President Barack Obama courted his Republican critics Wednesday in a bid to break a stalemate over sharp budget differences, with his main political rival calling the meeting a good start. Several Republican congressmen emerged from the meeting -- Obama's second on Capitol Hill in as many days -- describing it as respectful and worthwhile, but the rival sides remained far apart on key fiscal issues. "Frankly I think it was productive," House Speaker John Boehner said after Obama's 90-minute meeting, his first with the 232-strong House Republican caucus since 2010.

President Barack Obama Tuesday launched an unusual mission to woo lawmakers on Capitol Hill, but budget clashes with Republicans underscored the difficulty of striking a grand deficit bargain. Obama trekked up Pennsylvania Avenue for the first of three visits, flashing a big smile as he went into lunch with Democratic senators, to push his vision for a balanced deal on taxes and spending and other top priorities.

Leaders from both sides of the bitterly divided US Congress said Tuesday they were optimistic about a funding bill that would avert a possible government shutdown at the end of the month. President Barack Obama has been pushing for a deal in recent days by calling several Republican lawmakers, the White House said, as negotiators eye a March 27 deadline for a deal to see the government funded through fiscal year 2013.

The sequester -- that devilish package of reckless and arbitrary budget cuts to US government spending that was not designed to actually go into effect -- is finally upon us. Friday was the deadline to reach a deal that averts the reductions, but no such bargain has been crafted. The White House blames Republicans, Republicans blame President Barack Obama and the American people point the finger at all of Washington. Here is how Congress and the White House got to this point: