Avoiding the Fiscal Cliff ...

Anyone remember the debt ceiling crisis of Summer 2011? How 'bout S&P's downgrade of the US government bond credit ratings that followed (first in US history)? Of course, then came the fantastic failure of the Supercommittee and the theatrical set up for the next big (and fantastically titled) economic crisis: the Fiscal Cliff.

The problem is succinctly summarized on beatthedebt.org:

The end of the year will bring what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has termed the “fiscal cliff,” as various tax provisions expire and the $1.2 trillion budget sequester begins to take effect—threatening to remove trillions of dollars from the economy, coupled with an almost certain need to raise the federal debt ceiling.

Obviously, the best way to avoid falling off the Fiscal Cliff is to stay as far away as possible (after all, no one fell off a cliff who never went near one). But to do that, we must get this issue in the public spotlight now by forcing Obamney (that loveable odd couple) to make it a major election year issue.

If you agree, there is one simple thing you can do right now: Visit Debatethedebt.org and sign the petition requesting that "the Commission on Presidential Debates and the presidential campaigns to commit to dedicating one of this fall’s debates to a forum in which the candidates present and defend their plans and discuss what trade-offs they are willing to accept to achieve the necessary savings."

And, of course, keep spreading the word ... Let's really show those recalcitrant prima donnas in Washington that this is a problem "We the People" want resolved.