The Debt Ceiling Fracas — and Synchronicity

I know - you've probably heard enough about this.

But what if we looked at this dreadful us-against-them entrenchment on both sides as a flagrant example of politicians refusing to accept a synchronous opportunity? What if Capitol Hill were to sit up and say, "Oh, I guess it really is time to do things differently. All the signs point to it.  Perhaps we should think again?"

But no.  We seem to need to learn the hard way. Harder for the poor, of course, than for the rich.

Political egos cannot be shaken, can they? And we need to learn from this, because we all have egos, and we all have a desire to be right rather than, say, happy. Old, very old stuff.