( CNN ) -- President Obama has repeatedly stated , `` We are tougher than the times we live in . '' Although the president may not have intended to signal a whole new approach to our future , the line has Churchillian implications . Speaking of tough times , he could call on Americans to recognize we face at least a decade of rough sledding , ask us to face the challenges and express confidence that we shall prevail . The tough times approach differs radically from the prevailing wisdom that if we merely did X , Y or Z , we would be rolling in clover again . All we need to do is cut deficits , reduce taxes some more and lighten up on regulations , and the nation will be back on the right course . Others foresee the bottoming out of the housing market , within two years or so , as the turning point to recovery . Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff argues that intentionally inflating the dollar is the `` the only practical way to shorten the coming period of painful deleveraging and slow growth . '' In general , politicians prefer President Reagan 's manner , which was oozing with optimism . And they are leery of sounding like President Carter , who spoke of malaise and called for sacrifices . But times have changed . The American people must be prepared for what is coming , or they will lash out with even more anger against failed promises . Take the most elementary issue : Nobody reasonable , on the right or the left , denies that we lived beyond our means for decades , financing our indulgence by taking loans from the Chinese , Japanese and British , among others , as well as hocking the assets of our future generations . Now the time has come that we must pay back , and that means reducing the deficit . Such payback means , by definition , that while we once could float a lifestyle that cost , say , 120 % of what we earned , now we shall have to do with lifestyle that costs , say , 80 % of our income , with the rest going to pay down what we owe . After decades of indulgence and accumulating debt , our accounts can not be settled in a few years . According to a report in NPR , using recent Congressional Budget Office projections , the debt could reach $ 13 trillion in 10 years . Even if we get the `` grand bargain '' and $ 2 trillion to $ 4 trillion is cut , that means the 10-year deficit could still remain between $ 9 trillion and $ 11 trillion . True , we do not have to bring it down to zero , but we still have quite a burden with which to contend . If we must pay for that deficit by raising taxes , we will have less money . If we must cut services , such as health care , to pay down the debt , people will have to buy these services themselves . And we should pay down our personal debt for our own future and that of our children . That means for the next decade or even longer , Americans will have to do with less , from buying new clothes to going on vacations . I am hardly the only one who foresees a `` lost decade . '' A recent Atlantic magazine article argues that even by 2011 , 2012 , even 2014 , the employment rate may decline very little and describes the current economic climate as `` a trauma that will remain heavy for quite some time . '' Heidi Shierholtz of the Economic Policy Institute predicts that `` many factors are pushing against a quick recovery . ... Things will come back . But it 's going to take a long time . '' Frustration to such shortfalls is mounting . A recent Bloomberg poll found that 72 % of the people who responded think the country is on the wrong course economically . The president 's approval rating is tanking , but that of Congress is even lower . A New York Times/CBS poll found that only a paltry 12 % of respondents approved of Congress . As I see it , `` Washington '' can do relatively little to spare Americans at least 10 years of austerity . But , public leaders can prepare people for what is coming and make a virtue out of doing with less , of paying back what we owe even if it hurts â€ ” without implying that recovery is right around the corner or that something drastic can be done so we will not have to pay more taxes and do with less services . If it turns out that Easy Street is much nearer than I expect , then people prepared for `` tough times '' will rejoice . But if they believe the economy will bounce back quickly , and in reality face prolonged austerity , we must expect even more angry outbursts . We 've avoided the violent demonstrations seen in Greece , the massive demonstrations against inequality seen in Tel Aviv and the random torching of cars common in riots in Germany , France or Britain . If Obama can speak candidly about the coming tough times and the shortfalls we all will have to accept as part of the cure , he may do better ; we most assuredly will . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Amitai Etzioni .
Amitai Etzioni : Despite promises and proposals , there is no quick fix for economy . Obama 's `` We are tougher than the times we live in '' should be a policy , he writes . Etzioni : Americans will have to do with less and sacrifice for at least 10 years . He says years of indulgence , living beyond our means will take years to redress .