Most Americans know that the mortgage must get paid monthly, taxes must be filed by April 15 and due dates on bills are not just suggestions.

Congress, however, keeps skating by its reckoning dates. Another fiscal year began yesterday, and guess what? Congress had not passed most spending bills required for fiscal 2008.

Washington's headed toward another government shutdown. President Bush – rightly – wants the Democratic Congress to hew to his request of $922 billion for defense and discretionary spending (roads, law enforcement, health initiatives, etc.). But the Democrats want another $23 billion.

The next weeks could be perilous to the pocketbook. Shutdowns usually mean one thing: Lawmakers start throwing money into spending proposals to get the government running again.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a Dallas Republican, has a good alternative. His legislation would take the shutdown off the table. Instead, unfinished spending bills would remain at present levels until Congress authorizes new ones. Capitol Hill then could finish the budget without the shutdown threats.

We like this, but keep in mind that the lid Mr. Bush and Mr. Hensarling want on discretionary spending affects only one-third of the budget. The rest is spent automatically for programs such as Medicare.

Fortunately, Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota and GOP Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio have a sane proposal to deal with that other two-thirds. They want a panel to recommend how to curb the growth in entitlement programs; Congress would have a period in which to consider the recommendations and then vote on them as a package.

These two proposals are more than a Washington issue, by the way.

The more Congress controls spending, the less debt is placed on the books. The less debt, the less Washington borrows. The less borrowing, the more interest rates stay low. The more rates stay low, the more businesses have access to capital. The more access, the more jobs. The more jobs, the more choices for workers.

Seen through a worker's eyes, what's not for Washington to like?