Make no mistake: it is Obama who is playing games with the "good faith and credit" of the American people.

Here is part of an AP account of the Monday morning (today) press conference with Barry Obama:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama declared on Monday there would be no deal on raising the government's debt limit if Republicans won't compromise, and he said he would not sign a short-term extension — raising the stakes on volatile negotiations with the clock ticking toward an Aug. 2 deadline.

"I don't see a path to a deal if they don't budge. Period," the president said in a challenge to his political opponents, accusing Republicans of having a "my way or the highway" posture on taxes.

Before heading to the White House for a fresh round of negotiations, House Speaker John Boehner said he agreed that "we cannot allow our nation to default on our debt."

But Republican Boehner said that tax increases are a nonstarter: "The American people will not accept — and the House cannot pass — a bill that raises taxes on job creators."

Obama, asked whether he would veto legislation temporarily increasing the debt ceiling, said: "I will not sign a 30-day, or 60-day, or 90-day extension." The White House later confirmed that Obama meant he would veto such a bill.

"This is the United States of America. And, you know, we don't manage our affairs in three-month increments," the president said.

Embedded in this story is the real reason why there can be no new taxes as relates to the debt ceiling "crisis." That reason is this: the House does not have enough votes to pass a bill containing new taxes. What is being forgotten, here, is the fact that opposition to raising taxes is more a bi-partisan affair than people seem to think. Speaker Boehner cannot "fix" that problem, even if he wanted to.

Understand this, the decision to default on our debt will always and only be the brainchild of the "current Administration. There is nothing written in a legislative format that demands we default on our debt management responsibilities . . . . ever. We have enough money coming in to pay for entitlements and debt management. Of course, a hardship for many within government will be the case, if we need to start cutting back. But never mind that reality. Again, the fact of the matter is this: the final decision to default will be that of this Administration and its Treasury Department. The Administration can decide, for example, to maintain the current level of Federal employment, continue to fund Public Radio and the food stamp program and default on our debt obligations, but that will be a decision . . . . a decision . . . . made by Obama and Company and nothing less.

Can Obama pull off the biggest "blame scam" in American history? It is starting to appear that he thinks he can.