...With a deadline of October 18th approaching—the point at which, according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the U.S. would default on its debt if the debt ceiling were not raised by $480 billion—McConnell and Schumer agreed to raise the debt limit through December.... ...The critics might want to hold their fire until they see what happens in December. According to McConnell's allies, the minority leader had very good reasons for striking the deal. They say it connects all the important political dots now laid out before him as GOP leader, in ways that will benefit Republicans going into a midterm...