(MCT) — WASHINGTON — Lawmakers for both major political parties will huddle separately behind closed doors starting Tuesday, plotting strategy for the coming fight over how to prevent deep, across-the-board automatic federal spending cuts scheduled to begin on March 1.

That the parties are meeting separately and sometimes far from Washington says much about the current mood. Unless an alternative is adopted, some $85 billion in automatic spending cuts take effect in 24 days because of what’s known as the budget sequester.