Once again, Karl Rove/GW Bush attempted to turn the clock back to the beginning of the 19th century, and we are now living with the consequences--wars and budget deficits without end. It's hard to see what form a new nationalism will take, until and unless a new Teddy Roosevelt comes along.

Since the 1970s, Republican economic policies have prevailed that diverted most of the fruits of prosperity to the wealthiest, so that the rest of U.S. have less to spend -- even though consumer spending drives 70 percent of economic activity.

Come March 1, we will begin to see how much damage the sequester agreement causes. A recent CNBC column by Larry Kudlow illustrates both the misconceptions and reason for the gridlock on avoiding across-the-board spending cuts of some $85 Billion to the federal budget.

Ryancare could become the campaign buzzword, but history says it won't work. It is a battle between almost polar opposites -- government austerity vs. government stimulus -- when the two must work together to bring back prosperity.

We know G.W. Bush's tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 to revive an economy flattened by the dot-com bubble bust have cost plenty. And we know what happened to all that money. Not much.

What we need to do instead is embark on a massive investment program -- as we did, virtually by accident, 80 years ago -- that will increase our productivity for years to come, and will also increase employment now.

Why so much emphasis on debt, rather than recovery? It is because of timidity on all sides, from the White House and Congress.

The destruction of middle class wealth and income by Republicans, in particular, has been prolonged and systematic for decades. This standard of living has already declined for most of us since the 1980s, and will continue to decline.

What is holding up agreement of a debt ceiling increase is obvious. Republicans want to continue to shrink the middle class when they won't allow repeal of the Bush tax breaks. They do not understand the most basic economic Law of Supply and Demand.

Rather than play the blame game, why not think in Win-Win terms? Why not correct the causes of so much economic instability, which can lead us out of the swamp of debt that has resulted?

Why hasn't the 'no new taxes' pledge succeeded? Because Republicans are no better at cutting government spending than Democrats -- in fact, worse.

Against the interests of the nation this administration has permitted, even encouraged the dramatic transfer of wealth to oil interests in dimensions beyond the fondest dreams of Croesus.