Alan Simpson, the former senator from Wyoming and the co-chair of the Obama deficit commission said it best this weekend when queried about the debt ceiling negotiations… "These guys are on the mountain about to give birth to a mouse."

It begs the question… why do we call it a "debt ceiling”" if, in fact, when it is reached we merely raise "the ceiling" higher?

Currently, our debt gobbles up 95% of all the American goods and services produced.  When will Washington be satisfied… when we eat up MORE than what we produce?

We're nearing that now and all the proposed bills in Congress may not help to lower expenses but they're right on target to consume the equivalent of all goods and services…and then some.

We are in this untenable position today precisely because Congress and various presidents have continually "kicked that can down the road"… decade after decade after decade.

The government receives $170-$172 billion a month from tax revenue. 

Wow!!!  That’s a lot of money!

Unfortunately, the government SPENDS $360 billion a month!

And… why is Congress tied up in knots over this overspending?  I hate to admit this but, at the end of the day, it’s really our own fault.

We are talking a great game about making cuts to programs.  However, we dig in our heels and say a resounding NO when changes to "our" programs are discussed.

We've been very tough on Washington over the past few weeks watching this debacle unfold.  But now it's time for us all to share the blame. 

We continue to demand our own goodies even after we've learned that the bank account has closed due to insufficient funds.

If we REALLY want the spending to stop, we will have to tighten our own belts and swallow the medicine without a "spoonful of sugar."

What are we, as a people… men or mice?