President Obama and congressional leaders met Tuesday in hopes of reaching a bipartisan agreement on the debt limit. This marks the group’s third meeting in as many days; there’s been little movement along party lines. Many aren’t sure whether to laugh or cry at the federal deficit situation - fear not. Laurel Harbridge is an assistant professor of political science at Northwestern University and a faculty fellow at the Institute for Policy Research. She researches the ramifications of a polarized Congress. She offered Eight Forty-Eight an assessment the current options and a few thoughts about potential routes to middle ground.

Music Button: Clutchy Hopkins, “Truth Seekin’” from the release The Storyteller (Ubiquity)