I am a political beast.  The American process fascinates me, even more so now that it has become so polarizing.

I am what I call a reformed Republican.

When I registered just before my 18th birthday I was a very proud “R”.  It was me on my rebellion kick where I was determined to not be my mother who was a proud “D”.

I have always taken our version of Democracy seriously, more serious than most of my peers I am somewhat sad to say.  It simply interested me and fascinated me and it was a great study of people, and I like to watch.

I was never one to allow someone else to tell me what my opinion should be, that I will take to the grave.

What has happened though over the years is that my rigidity about issues has softened and I understand compromise slightly better.

It is no secret that I did not cast a vote for Barak Obama for President.  It should also not be a secret that I expect to cast my first vote for him on 2012.  What can I say?  I was not an immediate fan of Bill Clinton either.

My primary issue for not voting for Obama was that I did not find him qualified for the position when he ran the first time.  Even though he is still making rookie mistakes, 4 years of acceptable if not spectacular performance negates that argument.

He may not be what I wanted, but he is what I have, and he is better than the alternative.

What has troubled me the most about the Obama Administration has been its inability to convey its platform and its economic message in a manner that the American people can understand.

Perhaps I just have a warped vizion of America, and I think that most people would like universal health care  –  jobs  – and stability.

I think that Republicans as a whole do a much better job of defining an issues, closing rank, and beating a dead horse that the great grandchildren go ENOUGH already.

—- explains why I started out as an “R” —-

I learned for me?  How the right operates is how I am built, but my heart is on the left.

Yet the left seems to not be as cut throat as I need them to be about the things I find important.

This debt ceiling thing troubles me.

It is not that I think that the debt ceiling won’t be raised. It will be.

My issue is how the debate has been shaped, and the buy in of the American people, that it is important to combine this issue, with spending cuts to preserve our future.

Spending cuts are not the issue, in fact we are not spending enough to return our economy from one step on a banana peel and the other in the grave to something viable with the possibility of growth.  I can understand the hesitation though….

When Republicans have convinced you that Social Security and Medicare are not a self correcting problem, well then it is easy to panic.

This afternoon Mr. President gave a statement about the state of the negotiations.  I hate when I hear him use that word, it seems that since taking office the man has done more capitulating than negotiating…but he was on the television none the less.

I absolutely agree with him that the debt ceiling must be raised, and that it must not become an issue again until after all the votes are counted in 2011.

This has become too big of a distraction for it to be allowed to return in 6 months.

It is too big of a distraction because there is a segment of Congress that has decided to draw a line in the sand, over an issue that can NEVER be a line in the sand.

This recession we are in is not the fault of Barak Obama, we are still living the leftovers of George Bush.  While I would have preferred to see the President do MORE to move us along, as Billy Joel sang, he didn’t start the fire.

Not raising the debt ceiling spells economic apocalypse in one of two ways.

We choose to not pay our bills, our credit rating takes a hit, and triggers a world wide depression no trillions of budget cuts will correct.

We choose to make a one time partial payment of our bills, and leave 70 million checks the government would typically issue to Americans unsent.  If our payments to AMERICANS are not made on August 1, 2, and 3rd….we trigger a world wide depression that no trillions of budget cuts will correct.

America may no longer be the stand alone leader of the world, but we still have the deepest pockets and the biggest greed.

Think of a nation at a stand still because:

no government contractors are paid
no social security checks are sent
no disability checks are sent
no survivors benefits are sent
no veteran’s pensions are sent

Then think of the impact on:

gas stations
grocery stores
utility services
mortgage companies

Then think of the impact on:

buying clothing
buying hair products
buying deodorant
buying things like Tylenol and hydrogen peroxide

Then explain to me how this already hampered nation moves forward after a month of stationary angst.

Then explain to me how if America does not move forward, how ANY other nation moves forward if the country that is propelling a middle class in China, India and the continent of Africa, no longer has a middle class to spend money.

The President explained that he is willing to make cuts in ‘entitlements’ – while I do not agree they are necessary, I understand why he is will to at least talk about it.

The President also explained that he is willing to shoulder the responsibility alone of raising the debt ceiling.  Take the McConnel plan and implement it, and allow the President to be the lone person to blame.

The problem with that?  He would also be the lone person to take the credit when it works.

While the Tea Party and its members are dancing on the debt ceiling, are we paying attention?

Is the debt really a bigger problem than unemployment numbers creeping towards double digits?

I have an opinion…but it’s not something I can talk about right now.

I am preparing for economic apocalypse.

The President is confident that it will not occur…but then again he also thought he could bring change to Washington DC.