It would be unfair to say that the Republican Presidential candidates have not weighed in on the debt ceiling. Most, if not all, have in passing mentioned the issue.But the time for mentioning the issue in passing is over. The Dow Industrials have fallen. The Fed wants to print more money. Obama is gutting NASA’s space mission to socialize healthcare and fund global warming nonsense. And Republicans on Capitol Hill are hinting loudly that they will raise the debt ceiling, but they want a big show of something first.Obama is prepared to wait them out and blame them. No one seems to have their back. And the congressional Republicans will, as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow, go wobbly. They just will. It is what they do.So it is time for the Republican Presidential candidates to start forcefully and constantly demanding bold change in exchange for the debt ceiling increase. Yes, some of them will say this is a matter they should not get involved in, but the nation they inherit, or not, cannot wait for their election or defeat. The time is now. Republican Presidential candidates have a unique position to stand above the fray outside Washington, while also backing up the guys who are already there fighting the fight. Pressure must be brought to bear on United States Senators, a number of whom are looking to cut a minimalist deal with Democrats, save face, and proclaim bipartisanship at work.If the GOP Presidential candidates do not get out there loudly on this issue — and I have a hard time believing they won’t race to the right of each other on this issue — congressional Republicans will buckle, a handful of Republican Senators will, metaphorically, slit the throats of the conservatives to get a deal with the President, and the debt ceiling will be raised with little to show for it. That will hurt all of the Republican candidates and do irreparable harm to this nation.It is time to lead and speak boldly.