Dealing with the Federal Deficit Turns Political Brawl

The debate over the upcoming move to increase the federal government's debt ceiling is heating as the deadline for reform nears. The debt is expected to reach its current limit by the first week of April, and if a new limit hasn't been established by then, the government will have difficulty refinancing, keeping its' various programs running, and risks defaulting. While Democrats are fighting for a budget increase with no strings attached, some Republicans in the House are insisting on significant cuts in the budget. Some White House democrats are worried that conservatives and Tea Party activists in the GOP are going to use their Congressional dominance to push these cuts through without concession, or push the entire issue to next fiscal year through political brinkmanship. White House Officials, on the other hand, believe that the limit increase can be achieved "cleanly". They see the advantage with the Democrats because of recent evidence of political fraying within the GOP, and the unpopularity of domestic budget cuts with the American people.  While both parties face an almost impossible task in getting their budget plan passed without concession, they're also reluctant to reach any bipartisan compromise, except for a small group of senate Democrats and Republicans who plan to organize a bipartisan fiscal commission. But of course, it's equally likely to see support from the
House. If the issue does not reach resolution and results in a federal default, the consequences for the elderly, those on federal assistance, people seeking mortgages and the economy could be severe.

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