Maybe Congress is getting the message. Maybe the anger and disgust that were apparent when senators and representatives were in their home states this summer are making a difference in the way they conduct the people's business.
Or maybe not.
The latest display of practiced dysfunction was the debate over disaster aid, which again brought the nation close to a federal government shutdown. The last time Congress fiddled while the economy burned was the politicized debate over raising the nation's debt ceiling. That debacle eroded already weakened confidence in the government's ability to function. Responsible economists concluded that congressional dawdling actually hurt the slow recovery.
Early this week, the foolish show was almost repeated. A resolution to continue to fund the government when the new fiscal year begins Saturday was hung up over disagreements in how to fund disaster aid. The nation has been battered by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and drought. The aid is sorely needed. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency feared it would run out of money because natural disasters have been so widespread. Thus, Congress had to act to get FEMA the money.
The logjam, which was primarily the result of House Republicans insisting that every dollar for FEMA come out of other federal programs, was broken when FEMA said it would not run out of money as quickly as earlier expected. But, whether FEMA had the money, the spectacle of Congress - specifically the House majority - holding hostage victims of natural disasters infuriated most Americans. The obstructionists were hearing from the folks back home, and from people all over the nation who were outraged by the political game-playing being conducted at the expense of people who had lost homes and livelihoods to bad weather.
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They also were reading polls that showed Congress was being blamed for holding up disaster aid to Americans in real need. Even tea party ideologues, whose disdain for government seldom leaves room for simple human compassion, got the message.
Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper's Editorial Board.
