President Obama told us during his Monday press conference he will summon congressional "leaders" to the White House every day if necessary to solve our debt crisis.  When asked by a reporter about the sixty-nine percent of Americans who do not want the United States to go any further in debt, he responded just like he did during the health care debate.  The American people don't understand, and they should leave this important work to "professional politicians."   So, high ho, high ho, it's off to work they go. 

Ask yourself, who represents you, or the generations that will follow?  It is Grumpy, Frumpy, Sleepy or Dumpy? My answer is, none of these professional politicians cares a whit about you or this great nation.  What you are watching is a product of the party driven political system.  Mediocre hacks who have "paid their dues" to one party or the other and who care more about their re-election than future generations, literally hold the fate of the Republic in their squirmy little hands.  Interestingly, they all say they must reach out to independents.  So make them do it.  Leave your political party and the dysfunctional "leaders" the parties produce.  Become an Independent.  Make them listen to you.

Thank God, all is not lost.  The count varies between eighty and ninety, mostly freshman in House who, along with a few in the Senate, are standing firm, at least so far.  With Michele Bachmann among the most vocal, they say they won't vote to increase the debt ceiling regardless of any deal on which the professional politicians agree. 

Whether to raise the debt ceiling is the most important question that we, as a People, must answer.  Shall we continue down the road to financial disaster already taken by Greece, Italy, Ireland and Portugal?  Or shall leave that track and get back on the road to American greatness and world leadership?  First, let's put this in perspective.  During the waning months of Carter's presidency in 1979, the House and the Senate, both controlled by Democrats, voted to raise the debt ceiling to something less than one trillion dollars.  Yes, less than one trillion dollars.  Thirty-three years later, the professional politicians have put us more than fourteen trillion dollars in debt.  Not satisfied with that, they want more.  Friends, even if we give it to them, the best deal they are considering today at the White House will DOUBLE HOW MUCH WE ARE IN DEBT OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.   Yes, the best deal being considered by the professional politicians will double our debt in ten years.  Is that the right answer?

Next let's look at the results the professional politicians achieved as they sold our grandkids into economic slavery to the Man in Washington.  Thirty-three years ago, America was the land of opportunity where two guys could go in a garage with an idea and come out the richest men on earth.  Today some federal agency would fine them.  Then they would be told to work for the government and get a good union negotiated pension. Thirty-three years ago, even Carter realized the danger of being dependent on foreign oil and said we needed to become energy independent.   We have more oil in Colorado than we import from Saudia Arabia and our other "friends" in the Middle East.  We could turn the economy totally around if we would just develop the resources we have on federal land right here in Colorado.  Yet today, a small, but very vocal and well funded bunch of environmentalists prevent that.  Wikipedia claims thirty-three years ago there were 268,000 Americans in federal and State prisons.  Today there are more than 2 million, not quite a ten-fold increase.  Thirty-three years ago, there were 26 million Americans living below the poverty line.  Today there are more than 43 million, less than double, but not by much.   What is wrong with this picture?  Why are our schools failing and our bridges collapsing?  Why won't banks loan money and why are so many folks out of work?  I'll give you a hint: professional politicians have replaced citizen leaders in Washington.  Reject the two party system.  Become an Independent.  Make them reach out to you.

It is Game On, and this is for all the marbles.  Find out who in Congress is willing to stand up for you and for relighting the Flame of Freedom.  Tell them you have their back. Then fire the rest.

     "Lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid." 

Isaiah 40: 9-11.

Keep the faith,

Bob McConnell