I came across this piece: An Open Letter to Speaker Boehner From a Game Designer, which looks at the current budget impasse from a different point of view.
We haven’t met, so let me introduce myself. I’m Mike Selinker, a game designer from Seattle. I’ve worked on lots of games, mostly board and card games. It’s my job to entertain people, and it’s a far less important one than you have. But every now and then, my job can be useful for someone who has one like yours. I hope today is one of those occasions.
I’d like to talk to you about something you said on Friday, October 4. You said, referring to the government shutdown, “This isn’t some damn game!”
I would like to commend you for that statement, because as a game designer, I can tell you that it’s absolutely true. But I think you’ve only scratched the surface of why.
That’s because the shutdown your party caused isn’t a game. It’s a puzzle.
The writer goes on to elaborate on the differences between games and puzzles and how the rules for both apply -- or not -- to the current situation in our government.
I found it an interesting take and thought I'd share.