“These are the times that try men’s souls.” Thomas Paine aptly stated the existing situation in “The Crisis” published Dec. 23, 1776. Fast forward to 2011 and we find ourselves once again in a situation that necessitates one to say; “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

It makes you wonder where we went so terribly wrong and completely abandoned the advice and counsel of our founding fathers. Debt was counseled against as well as trampling on the Constitution and on everyone’s inalienable rights granted by our Creator.

Our founding fathers certainly had disagreements and differing ideas, but at the end of the day, statesmanship prevailed.  Nowadays, it appears to be an ideology party-first attitude on every single issue. Quite frankly, it is disturbing how our country has degenerated into a politically correct, morally corrupt, Christian bashing, nanny state quagmire. Unless we get back to Judeo-Christian ideals that were the guiding principles of our founding fathers and what made this country great, the future looks dismal.

According to a recent poll, Congress has a 12 percent approval rating and the president is not much better off with only 38 percent. This has to be an all-time low and I must say deservedly so.

The Executive branch has been too busy pushing the LGBT agenda to the detriment of our military, refusing to defend the law of the land on DOMA and immigration, cramming socialist programs, like health care, down our throats, supporting labor unions, and in campaigning for re-election to be concerned with the welfare of the citizenry. They have not demonstrated any grasp of how to turn things around and get people back to work from a staggering 9.1 percent unemployment rate. But, you have to admit, they are masters at writing campaign speeches, spending money and distorting their success and motives.

Congress hasn’t acted as a shining light on a hill either. The debt didn’t happen overnight and Democrats or Republicans did nothing to offset the deficit spending in Washington. They were all for it as long as they got a piece of the pie. The Democrats still aren’t on board with stopping the wasteful spending after 14.8 trillion reasons.

Well, there is nothing left now; not even crumbs, but Congress still get its exorbitant pay and benefits. Perhaps we should start with Congress, the President and his legend of czars finding money to pay down the debt. Cheers.