While I don't disagree, Billie..I would be deeply disappointed if that's the outcome.

Were that the development, I think it would raise the question of how could it happen?

The GOP has overwhelming control of the House and can stop about any fiscal legislation the Senate might initiate. But if the House initiated legislation first, would the more fiscally conservative House actually pass an extension of the Bush tax cuts without accompanying legislation to seriously cut spending, maybe even including Social Security and Medicare? Without serious cuts, such legislation would significantly increase the annual deficits and accelerate the growth of the national debt. That kind if one-sided bill would be DOA in the Senate.

But let's say the House extends the tax cuts and actually takes an intelligent slash at spending (yeah, yeah, I know..."intelligent" as regards Congress is an oxymoron). Then what would the Senate do?

There's no chance that the GOP can gain enough Senate seats to force cloture (that is, gain 10-11 seats in the November election). So what might 60 Senators actually agree on? I'm assuming there might be a new majority leader that would put such questions up for a vote. The GOP Senators, assuming they'd be in the majority, would try to force extension of the tax cuts, elimination if the defense cuts, and who knows what spending cuts they might embrace. The Democrats will demand increased taxes on the rich and resist cuts to favorite social programs. The Dems would be willing to filibuster any such GOP-initiated legislation, refusing to let it come up for a vote. Neither party is likely to be willing to attack entitlements. This situation describes a continued stalemate in the Senate.

So I guess I might ask, how could an extension of the status quo happen? With the control the more fiscally-conservative Republicans have, how could Congress "kick he can down the road" yet another time? Would the Republicans in both houses vote for a package that would actually increase the deficit and national debt? Or will they stick to their guns this time and force the parties to move towards some compromise solution?

I guess the question that will be answered is whether those that claim they are fiscally conservative really are. Lordy, I hope they've been serious about what they've been saying. If not, this country is in a world of hurt.