[Former Proud Canadian]

This whole thing is really insane. Why are they even negotiating?

The house should simply pass a bill raising the debt limit for one month with dollar for dollar spending cuts. The bill should also spell out how spending will be prioritized in any circumstance. Send it to the senate and let Reid and Obama be responsible for any fallout.

[Jim Noble]

This whole thing is really insane. Why are they even negotiating?

Well, that's an excellent question.

The President has a role in this process, which is to sign, veto, or take no action on a budget passed by the House and the Senate.

Why leaders of the House are even TALKING to him now is most curious.

[C210N]

The house should simply pass a bill raising the debt limit by zer0 (zer0!!) dollars. That is, make a bold statement to end these closed door shenanigans. Nov 2010 was about recognizing the recent crazy jump in spending, not locking in "one-time" stimuli, and NOT raising any debt ceiling.

[EBH]

You are exactly correct.

This negotiation with the Executive Branch is simply put...wrong. It is not how our legislature is supposed to operate.

The President is not part of the House or Senate. He should not be in the room. He is trying to micromanage the GOP and the GOP has fallen into the trap.

We need to get Boehner out of the room, back to presiding over the floor of the House, and pushing a debt ceiling bill up to the Senate.