If you ask the question of Americans, should we pay our bills? One hundred percent would say yes. There's a significant misunderstanding on the debt ceiling. People think it's authorizing new spending. The debt ceiling doesn't authorize new spending; it allows us to pay obligations already incurred.

America pays its bills. It always has. It always will. The fact that Washington is now debating whether to honor its debts and obligations, then, should come as a surprise. But playing political football with a necessary vote to raise the nation's debt ceiling has become as predictable as a Twitter rant from Charlie Sheen.

If we reach the debt ceiling, we don't have to default. Getting to that point just won't allow us to reach new debt.

There was no avoiding the fact that we were going to hit our debt ceiling.

I always think a debt ceiling is a good tool to carry something.

If it took multiple debt ceiling hikes, I'd rather achieve the savings.