So let’s say you’re sitting around on a Saturday afternoon, thinking, “Well shucks, I’d sure like to finally get around to solving America’s national debt problem today, but I’m really starting to get a little soft in the middle … maybe I should go outside and get some exercise instead.”
We’ve all been there, right? Well, worry no more: Budgetball is here!
Budgetball is, no lie, “an active sport of quick passes, tough defense, and bold comebacks designed to increase awareness of the national debt and reward strategic thinking and collaborative problem-solving around the issues of fiscal responsibility.”
After looking around the sport’s website, it appears to be kind of like a cross between Ultimate frisbee and dodgeball, with the added twist that teams can earn advantages by effectively managing a pool of fake money throughout the game. (Full rules are here.)
Because I am a huge dork, this actually sounds really fun … Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is apparently on board, as is former Comptroller General David Walker. The game was developed by the National Academy of Public Administration with help from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, so it’s clearly got a little bit of Beltway clout. Maybe it’s only a matter of time before President Obama and his economic advisers are spotted heading for the National Mall with a volleyball, some plastic cones, an inflatable pool toy, and two pairs of oven mitts. (What?)
