At the heart of this particular problem (debt ceiling, reducing deficit, balancing budget), as with so many other issues, is the adherence to absolutism and political/ideological lockstepping.

This, of course, is the exact opposite of the kind of approach that leads to problem-solving. Entrenched positions lead to entrenchment. Not much surprise there.

One example: The embryonic "plan" to cut $4 trillion from the deficit included tax increases. That was it for many in the House. No tax increases. Let's go to $2 trillion without the tax increases.

So, we have an ideological standoff (and there are others, I know).

We're talking about incentives or disincentives for economic growth. There are those who are absolutely convinced that government spending designed to spur the economy will not work, and will only add to the deficit with nothing to show for it. And vice versa. There are those who are absolutely convinced that tax cuts will spur the economy, and that tax increases of any sort will tie an anchor around the ankle of any growth. And vice versa.

This appears to me to be a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit by trillions. The raising of the debt ceiling is the impetus; it became leverage for negotiations, and it has been working in that plans are being proposed. But then the door slams shut because of absolute, ideological positions.

The issue of raising the debt ceiling this one time, on or before August 2, really is somewhat of a Trojan horse. Stopping it at this precise moment would be a Pyrrhic victory.