Some observers are studying the tea leaves of autumn and finding cause to hope that Republicans and Democrats may be focusing now on working together for a budget deal.
Such a result could fund the federal government for a longer term, avoid another shutdown, and institute measures to slow or halt the acceleration of the nation's debt. What's not to like? But it it possible?
Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray says she, for one, is "ready to make some tough concessions," but warns that "compromise runs both ways," and Republicans will have to be prepared to agree to weed out some of the special interest tax loopholes (these are the things I like to call corporate entitlements, like the immense incentives we the people give the oil companies to make greater profits).
But as we already know, Republicans to date have made very clear that their idea of "compromise" is the complete surrender to their views, even if the latter have been clearly repudiated by the voting public. Latest utterances of the party's movers and shakers don't give much hope for a change in that attitude. In fact, Republican Senators' refusal today to confirm another Obama nomination to fill one of several vacancies on the U.S. Court of Appeals (DC Circuit) proves the GOP is yet again ready to throw monkey wrenches in the machinery of government.
It's a game in which democracy would be the only loser, so let's be certain the GOP doesn't win it.