Lest anyone believe that Congress does NOT operate in a bubble, consider the fact that the House Energy and Commerce Committee two weeks ago passed a sweeping climate change bill that for all its high-minded intentions will only drive up the cost of energy for manufacturers, businesses and consumers. And as the WaPo reports today, Obama and the Congress are full-speed ahead on a similarly sweeping health care proposal that now appears to have an employer mandate in there, and may end up eliminating the current tax exclusion for employers. Once again, the result will be greater cost on businesses and consumers.
This is all pretty standard Congressional fare until you stand back and realize that this is all taking place against a backdrop of what any Congressional leader (and the White House) will tell you is the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. Everything they are doing on the climate and health care fronts will only make it harder for us to recover as a nation, and will end all hope that the US might lead the globe out of this current slump.
Maybe it's time Congress took a step back and thought about the world outside their bubble and the dual death blows they seem poised to deal to it.