We’re up the creek and you want to hock the paddle! — Some Like It Hot

An alternate reading of this is “When you find yourself in the hole, quit digging!”.  There comes a point where you have to accept that what you’re doing is wrong and change direction.  When you find yourself arguing with someone and realize that you’ve both reduced your arguments to insults and shouting, it’s time to stop.  When you find yourself using credit cards to pay the interest on your credit cards, it’s time to stop.  When your country finds itself going deep into debt so that those who do not wish to work or are “too big to fail” do not have to deal with the harsh realities of life and their own decisions, then it’s time to stop.  When you find yourself voting for a candidate because of the party they belong to, regardless of what they actually do and say, then it’s time to stop.