. -- and peter m morici, professor at the univeversity y of mararyland. is punting cutting off discussion on the debt ceiling? >> one thing is for sure, republicans no longer have the debt ceiling to use as a maneuver they y have to get thingss they what in terms of spending cuts and other things they were hoping to g from democrcrats. at this point we are l looking at the sequester that is coming up in march, the deadline e that is also coming up later in the month -- >> government shutdown if we don't get it done. >> absolutely. the house and senate have to put out a budget resolution, and we don't know how bad is going to gogo --htt is going tgo. >> peter, why d did the publicans ive up the debt ceiling as a weapon? >> i t think thihis is the gop's new sortf game plan. even until recently, republican lawmakers were adamant that any increase in the debt ceiling had to come with matching spending cuts. at one point, they decided t this is not something we are going for any more, and wewe will get what we want to it with the otother battles comingng up, w