The current budget expires Friday.  Threats of a government shutdown next week all but disappeared late last week as Democrats reacted favorably to a Republican plan to keep agencies operating past March 4.  The two-week peace is only temporary but gives House and Senate leaders through March 18 to try to resolve conservative demands for more than $60 billion in spending cuts.  A first installment of $4 billion in savings would be part of the deal now and Republicans have said they will insist on $2 billion more in cuts for each additional week the talks continue past the new deadline.  Meanwhile, outside the beltway in Wisconson, teachers have begun receiving layoff notices.  Unless the controversial bill passes by tomorrow, 1,500 workers could receive preliminary layoff notices.  Appearing on “Meet the Press” this weekend, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said, “If we do not get these changes, and the Senate Democrats don’t come back, we’re going to be forced to make up the savings in layoffs and that to me is just unacceptable.”