatives respond quickly to their needs.

Of course we know that this is just the beginning of crises engendered by the mindless sequester, budget slashing on the mere principle of promoting austerity.  We know that programs for education and health care are threatened. But who will speak for those who benefit from these programs and who will listen?  Is pre-school education as important as timely air traffic flow or Saturday mail delivery?

It goes back to the biblical principle, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:21). We have seen how our treasured six-day-mail-delivery and timely air travel can move Congress to action. What can we expect for services to the poor and the unemployed? Can we afford services that help a minority of citizens, even a substantial minority?  Or will we return to the tarnished principle of not spending what we don’t have?

The deficit mantra is sounding more and more hollow, as Congress springs to action to provide for those that provide for them.  The notion of what the federal budget can afford is driven entirely by the self-interest of the budget-makers.  Those who can not afford the lobbyists or lack electoral potency will suffer on the false principle of austerity.

What treasure we have in this country has been devoted to an extra day of mail delivery and the conviction that our flights must leave on time.