Bob Cesca

Political Writer, Host of The Bob & Chez Show

We lost. Middle and working class Americans. We're the losers in the debt ceiling debate. Not President Obama or the Democrats. And it was always going to be this way. As soon as deficit reduction became the only game in town.

Joel Weinberger

Psychologist

Here's where we are now. A committee, grandiosely labeled a "Super Congress" will essentially decide whether and how much we'll cut and whether and h...

Will Durst

Political comic, former radio talk show host, syndicated columnist, author, motivational speaker

The situation on Capitol Hill has become so confusing, we're going to need a nuclear physicist with a googleplex of serially connected molecular microscopes to precisely explain what is happening. Instead, you got me.

Brian Keane

Brian F. Keane, President, SmartPower

The U.S. House of Representatives today looks strikingly like a high school or college student government. And no offense to hardworking student leaders, but that's not meant to be a compliment.

Mitchell Bard

Writer and Filmmaker

Opposing raising the debt ceiling is essentially an announcement to the world the United States will not stand by its commitments. No American should want to be part of such a statement.

Steve Clemons

Editor at Large of The Atlantic and founder and senior fellow of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation.

Unbelievable. The scripting of this high stakes drama between House Speaker John Boehner balancing the White House on one side and the never compromise, never surrender Tea Party on the other keeps getting better and better.

Paul Heroux

State Representative, Massachusetts

When someone's identity is so deeply entwined with a particular ideology, that person is going to cherry-pick facts and dismiss evidence any to the contrary.

Zach Friend and Spencer Critchley

Communications and media consultants

Will Marshall

President and Founder, Progressive Policy Institute

Even if Eric Cantor were abducted by aliens, there's no way Congress could pass the Gang's plan to solve the debt crisis before Aug. 2. But the Gang's resurgence adds to mounting public pressure on House Republicans to end their self-isolating intransigence on taxes.

Jonathan Richards

Cartoonist

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Scott Bateman

Writer, animator

Through this whole debt ceiling morass, one person appears to be standing in the way and just generally behaving like a huge, whiny baby. And that someone is Eric Cantor.

Joe The Nerd Ferraro

Husband, dad, computer nerd

Can the GOP be split by the President into two factions -- Tea Party (TP) and GOP Old School (GOPOS)? GOP Old School are moderate GOP Members who are too scared to move without TP approval, but disagree with what the TP is.

Jared Bernstein

Fmr. Obama administration economist; CNBC and MSNBC contributor

It's crunch time in the debt ceiling/budget debate. While partisans are sharpening their knives in preparation of administering a deep, self-inflicted wound, markets are beginning to lurch around, tanking on bad news regarding the deal and visa-versa.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Rabbi and Writer

Attacks on Eric Cantor are gaining steam. Harry Reid called him childish. Many have portrayed him as the obstinate Republican who will destroy American credit. But for those of us who feel ripped off by a government addicted to irresponsible spending, he is a hero.

Jerry Kremer

Chairman, Empire Government Strategies

If the Gipper was running the show he would take Boehner, Cantor and McConnell out to the woodshed and give them a history lesson they wouldn't forget.

Robert Reich

Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley; Author, 'Beyond Outrage'

The GOP's experienced actors -- House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McDonnell -- have been upstaged by juveniles like Eric Cantor and Michele Bachmann, who don't know the difference between playacting and governing.