This is not about politics. This is not about the upcoming election. This is about an American wake-up call for sanity. -- U.S. hits debt limit!!

The headline reads "U.S. Hits Debt Limit After Senators Put Off Raising Ceiling; Leaders Promise Action After Election."

Of course the situation will be temporary, as it has in the past. Already Congressional leaders have said that when they return for a lame-duck session after the election, they will raise the debt ceiling to allow the government to borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

We recall how both sides learned in the Clinton vs. Newt battle to avoid shutting down the government.

And not to get into the obvious reason Congress did not act now -- Senate Republican leaders want to avoid the possible political backlash -- the numbers are shocking.

When Bush came to office, the debt ceiling was $5.95 trillion and had last been raised in 1997. The federal government reached its $7.4 trillion debt ceiling yesterday, October 14, 2004. Hopefully the next ceiling will remain a record for the foreseeable -- no, not foreseeable, not unforeseeable -- let's hope as parents and (I'm not there yet) grandparents, "the" future, period.

In my 10-09-04 post I quoted someone my generation grew up hearing and reading about just as we now do -- pitiful, but I can't recall any unless it is negative news such as about Congressman Tom DeLay or Zell being disloyal to the Party that put him there; sorry, I will continue as if I had been able to -- Senator Everett Dirksen, who uttered his famous words about the U.S. government’s spending some thirty or so years ago: "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking big money."

The difference in millions and billions is in light years. The difference in billions and trillions truly is beyond my ability to comprehend. This business as usual with the current administration must stop.

It has been so written, please God, fellow Americans -- for us, our children and grandchildren -- let it be done.

(Headline and source of nos. that regrettabty I already knew , 10-15-04 The Washington Post.)

(Sen. Dirksen was a Republican Senator from Illinois. As Senate minority leader, he played a huge role in passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Soon after the bill was introduced in the Senate, Sen. Russell began what would become the longest filibuster in Senate history.

Of course a filibuster is the attempt by a senator or group of senators to delay or terminate passage of a bill through the use of unlimited debate. And as I know all of you also know, the only parliamentary method to end a filibuster is a vote for cloture.

With the civil rights legislation we had two Democratic Presidents, Kennedy and then Johnson after Kennedy's assassination, have to rely on a Republican of the bill because they could not count on the support of southern Democratic senators, most of whom supported segregation.

Anyway, among fighting within his own Party, Dirksen took the lead during the filibuster in keeping his troops in line (it is hard for us to now appreciate how long this filibuster went on -- would you believe three months).

I recall the day the motion for cloture and passed. All 100 senators were present; the gallery packed. I recall the cloture vote much more vividly than the passage of the bill itself, although the day of passage will long be remembered. No more "white" "colored" signs; no more side window at McDonald's for black citizens; etc.

Anyway, while alarmed beyond expression at our growing deficit, I sure didn't mean to get into the above. While recognizing that as the scrivener I know I can write what I want, and I hope my love for history does not bore or become tedious.)