Republican debt plan may lead to compromise

WASHINGTON - The latest Republican plan to avert a looming US default is a fierce statement of conservative principles that pushes the party's negotiating position farther to the right.

That's why it may be the first step on the road to compromise.

By giving Tea Party conservatives in the House of Representatives a chance to take their favored legislation as far as it will go, House Speaker John Boehner may buy himself some needed goodwill from a vocal segment of his party that has sometimes viewed his deal-making efforts with suspicion.