The politics of all this, and whatever else might be considered, is obviously very difficult. And that goes back to the basic proposition that, while more can and should be done on the substantive side, think tanks, fiscal-policy organizations, analysts - everyone concerned with our fiscal condition and its powerful threat to our economic future - must now draw on communications and political expertise to develop a narrative and a strategy that will spur action by elected officials. Nothing short of our economic future depends on it.