We all know the outcome:

You have certainly heard about the debt ceiling in the news in recent weeks. US lawmakers are currently arguing about the debt ceiling because the government has reached its borrowing limit and needs Congress to authorize an increase in the limit to avoid a default on its debt obligations. The debt ceiling represents the maximum amount of national debt that the government can accumulate, and it is a crucial mechanism for ensuring responsible government spending and managing the country’s finances.

However, raising the debt ceiling has become a contentious issue in recent years, with both parties using it as a bargaining chip to push their agendas. Republicans have historically demanded spending cuts or other fiscal reforms in exchange for raising the debt ceiling, while Democrats have resisted such conditions and argued that the debt ceiling increase is necessary to meet the government’s financial obligations and prevent a default.

The usual outcome of the debt ceiling debate is that Congress eventually agrees to raise the ceiling to avoid a default on the government’s debt obligations and to keep the government functioning. Nevertheless, the negotiations leading up to the agreement can be lengthy and contentious, with both parties often using the issue to score political points and push their policy priorities.