Republicans and Democrats are expected to lay out plans today for how they would handle an increase in the nation's debt limit, after a weekend of negotiations again failed to produce a bipartisan agreement.
"It is going to be an interesting week," one Republican lawmaker told me.
The weekend began on an acrimonious note, as President Obama suddenly appeared in the White House Briefing Room just past 6pm on Friday evening, and laced into Speaker John Boehner for breaking off talks on the debt limit.
"It is hard to understand why Speaker Boehner would walk away from this kind of deal," Mr. Obama said, repeatedly accusing the Speaker of reneging on deals related to the debt limit.
Not long after that, Speaker Boehner held his own news conference, returning fire at the White House - charging that it was the President who had walked away and gone back on different deals.
"Dealing with them the last couple months has been like dealing with Jell-o," Boehner said.
On Saturday, Congressional leaders sat glumly in the White House Cabinet Room as cameras entered for a quick photo. They were gone in less than an hour, foreshadowing what would be a fruitless weekend of talks.
There were no face-to-face bargaining sessions on Sunday, as instead of a deal, both sides decided to move forward with their own plans, which was made clear when Democratic leaders met with the President on Sunday evening.
Boehner will unveil his plan at a closed door meeting of House Republicans today; Sen. Reid was deciding exactly what to offer on behalf of Senate Democrats.
And so, with the clock ticking, it remains a high stakes game of Political Chicken on the debt ceiling.
The face that we have reached this point should not surprise anyone.
As this week begins, a partisan battle has forced a partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration, as some 4,000 workers are being furloughed in 35 states and Washington, D.C.
What's at work there is very similar to the debt limit negotiations, as neither side wants to give in after extending the legislation that authorizes the work of the FAA - twenty different times over the last four years.
"I'm tired of playing games," said House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL), who is locked in a dispute with Senate Democrats over efforts to save money at the FAA.
So, who is getting blamed right now for all of this gridlock? Both parties to some extent.
There was a new CNN poll out in the last few days that showed 55% of voters have a negative view of Republicans.
Before any Democrats rejoice, the same poll showed 49% had a negative view of the Democratic Party.
For months, both sides have been in their partisan corners. Instead of finding a route to compromise, both sides seem to have hardened their positions.
