The new “Head Birther,” the always amusing Donald Trump, thinks we do not know Barack Obama because we do not know where he was born or maybe even, if he was born. Nothing is too wild for “Birther” speculation.

But for the rest of us, the non-birthers and the sane, we have wondered just what Obama truly believes in within the political spectrum. His pragmatic problem-solving approach has left many of his supporters wondering if he has firm principles.

This week, when the President spoke on the deficits and debt, we found out that he does have a core set of values. In terms of identifying those values, this was perhaps the best speech this President has given.

Obama is a left-of-center president, but not far left of center. He accepts the necessity of curbing spending, and tackled, at the beginning of his re-election bid, the argument that has been absent so far on the budget conversations … the reality that it will take both spending cuts and tax increases to restore our fiscal balance.

In engaging the topic of fiscal recovery the President both responded to the Republican plan to cut spending and made his own statement about how he views America’s future differently from his opponents.

Obama has basically finished what the Republicans started with their budget proposals, defining the elections of 2012 with a national political discussion of which of two visions Americans want for their future.

The contrasts are stark and should provide the electorate with clear choices.

Republicans strongly believe in the “rugged individualism” that was best captured by the historical populating of the West and the creative spirit that has infused our nation for generations.

That independent lifestyle still resonates in the rural areas of the South and the Plains States as the model for Americans who are more on their own than connected to each other.

Democrats, more urban and located more in our population centers historically, have learned that these large communities depend upon the full interchange and exchange of ideas and talents…that we are more together than we are apart.

Democrats reflect that so much of America has been shared visions of space exploration, railroads, highways, national defense, and research and education.

Without these national investments we would not have developed computers, GPS, or even consumer air travel.

Obama represents the Democratic conviction that we are more as a nation than as individuals. He believes in funding research and education and infrastructure, budget troubles or not.

Republicans have a vision that is smaller, one that turns from our history of national commitment to the biggest goals and is instead reliant upon exceptional individuals and corporations to capture the innovation necessary for tomorrow.

This smaller government envisioned by Republicans would, for example, not provide health care, but would facilitate care into private industry while reducing the federal support of that care.

Individuals would, in the marketplace, pay more both as a percentage and as real dollars for their health care or buy smaller coverages they could better afford.

Obama believes, as do many Democrats, that Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security work and can continue to serve Americans faithfully with adjustments to the programs around the edges … adjustments that protect the basic social contract.

Obama and the Democrats would tax our top incomes at a higher rate to help balance the budget, while Republicans would reduce the taxes on the richest Americans in the hope that such reductions would stimulate the economy.

But now that debate will go beyond the corridors of Washington and become an American debate for the 2012 elections. This can only be good for the nation.

Jim Crawford is retired educator and political enthusiast living here in the Tri-State.