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Compromise has always been a holy word for the Washington establishment. But against the backdrop of ever-increasing anxiety over our fiscal dysfunction, most particularly the next budget showdown, the word has taken on a tone of anger, desperation and even panic.

By Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images

Not eye-to-eye: House Republican leader John Boehner and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

By Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images

Not eye-to-eye: House Republican leader John Boehner and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

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But in all its usages these days, "compromise" remains a word for bludgeoning Republicans. "Congress isn't just stalemated, it's broken, experts say," proclaims the typical headline, this one in TheMiami Herald. And the experts say it's all the Republicans' fault.

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Column: 'Compromise' is not a dirty word