President needs to begin process of letting American people know right now what will happen if...

debt limit isn't raised next week.

I know my sister who is disabled and depends on an SSI check wants to know if she will get it or not. Time is running out.

But CONGRESS will sure as hell get THEIR checks!

know for sure what will or will they not get. He did not definitely say that social security checks will not be sent out. He said it might be the case. People need to know for sure.

What gets paid is up to him and the Treasury, IIRC. Personally, I think that's the first thing they should cut.

He had definite info in there that the American people needed, but his delivery wasn't that great. As much as I hate to say it, Boehner had better delivery, even though every other word out of his mouth was a lie.

sure the checks won't come? It's not like they have any options but to run out of money.

I have not contributed one unnecessary penny to the nation's economy since this mess started. Not only that, but whenever possible, I shop resale stores, swap for things, etc.

I have no doubt that thousands of others in the same boat are doing the same thing. No telling how much the economy is suffering because the Insane Asylum masquerading as the Congress can't or won't govern.

From the WH on down -- NO pay until this mess is fixed. NO leased vehicles to play with, no gas allowances, close the Congressional lunchroom, send home aides, etc.

Make THEM feel the pain FIRST.

For some odd reason, though, I don't see it playing out that way.

No play, no pay!

It's up to him to decide what gets shut down. List the agencies or programs that will but shutdown and how much (fully, 50%, NCLB but not Pell Grants, etc) and how many people will be furloughed for each. Put public debt obligations, SS, medicare somewhere on the list (probably at the bottom). Then say "I'll start at the top and cut until we are under the debt ceiling. This is where the cuts look like they will stop in August.". He'd have A LOT of federal (up to 800,000) knowing they wouldn't have a job in August and a lot of people knowing they would not have access to federal services, subsidies, and grants until the ceiling is raised. Making it real like that would have a lot more affect than trying to scare people with threats of default and missing SS checks which are not going to happen (unless Obama and Geithner are complete idiots).

* I mean default in the "fail to meet financial obligation" sense which will cause lots of problems. Not in the "shutdown some government agencies" sense which seems to be the way it's used recently and while it will cause problems in the US, will not cause "catastrophic global economic meltdown".