THIS COULD BE IT: Despite President Trump taunting the Democrats with a “bring it on” threat to engage in another shutdown showdown over immigration, Senate negotiators have managed to separate the immigration debate from the budget talks, and are on the verge of a deal that would raise spending caps, fund the Pentagon’s budget request for this year and next, increase domestic spending, and raise the debt ceiling, to boot.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted tomorrow night’s midnight deadline would be met, and another shutdown averted. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think we’re on the way to getting an agreement, and on a way to getting an agreement very soon,” McConnell said. Speaking for the Democrats, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “We’re making real progress on a spending deal that would increase the caps for both military and middle-class priorities on the domestic side. … I’ve discussed some of the outlines with my caucus that I think we are very happy with, and hopefully the Republicans are, and then we can get something really good done.”