There's "down to the wire" and then there's August 2, 2011

Mahatma Ghandi famously said "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." We need lawmakers who call us to the values of shared sacrifice and mutal bearing of the burdens of citizenship -- not model a willingness to hold the full faith and credit of the United States hostage to a narrow absolutist agenda.

Commentary worth reading:

• Democrats, Republicans celebrate pitiful excuse for common ground -- The Onion


• Keith Olbermann's Deb Ceiling Comment -- Huffington Post


• The Tea Party's War on America -- NYTimes op-ed


• How the GOP lost on the debt deal -- L.A. Times op-ed