this latest republican rejection of republican ideas comes with consequences that could be very severe. republicans are insisting on a deficit deal before they will agree to raise the ceiling on american government debt. so we don't default on our loans. two cartoon characters and a football is just a metaphor. america plunging the world into a global economic meltdown, that is a very melancholy problem. joining us now is eugene robinson. thanks very much for being here. >> great to be here, rachel. but i feel like i should have theme music in a minor key. >> i can just give you a yellow shirt with a big squiggle on it. >> i think it would be more like, dah, dah, dah. that's what i'm feeling like right now. >> let me ask you about the eugene robinson approach to the big problem. in your column on monday, you said republicans are right, we shouldn't raise taxes in a