Um, the U.S. federal government will be spending something like $3.4 trillion in the fiscal year beginning at the end of this month.
That's pretty much the exact opposite of truly "penniless."
As for gridlocked, sure, it's going to be difficult for the Dems to expand Obamacare, and it's going to be difficult for the GOP to repeal Obamacare, so by that crabbed version of "gridlocked" the author has a point.
But in reality, you'll see 99% of appropriations bills (measured by pages of text) over the next few months become law with enthusiastic bipartisan votes. You'll see the NSA's budget increased for next year by an enthusiastic bipartisan vote. You'll see the number of new federal regulations expand every year with no outcry from any U.S. senator of either major party. Etc.
That's pretty much the exact opposite of truly "gridlocked."
On a more HN-relevant point, the author's suggestion of fixing the VA is something that needs to be done by the Feds, not an app. They created these serious, systemic problems for veterans and they're the only ones that have the legal authority (and responsibility) to implement a fix. The WSJ has been writing for years about sensible plans for VA reform but nobody in D.C. seems to be listening.