WHOSE PEAS ARE WE GOING TO EAT??

They say money makes the world go round--but it appears it can also stop a country----say" hello, and haven't we met before?"to a debt crisis that won't go away and threatens to shut down at least some parts of our government if congress doesn't come to some sort of agreement by Aug.2. Who cares?  Everybody should.  But in case you haven't been paying enough. attention, Pres. Obama tried to grab it last Tuesday when he threatened that among other things, social security checks may fail to go out, along with veterans' checks---'the money just isn't there', he gravely said. Interestingly, it seems to be there for many other things near and dear to Obama's heart---things like his health care program, education, railroad projects, etc. that he has declared unnegotiable and untouchable. His attempts to appear a wise counselor to both parties, urging them to negotiate, compromise, and get the job done for " the American people" dissolved  with that less than honest and very heavy handed scare tactic----time to roll out the big guns and blame the carnage on the Republicans.  Let's be real-- though there will be consequences if the debt limit isn't raised, the president has no intentions of being the bad guy by selectively cutting off the social security and veterans' checks-- the money is there for those very important things---he knows it, and the Republicans know it---but Obama's banking that the general public doesn't know it, and that by making his dire pronouncements he can appear the white hatted cowboy, and intimidate the Repubs into caving, so as not to blamed for a shut down.  It's a hot mess in Washington as both sides play this high stakes game down to the wire.

Meanwhile, the Republicans are holding the line against not raising taxes for anyone, including the rich---without at least some serious spending cuts. The Dems, who feel strongly that a tax increase  on  the rich is the only righteous key to  unlocking the debt crisis,  have given a little in discretionary cuts, but nothing very substantial or that will make much difference in the bulging debt load. While on the surface, this battle over taxes seems purely economical, it is much more serious.  It is the ultimate philosophical difference between the two parties and has everything to do with believing in a larger or smaller government; and while common sense would dictate compromise, this time there appears to be little room for such manuevering---because to do so, will be to give in to the other's political core values and forsake one's own.  The wiggle room usually present has been crowded out by a Democrat controlled Senate, and a House full of newly elected members sent by angry conservatives demanding change from the current administration's very liberal policies. This is a simmering pot of differences which has finally come to a roiling boil, and could be one of the most interesting, game changing events we have seen in many years, as the leaders of both parties meet behind closed doors, trying so far in vain to find common ground.

 President Obama, who earlier in his parental syle, announced "we", meaning the Repubs, need to "eat our peas", and get on with passing his budget---with no intention of appeasing, no pun intended, the Republican's wishes. Mr. Obama walked out of a meeting last week, irately announcing "enough is enough"-----really, Mr. President. Telling us to eat our vegetables and huffing out of the room is not the way to lead a country.  Perhaps you should consider that others have had enough of your  some would say, Chicago style politics, and that you need to rise above your own idealogy and figure out how to do what's right for this country---get control of the budget now, not 10 years down the line, as is currently proposed by the Dems. It is no longer a blame game or a chicken game or a game of chess---the people want out of this budget crisis, and are longing for leadership. Unfortunately, it is clear that this president has decided to no longer try to play the middle, but is running hard to the left and for his next election--come hell or high water.

Along comes Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Republican leader, with a compromising plan which just might do the  trick---his plan is to allow for debt increases, accompanied by cuts, in the form of three increments, each time requiring  congressional approval---all to be done with  spending cuts and without any tax increases. It looks good at first glance, but the conservative Republicans are not happy for fear they will look like push-overs to their constituents and that spending cuts will either be not enough or vetoed by Obama---but they may not have a choice.  For now, the Dems and Obama are in control and that's not going to change until the next election.  Obama's threat this week to Majority leader, Eric Cantor , "don't call my bluff", may be just what's happening, if he takes this deal---the burden will be placed squarely on his shoulders, and he will either live or die with it.  The Repubs in the meantime, will have accomplished at least the no tax increase demands by their party, without appearing the intransigent, uncompromising bad guys in the black hats. Brilliant strategy, if it works---and it may be the only hope we have for a settlement before the August 2 deadline closing in fast. Nobody loses a lot of face, the debt ceiling gets a lift, with no taxes---yet.  Also, as this is being written, another proposal is being voted on by the House by the Republicans--"Cap, Cut, and Balance",  which is a bold attempt to force deep cuts and a balanced budget ammendment to the constitution, hasn't a chance to pass the Senate ---and Obama has already threatened to vetoe it. The negotiating  meetings will continue and perhaps by the time this blog is posted, some form of agreement will have been reached to keep us from falling off the cliff----but keep your parachutes ready. 

It must be difficult for a young, whip smart President who rode in on such hope and change to realize that he cannot bend a whole country to his will by speaking well and  playing hard ball when the going gets tough.  He too must eat his peas, settle down, and learn his lessons---or be replaced.  Underneath this very gifted, likable  man who could have been great, is a dedicated, ideological politician who appears somewhat spoiled by earler success, is used to getting his own way ----how sad for all of us that his talents couldn't have been used to lead this country by blending and compromising the left with the right, by showing us  that while we are all different, he could lead us to a place where we could begin to feel we are actually taking a pre-emptive strike  against financial disaster instead of tap dancing around the problem, increasing  taxes on an already weary and weak economy, and passing the debts down to future generations. Time and again, he has forced his will---chances are, given the power he wields , he will do it again, The game of Chicken will finally come to an end as the Repubs will surely blink as they approach the brink of disaster with no presidential or senate parachute. They  can either cave and lose the war, thereby escaping the reason for the shut down; or stand on principle , thereby causing serious damage, but perhaps come back to fight the battle another day---truly a conundrum with epic consequences either way.

The elusive, coveted "American people", not the politicians, will finally decide the ultimate winners and losers, but we will all share in the results of the decisions made soon in Washington. What will they be?  The great irony is that at this moment in time, with our future hanging in the balance,and the stakes so high, all bets are off---should it be this hard to rescue a country on its way down?