Chicken

As the August 2nd debt ceiling deadline approaches, I have started watching the House and Senate debates on C-SPAN.  With cameo appearances by President Obama each participant (now four with the informal Tea Party group) attempts to play chicken. 

In a two party game of chicken  each player is in a car on a collision course driving on a one lane road with a bridge.  Once you enter the bridge ramp there can be two outcomes -  crash head on or divert into the water (also considered fatal).  Sucess only occurs if one of the parties swerves before the bridge (one win and one loss) or both swerve before entering the bridge ( a tie). 

In this negotiation, Obama and the Democrats are in one car and the Tea Party and Republicans are in the other car.  It is hard to determine who has their hands on the steering wheel. 

My belief in watching the proceedings is that they are already on the bridge.  The real question is whether the crash is head on or one of the parties still diverts and crashes into the water. 

Or - who will jump out of the car hoping to save themselves?