The aftermath of Obama's $2.1 trillion spending cuts and the dangerous manifestation of US debt ceiling politics.

In 2011, Obama agreed to a debt ceiling deal that included $900 billion in upfront spending cuts and deficit reduction, as well as the creation of a joint congressional committee that would find at least $1.2 trillion in additional belt tightening. However, a chunk of the reductions was ultimately pared back through a subsequent series of bipartisan bills. Fast forward to 2023, and the situation is similar, with President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pushing their parties to approve their agreement to address the current debt limit drama. The deal calls for non-defense discretionary spending to be pared back for fiscal 2024, but certain agreed-upon appropriation adjustments would make up nearly all of the difference.