Raspberries for Washington

If anybody on Capitol Hill is waiting for a standing ovation or even polite applause for ending the shutdown, they're going to be disappointed.

Injecting life, if you dare call it that, back into the federal government is no cause for celebration. The best that can be said is that one shameful chapter of political gamesmanship is over, with no assurance that another one isn't lurking on some future horizon.

We firmly blame President Obama for the mess that isn't going to be cleared away as quickly and thoroughly as the political parties hope. We firmly blame Congress, just as much. We blame the tea party, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Libertarian Party, the Constitutional Party and the Dahmer Party. Why not? This was political cannibalism at its worst, with the American public served up as the lip-smacking entree.

Our leaders faithfully continued to pay themselves for practicing political idealism over problem solving, disserving Americans from sea to shining sea. The only sweat they broke came from posturing mighty hard for 16 solid days. You'd like to believe that the agreement ending the shutdown demonstrates what can happen when American leaders work together for the greater good rather than their self-interests, but that requires a leap of faith and mind-altering drugs.

As long as we're assessing blame, the lion's share has to go to us, the voters. We're the fools who hired these fools.