I have a crazy idea, just raise the damn debt ceiling.

With all the talk about a Grand Bargain, budget cuts, and tax increases, how about ending the political maneuvering and just raising the debt ceiling? Wall Street has put the fear of money into the US Senate. Mitch McConnell is so terrified, he is willing to anger the Tea Party. Now, the only two people preventing a clean debt ceiling increase is John Boehner and Barack Obama. At any moment, Boehner can bring a clean debt ceiling bill to the House floor, and a combination of Republican and Democrats will pass the it. Barack Obama is just wasting time and muddying the debt ceiling issue with his idiotic Grand Bargain. If these two men would set aside politics for the best interest of the country, this faux crisis would end.

John Boehner is the weak Speaker of the House that has wedged himself between the Speaker's Office, his Party, and the country. He is desperate and looking for a way out of his self-imposed Hell. The problem is there is only two ways out, Obama and Democrats must completely capitulate(possible), or Boehner must back-door the Tea Party and risk losing his Speaker's office. Since the Tea Party regard any tax increase as a betrayal and a capitulation, and as long as option one is viable, then Boehner wont take option two. But the closer we get to Aug. 2nd, Boehner will have to raise the debt ceiling, and Obama should know it.

Obama has three options, Compromise, Capitulation, or Fight. Sorry, any other President would have three options but it's Obama, therefore, he has one option, Capitulation. If Obama had demanded a clean debt ceiling increase from the start and used all his political power to further that goal, this crisis would be over. Or, Obama could simply use the 14th Amendment and order the Treasury Secretary to continue borrowing. Obama's version of Compromise (6:1, budget cuts to tax increases) is Capitulation. The closer we get to Aug. 2nd, the more likely Obama and Corporate Whore/Poverty Pimp Democrats will agree to anything, and Boehner knows it.

The fact that both Obama and Boehner know the other will capitulate and their respective Party's have small minorities of "Principled" Politicians(oxymoron) prevents them from doing what is necessary to end this faux crisis. The problem is Boehner is trying to protect his Speaker's job, and Obama is trying his version of Punching a Hippie or Sista Souljah.

Ultimately, I lay the blame for this faux crisis at the feet of Barack Obama, his weakness and refusal to lead emboldened the Tea Party Republicans to the point of lunacy. There is no substitute for Presidential Leadership, and it seems that the poor, the elderly, and the sick will pay the cost for Obama's character flaws. If the Obama capitulation succeeds(re-elected), future Democratic President will use the least among us to bolster their re-election potential by stepping on and over the elderly, the poor, and the sick.

Last week, Obama compared his compromises to President Abraham Lincoln's statements to win the Civil War, hold the Union together, and free the Slaves. Like Nixon could go to China, only Lincoln could compromise on the pace of Abolition. After Lincoln's necessary political compromises, the slaves were free, the Union was preserved, and the North won. The country was better off. With regard to foreign policy, after Nixon's compromises, America and China had a better relationship. After Obama's compromises, Medicare, Medicaid, and SSI will be cut. The Rich will enjoy lower tax rates while the middle class continues to suffer. 14 million people will still be out of work while Obama continues to export American jobs. Outrageous Defense spending and 3 Wars will continue while we cut student aid and home heating oil assistance. I have studied Nixon and Lincoln, and Mr Obama is no Nixon(foreign policy) or Lincoln.