A delegation of 18 House Republicans is heading to the White House Thursday afternoon to propose a short-term increase in the debt ceiling, which the White House indicated President Obama could sign -- but the deal would not resolve the partial government shutdown which is now in its 10th day.
The goal of the proposal appeared to be to buy time, by removing the immediate threat of missing an Oct. 17 deadline to raise the debt ceiling, for both sides to strike a broader agreement on spending and debt.
House Speaker John Boehner and his deputies announced the proposal after pitching it to rank-and-file Republicans in a closed meeting. The plan would allow for a six-week extension of the debt ceiling with no strings attached, as long as Obama and Democrats make a "real commitment" to negotiate over the partial government shutdown and a longer-term debt-ceiling hike.
So we won't default (good) but the government stays shut down? This makes NO sense to me.
Wht the what now?