"Before Americans get too smug, however, they should note the obvious: Debt is debt. If too much Greek borrowing can send world financial markets into turmoil like that of the past couple of days, imagine the damage a U.S. debt crisis would inflict.
These numbers should come as a shock. But in Washington, there appear to be two acceptable responses — denial and finger-pointing.
Many Democrats cling to the fatuous and deceitful argument that commission members should keep their hands off Medicare and Social Security, which is tantamount to saying they should do nothing. Those two programs alone consume one-third of federal spending and constitute the vast bulk of the long-term debt problem.
At the same time, many Republicans— including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who had previously championed the commission approach— voted against the panel because they fear it will propose tax increases as a necessary piece of any solution.
Unless this type of petty behavior ends soon, and there are few indications that it will, the economic tragedy in Athens will simply be an out-of-town tryout for the show headed for Washington."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2010-05-06-editorial06_ST_N.htm
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