When we set out to write a book about the growing extremism in American politics about 18 months ago, we thought that the 112th Congress was the worst we had seen in our four decades in Washington. However, the fights over the debt limit, the “fiscal cliff” and the farm bill — and the shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration — convinced us that it was the worst Congress ever.
Despite its dysfunction, there are widespread misconceptions about the 112th Congress and what lies ahead. Let’s correct a few of them. [cont.]
Thomas E. Mann & Norman J. Ornstein, Washington Post