By David Lightman
McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON – It’s become a familiar Tuesday ritual: Another member of Congress loses his bid for re-nomination, and incumbents in Washington shudder – and get more timid about taking politically risky votes on economic matters.
That’s making it hard for the increasingly fractured House of Representatives Democratic caucus, which has an overwhelming majority, to complete even the most routine matters.
That then calls into question how soon, if at all, lawmakers can approve more funding for the war in Afghanistan and for thousands who’ve lost jobless benefits lately, let alone tackle the nation’s ballooning debt.