Debt Leverage Volatility Markets hate uncertainty but the upcoming hardball political play in Washington is as transparent as cellophane. Congressional Democrats are going to put $3.5 trillion worth of deficit spending and policy dreams into a legislative package that they hope to steamroll over Republicans using the budget reconciliation process. The only leverage Republicans hold to prevent such a massive change in government policy and spending is the need to legislatively raise the official sanctioned amount of debt held by taxpayers. Failing to raise the debt ceiling would place taxpayers in default and will be framed as reckless by the Democrats. Ultimately, the debt ceiling will be raised but in small increments over time so that it...

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