Something similar has been the case in the rough-and-tumble competition known as legislating. Whenever Congress takes up a bill, the Congressional Budget Office "scores" it — that is, it provides an independent assessment of how much money the legislation will cost or raise.

The CBO has long enjoyed a reputation for objectivity, but now some conservatives are clamoring for changes that would undermine the CBO's independence and lead to bigger, hidden federal deficits.

The critics are pushing to dump the current director, Doug Elmendorf. Elmendorf, first appointed in 2009 when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress and reappointed in 2011 when control was split, has a well-earned reputation for facing down political pressure from both parties.

Even more ominously, there is also a push to order the CBO director — be it Elmendorf or someone new — to adopt something called "dynamic scoring."
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