End the Game of Chicken

There is a LOT of talk about the debt negotiations. I'm getting pretty sick of hearing about it on the news when there is nothing to report except bickering. I have a side (as most do) and I know that everyone is cheering on and encouraging their side to not cave in on certain issues(including me). I've heard people refer to this as the government (but let's face they mostly blame Republicans) for playing a high-stakes game of chicken "while risking the full faith and credit of United States" (Froma Happo). I definitely think that the government is playing a risky game, but to blame only one side is pretty ridiculous and childish in and of itself. Both sides are fully to blame for the game of chicken.

Republicans don't want anymore debt (our debt is already unsustainable) and they don't want to raise taxes on anyone in this weak economy. Both of these ideologies have economists and stats backing their thinking. I'm not saying that the Democrats don't have economists and stats on their side...because they probably do. (Although I haven't heard anything really compelling - giving more taxes to a government that we KNOW doesn't know how to live within its means doesn't like it's going to solve anything. Just like you wouldn't give a family member money you knew would misuse it).  Regardless of which side I want to "win", I definitely think this game has consequences with investors and the US credit rating (as Moody's is now reviewing the US credit rating).

So why don't we just jump through this hoop?? Take the risky gambling out of the game. We know both sides don't want the US to default on it's debt. That is one bill everyone can agree needs to get paid. So why don't they knock that one out right now? "We will pay out national debt payments." How hard is that? Is it because they don't want to relinquish such a powerful bargaining chip? I can't even understand why no one (with significant weight in the debt negotiations) has brought it to the table. Maybe they have but it just hasn't been reported - we do have a limited view of what goes on there. To reference a well used Democrat analogy - when a family sits at the kitchen table and tries to figure out their finances, they don't think about not paying their mortgage in order to come up with clear budget. First they decide what they have to pay - most likely mortgage, car. Then after those are figured into the budget, they look at other necessary bills and see if there is anyway to spend less in those areas (i.e. food, electric, water, etc). And of course you cut out the non-essentials. Hopefully the government really can function like a family long enough to say - "We know we have to pay on the debt so let's get that paid and see what we have left to work with." Then the arguing over revenue and essential programs can begin. Come on - let's end the game.

UPDATE: just watched this video of Michele Bachmann interview with Great an Debt Ceiling... Pretty good stuff...