It sounds like we can’t figure out how to cut the budget enough to satisfy the conservatives in Congress to prevent shutting down the government is Friday.

How about we simply stop buying F-22 fighter planes? The Air Force originally wanted to order 750 planes at a total cost of $26 billion, starting production in 1994. By now the program is grossly over budget, and plans are to buy a total of 183 fighters and $34 billion will  have been spent on procurement and another $28 billion on design and ramp-up, making for a total cost of $339 million per aircraft.

Instead, we’re cutting Head Start programs for the children of the poorest of the poor, we are taking money away from schools and colleges, we’re shaving a few million dollars off nature conservation programs and we’re cutting off unemployment benefits. Brilliant.

Let’s not touch cruise missiles at $1.41 million each, and F-22 fighters at $339 million each.

Let’s instead have a government shutdown on Friday, just in time for April 15, the day our taxes are due. I assume with the government shut down, there won’t be mail delivery to the IRS and we’re all off the hook.

Please, please, shut down the government!