Nine days now until a tax hike and House Republicans yesterday walked out of an effort by Democrats to force a vote on extending the payroll tax for two months. Republicans want to take care of it for a whole year.

There is no resolution in sight this morning, even after President Obama spent an afternoon on the phone with Congressional leaders on both sides.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin joins Christine Romans this morning on American Morning to discuss the latest impasse and whether the partisanship in government could improve.