What are they going to talk about now?

That’s the question before tonight’s talks at the White House after Republican Speaker John Boehner’s announcement last night that he cannot do a big deal on the debt ceiling and the deficit, citing White House insistence that a deal must also include tax increases, especially for the rich.

The truth behind Boehner’s retreat is that he could not get such a deal approved by his Republican colleagues in the House. The Tea Party members say no to everything, except cuts. They even say to raising the debt ceiling at all, as witnessed repeatedly out on the campaign trail by their foremost spokesperson, Michele Bachmann as well as by Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor.

What part of the word “catastrophe” for the country if the debt ceiling is not raised do they not understand? They are really playing with fire. It’s time for everyone to get serious, writes Charlie Cook at the National Journal.

A golden opportunity to come to grips with America’s deep economic crisis has been wasted.