How did a Democratic president and a Republican Congress reach agreement at a time of intense partisanship, mutual distrust, and suspicion? How were leaders of opposing parties able to negotiate a good-faith agreement to balance the budget, reduce spending for Medicare, and cut taxes? Does the agreement truly deserve the praise given by its supporters or the criticism dealt by its opponents? Daniel J. Palazzolo answers these questions with a vivid, first-person account of federal budget politics. In Done Deal? Palazzolo debunks conventional views of Washington politics that portray an antiquated separation-of-powers system hopelessly mired in partisan politics. Applying a realist expectations perspective, he recognizes the possibilities and limitations of the American political system and identifies inherent constraints on policy reform. His careful analysis highlights the system's capacity to adapt to changing circumstances and produce important changes in policy.