A Tea Party Downgrade?

David Axelrod, Obama’s current re-election campaign strategist and former senior advisor, appeared on CBS’ “Face The Nation” yesterday and said, “If we had defaulted on our debt, the consequences would have been dramatic and lasting.  It was the wrong thing to do to push the country to that point. It was something that should never have happened, that clearly is on the backs of those who were willing the see the country default — those very strident voices in the tea party,” and claimed, “The tea party brought us to the brink of default,” finally finishing with the White House talking point, “This is essentially a tea party downgrade.”  My question, how is it possible for this to be the responsibility of some fringe and powerless group?  They only give us credit when they think it benefits them.

What were the American people suppose to do?  Let them raise a worthless debt ceiling once again continuing the spending orgy?  Why have a ceiling if you are only going to raise it everytime you hit it?  And frankly, I really do not mind being blamed for the downgrade.  This is what was needed to wake up the slumbering masses that our deficit is unsustainable and if we had defaulted it would have given us a reason to impeach Obama for going against the 14th Amendment.

The most important lesson that Congress and the President needs to learn from this downgrade is that entitlements are touchable.  The Tea Party has been crying for reform and freedom in those areas.  And if they continue to ignore the gorilla in the room, a downgrade will be nothing compared to what will happen to this country over the next decade.