Commissions are a default, undemocratic mechanism for handing off difficult issues to "experts." But reducing the long-term budget deficit has little to do with expertise. It's about our nations' values and priorities.

Anger makes good television, but it's fake and it teaches Americans the wrong lessons. Anger also can win elections, but partisan anger is just as fake, and it undermines the functionality of our democracy.

President Obama needs to explain to the American people that he understands their impatience. The Constitution does not require 60 votes in the Senate to pass legislation. A majority will do. That's called democracy.

Democrats are heading toward next fall's mid-term elections with a serious enthusiasm gap: The Republican base is fired up. The Democratic base is packing up. The reasons why are obvious enough.