...and this is what he said on his way to Armageddon...
As we all know, President Obama has been for some time now staking out the territory of The Only Adult In The Room, up against a party of tantrum-throwing Republicans.
Speaking as the parent of a kid who turns four next week, an adult doesn't give in to a kid's tantrums. An adult makes sure that the kid gets the message, if at all possible, that a tantrum won't yield dividends.
Unfortunately, Obama also views himself as a conciliator, someone who can bridge the gaps between the two sides and bring about a resolution.
The problem is, in dealing with tantrum-throwing kids, you can go one way or the other. You can make sure that your kids get the message that tantrum-throwing gets them nowhere, or you can see how much of what they want you have to give them in order to get them to stop throwing their tantrum.
In other words, Obama can deal, or he can declare that he regards the debt limit as unconstitutional, and refuse to acknowledge its validity.
The other thing is, an adult does the right thing, the thing that's best for his family, his community, his nation, his world, even if it's not easy, even if he's going to get a lot of criticism for it. The Only Adult In The Room doesn't let the kids risk the world financial system on a technicality.
The President can say, in effect, "you're not going to blow up the world economy over a pretext - now or ever. Nor will you ever again threaten to do so, in order to get your way." That would be what the Only Adult In The Room would say.
He's in a position to say that. And if Congress doesn't do its job in the next few days - by the middle of next week, at the latest, then in my not-so-humble opinion, that's really his only option. If the people who are supposed to make sure the world doesn't blow up don't do their job, then any other adult in a position to stop the earth-shattering kaboom does so.
It doesn't matter whether he believes it or not, it doesn't matter that there's arguments on both sides. If Congress doesn't do its job, then the President must, even at the risk of his Presidency.
That's his job, not just as President, but as an alleged grownup. Time for him to pull his boots on, and be ready to get to it.
