All sides in Washington say a deal must be done by August 2 on the debt ceiling issue, otherwise our economy will be at greater risk as the government may struggle to pay some of its obligations.
The political arm of the White House would also like a deal done because Thursday, August 4, is Barack Obama's 50th birthday, and they would like to maximize the fundraising possibilities around that day, which might be a little unsavory if no deal has been done.
White House Senior Adviser David Plouffe will be in Tampa Wednesday night for a couple of major fundraisers, which you can attend if you so desire – if you've got the cash (or are younger than 44 years of age – read below),
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 3, 2011.