Budget Hero - Election Edition: Can you handle the federal budget? Web-based video game is sobering

It's a web-based game that's been around for a while.  But in this highly charged political season, 'Budget Hero' seems all the more timely.  

This 'Election Edition' gives you a real taste of just what kind of bind we're in.

The interactive game was put together by the Wilson Center and the Public Insight Network .

Budget Hero is, at first, kind of fun.  But as you play on, the challenge from the cartoon-like appearance makes you want to go out and crack some political skulls.

For starters, it asks you to identify your values, or badges.  You get to pick three from a list.

Just a few of the tough questions you face in Budget Hero:  What would you do with our tax dollars?  What would you cut?  What would you do about Social Security? The Military?  Education?  And so on.

On thing is for sure, it offers up an irksome dose of reality.  It seems the furthest out most players can keep the government up and running is 2040.

As the Washington Post's Dana Milbank wrote in his September 20 column , Budget Hero shows "...the proposals floating about on Capitol Hill are kid stuff."

Click here to play Budget Hero or follow this link: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/budget-hero-game