When you negotiate, don't you have to present your own conditions, opposed to the other side's?

[customerserviceguy]

7. This is a big fat game of chicken

Frankly, I expect the Rethugs to hold enough votes to come up with a "Let's Do Nothing" strategy. Ultimately, they have to get to the point where the ability to borrow under the debt ceiling runs out completely.

The mess they got us into didn't hurt the Repukes too badly at the last election, not like it should have. They know Barack Obama will never be at the top of a ballot ever again, and they may decide that they will take their chances many months from now on a continuation of the obstructionist course they've been on since January, 2011.

It's all a matter of who blinks first.