If the GOP has its way in the budget battles, it will childishly force an unproductive government shutdown. That’s why, Katrina vanden Heuvel said on The Ed Show last night, President Obama has to be the “adult-in-chief,” leaving John Boehner to look like “an appeaser” who has allowed himself to be “a hostage of Paul Ryan.”

“You’ve got the Tea Party in the sandbox trying to score political points,” vanden Heuvel explains, all while Ryan is trying to balance a budget by taking funding away for vital social programs. Obama and the Democrats should have the courage of their convictions, says vanden Heuvel, and push for a “different kind of social contract.” They should engage in less talk about crisis. But “Obama hasn’t reset the terms of debate.” Streams of revenue that could be tapped to help those at the bottom who are suffering are not on the table.

—Kevin Gosztola