Gail Collins has a proposal for Congress if they can't pass anything:

[Are_grits_groceries]

This month, the pope made some sensible remarks about sex, and the president of Iran made some reasonable comments about nuclear weapons. Also, the Russians proved to be extremely helpful during an international crisis. Meanwhile, on the home front, our Congress appears too crazed by internal conflict to keep the lights on.

Our elected officials are loonier than Iran. Than the pope on sex. Less useful than Vladimir Putin.

Oh, dear.

Big deadline coming! In theory, by Monday, the House and Senate are supposed to have jointly approved 12 bills appropriating money for the various sections of government in 2014. The entire package should be a prudent rethinking of what various agencies really need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively.

This is probably not going to happen because, as of today, the number of said bills passed by both bodies is zero.
<snip>
The rest is the best: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/opinion/collins-meet-dilly-and-dither.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

HA!
loves me some Gail Collins

[Scuba]

1. Let’s cancel Christmas vacation for Congress.

Let’s cancel Christmas vacation for Congress. In fact, let’s confine the House and Senate in the Capitol until they make us cliff-free. If we don’t see any progress by Nov. 1, we take off the roof for the rest of the winter. No blankets until they become at least as reasonable as the Iranians. Or the pope on sex.

[Warpy]

2. Let's just suspend Congress

without pay and without benefits, let them enjoy what happens to us when we screw off at work.

Can't you just hear all the howling?

[brer cat]

3. That is a wonderful idea.

Nothing else could educate those entitled a-holes better. A dose of reality is desperately needed to get rid of the do nothing congress.

I love Gail. Thanks for posting Grits. I don't pay for NYT so it is nice to have a preview to see if it is worth giving up one of my 10 free looks.

[Are_grits_groceries]

4. And their staffs!

That's who does the real work. If they are squeezed, Congress will hear that!

I'd donate to remove the roof!