Flat-earthers in Congress are playing with fire on the debt-ceiling controversy, and the American people are about to get burned. Their denial of economic reality is both outrageous and dangerous.

The United States simply cannot default on its obligations and risk a financial system disaster. I plead with my former colleagues to wake up before they bring our country to its knees and do irreparable harm.

It's time for reasonable heads to prevail and for Congress members to reach a bipartisan, pragmatic compromise before it's too late.

JIM RAMSTAD, WAYZATA

The writer, a Republican, represented Minnesota's Third Congressional District from 1991 to 2009.