Debt Ceiling Reality Checks

The current debt ceiling mess cries out for some reality checks. Two come immediately to mind.

1. Where’s your plan, Obama?

Again and again, Obama has appeared before the cameras and microphones to take pot shots at Republicans and play class warfare. But where is his plan? Speaker Boehner has a plan. Harry Reid (finally) has a plan. The Gang of Six had their plan. Where is Obama’s plan? He pontificates about leadership. Where is his leadership?

And why doesn’t the news media ask where his plan is? For a while there it seemed Obama had a press conference a day. But I cannot recall a single time the press asked Obama, “Where’s your plan?” (And I freely admit that there is only so much Obama I can stomach. So perhaps the question has been asked. If so, I’ve missed it.)

So Obama has the “audacity” to pontificate but not offer his own plan. And the press is letting him get away with it.

2. It is time for the declare victory and move on to future battles.

Given, that the Democrats have the White House and the Senate, there is only so much that can be done now. And (another reality check), the debt ceiling has to be raised for now. I do not think a default is likely if it is not raised. But U. S. debt downgrades and chaos in the financial markets would be likely.

And you know who would get blamed for it. Yes, I know. It is Obama and the Democrats who are most responsible for this debt situation. And it is Obama who killed a debt deal this past weekend. But it is all the Republicans’ fault anyway. At least that is how it will be perceived with help from the “Mainstream” news media.

Now, a part of me wants to say #$%& the Feds! Shut ‘er down! But the resulting financial chaos would harm the economy and play right into Obama’s hands for 2012.

Charles Krauthammer, as usual, is right. The Tea Party needs to declare victory and move on to future battles, particularly the 2012 election. And the Tea Party is winning. The issue now is how much in spending cuts, and tax hikes are off the table. And that is a big turnaround in the direction of our politics in a short time.

We need to keep that turnaround going and not engage in a self-defeating refusal to accept what progress we can make now. We need to pick our battles, not give it all away in a foolish one. Remember, Democrats still have the White House and the Senate. We have to deal with that reality now and change that reality in 2012.