"What is needed is a "hard line"; no increase in debt ceiling and a "compromise" on where to cut first (How about the interest to the FED as suggested by Ron Paul)."

They have difficulty enough to reach a compromise on how much to raise the ceiling, so they have any hope of stopping the increases?

I see not such hope in the near future. If it will happen it will be due to being forced upon them through loss of faith from abroad.

As to making cuts, fat chance. These dinosaurs will have to die off first.

Ron Paul is the tiny mammel that has to survive them after they are turfed out of office.