Seven years later, I returned to the school in the middle of the school year to take over for a math teacher who had quit. Every Algebra II student was passing, but fewer than a third of them really knew any algebra. I had to make — not two — four versions of every test, and those kids still found ways to cheat.

The situation in Washington is similar. The culture of spending is so deeply ingrained that a promise to stop has all the trustworthiness of a drug addict's pledge. It may be sincere, but it isn't worth much. Sending some good people to Washington doesn't solve the problem any more than sending some good students to my old school would have done. The culture is too powerful.

On the other hand, the first step in overcoming addiction is admitting you have a problem. It's good to see that happen.

And frankly, I don't want him impeached. I don't even want a primary challenge for him in 2012. I want to run against him, not some fresh face who can plausibly dodge the blame for his policies while endorsing them. An Obama with an approval index of minus-30, which is what his number will be in two years from now, will lose to the most right-wing candidate the Republicans can send up against him – and that's what we're going to need.

The first order of business of a Republican majority Congress should be to impeach this man who does not represent the people he serves.