If It's Good Enough For The Catholic Church, It's Good Enough for Congress

Here's an idea to help resolve the current (and ongoing) crisis in Washington, and it borrows heavily from the Catholic Church.

Way back in 1268, following the death of Pope Clement IV, the College of Cardinals convened their Papal Conclave to elect a new pope, just as had been done many times before, and many times since. However, the cardinals of that time had a real problem getting the job done.

So first they locked them up, away from everyone else, in a chapel (the Sistine Chapel hadn't been built yet). It was hoped that by isolating them, they would more fully concentrate on the task at hand.

But that didn't work.

So, the cardinals were only given bread and water to eat and drink. No other food or drink was allowed in to them. (BTW, this is still a valid punishment used by the US Navy to discipline sailors who get into trouble.)

But still that didn't work.

So . . . they removed the roof from the chapel where the cardinals were staying.

That did the trick! They elected Pope Gregory X.

So, here's my proposal, and I propose that we use this every time that Congress refuses to pass a budget or otherwise do their duty. 30 days prior to the deadline (the end of the fiscal year in normal years, where they have yet to pass a budget for the following fiscal year), we lock them in the House chamber, along with the President. No aides, no family, no one at all. We can watch them on C-SPAN, and if they need a doctor, we could send one in, but that's it. The Vice President gets to sit in the big chair in the White House for a change. Yeah, I know he/she is supposed to be the president of the Senate, but somebody's got to be there to push the button if it's necessary.

15 days prior to the deadline, we put them on bread and water. And they get one good multi-vitamin per day.

And 5 days before the deadline, if they still are squabbling like a bunch of spoiled 4 year olds, we move them all out onto the National Mall, and cordon them off, keeping the public at least 100 yds back. No tents, no sleeping bags; no chairs, tables, or desks. Just 2 blankets and a pillow each. The dietary restrictions (bread and water, and a vitamin pill) continue in effect. They can stay out there and bake in the sun (OK, they can get some sun screen if that's the case), or freeze in the snow (they can have a coat, gloves, and a ski cap), or get wet if it rains (pass out the umbrellas--and take them back up when the rain stops). And there they stay until they do what they were elected to do.

Sound a little extreme? Well, maybe, but then again that's exactly how our troops out in the field live. And besides, they're all a bunch that's not all that tough; they won't let it go that far. They're not going to want to have to sleep on the ground with the bugs--they'll pass the legislation needed to keep them all inside and comfortable, and able to go to Morton's for dinner.

And we won't have to go through all the garbage they're putting our country through.