My opinion about the debt ceiling made the "Highlighted" section of the NYT blog: There is no question to me that Minority leader McConnell and Speaker Boehner with the Tea Party at their side are playing a game of chicken with the lives of the American people at risk. The president has given them the world -- nearly all of what they wanted -- and antagonized his base at the same time but Republicans will accept nothing. If the president gave no tax increase, decreased the debt by 14 trillion or more Republicans STILL would say no. They will say no to everything. It is crystal clear to those of us who examine issues, motivations and intent that the intent of the Republican party especially of Sen. McConnell is to bring the president down. He has said it. It is clear. When someone says something I believe them.

I am HOPING beyond hope that the American public can see the methods to this insane Republican madness. I think the president is counting on the fact that they will and that the middle rational part of the American public will not let him down. He is counting on them AND people like me who are members of his base. The base has some disgruntled members in it as he has tried to appease Republicans SO much but he is hoping and as is the case for me, we will support him nonetheless.

When the American people want to punish a president they sometimes step on their own feet. They did it electing Nixon for the Vietnam debacle and they SURELY did it electing Bush II for the Clinton sexual improprieties. In both cases it did not bode well for our country. Unseating Obama would not bode well either.

It is easy to criticize but much harder to form policy. I am hoping the American people see how easy it is for Republicans not to care about their lives. The only life they DO care about is their own and those top 2% wealthy who know which side they are on. Republicans are NOT about you, middle America, THAT you can take to the bank.