Many of us remember a moment that defines a presidency, or in today's parlance, "creates a legacy." I was not close enough to see, but I listened at the Capitol when Kennedy said, "ask what you can do for your country." Nixon's "I am not a crook" comes to mind, as does Reagan's "tear down this wall", Bush '41 "read my lips", and Clinton's "I did not have sex with that woman." It is too early to give Obama a tag line, but some of the dumber things he has said come quickly to mind. Announcing in the same speech both the surge in Afghanistan and when we would leave, telling the military last winter and again now they won't get paid if we run short of money, and telling Americans they don't understand so leave health care, the deficit and the debt crisis to "professional politicians" all will clearly be in the running.

As of today however, I am betting that letting the Social Security cat out of the bag will, in the end, become his legacy. Social Security has been long called the untouchable third rail of politics; it is beloved by progressives as their crown jewel, and criticized by conservative's as the ultimate Ponzi scheme. As recently as May, Nancy Pelosi, with a straight face, was telling Americans that Social Security was financially "strong ." She and Reid follow that line up with tales of Republicans pushing old ladies over the cliff. So the debate has gone on for years, conservatives trying to reform a failed system, progressives insisting the golden goose will lay eggs forever.

Now the grand poo-bah has created a conundrum which progressives will find it very hard to explain. Adding to his threat about not paying our troops in combat which, as I have already argued would be an impeachable offense, President Obama is now saying Social Security checks will stop if Republicans don't come to their senses and raise the debt limit. Wait a minute. If Social Security is financially strong, whether for thirty years, or just for one, there should not be any reason to borrow money to pay beneficiaries. If Pelosi and Reid are crowing about how perfectly fine this entitlement always will be, why wouldn't the checks go out whether the debt ceiling is raised or not? Or wait a minute; maybe Social Security is only "sound" as long as the government is spending like drunken sailors. Either the system is broken right now and, as conservatives have argued for years, must be fundamentally restructured, or, it isn't and the checks will go out. One way or the other, someone's nose is growing.

Obama can't have it both ways. I continue to say, call his bluff. Rasmussen, Gallup and NY Times polls all say the majority of Americans do not want the debt ceiling raised. This is health care all over again, this is "I don't care what the people want. I know better" politics. This is the Democrats trying to pretend Republicans want to "protect Big Oil" and millionaires when in fact the majority of Americans can see what's going on. Republicans must hold the line. No increase in the debt ceiling, period. WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TODAY. Tell them to hold the line, or they will be fired.

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

Isaiah 40: 9-11.

Keep the faith,

Bob McConnell