Warning: If you plan to visit the nation’s capital in the next few weeks, beware of excessive hot air, high winds, dust storms and general malaise. To avoid contact, citizens are asked to avoid both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, specifically the White House, the Capitol and the assorted congressional office buildings that frame an unfortified border around the halls of government.
In previous years when Congress would go off on some frivolous path, it was referred to as “silly season.” The problem now is finding any humor in the grinding sound emanating from Washington – the final strains of the wheels of government coming to a halt.
The term “gridlock” is so yesterday when referring to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Today it’s total lockdown – a take-no-prisoners attitude.
The situation did not occur overnight or over the past year. It has been building for years, and Republicans and Democrats share plenty of the blame.
There is a saying about power corrupting. In the case of Congress and Washington in general, it is the abuse of power combined with a loss of memory when the levers of government shift from one partisan political set of hands to the other.