Chaos and absurdity in the U. S. Congress

OK.  For a long time, we've been aghast at the dysfunction in the U. S. Congress, especially the Republican controlled House of Representatives.    But tonight, it reached a new level of both chaos and absurdity.

Today, they were all set to quickly pass a funding bill to support handling of the border crisis.  Granted, it was a fraction of what the president asked for, and even of what the Senate bill calls for.   But it was going to be something they could claim -- and then quickly adjourn for five weeks to go home and campaign.

But then Ted Cruz came to visit.   That's Senator Ted Cruz, and we're talking about the House of Representatives.   Cruz had a meeting with the Tea Party Caucus in the House and apparently convinced them not to support the watered-down funding bill, unless it includes a provision to repeal a law that mandates a hearing before these children from Central America can be deported.   In other words, Ted Cruz -- a senator -- is controlling the shots in the House.

But then the Republican whip found they didn't have enough votes to pass a bill with that provision -- because they would lose some votes who opposed that.

Essentially, this was a show-down fight between House Speaker Boehner and Senator Ted Cruz -- and Boehner lost in his own chamber.

To thumb his nose on the way out, Cruz reportedly shrugged off any suggestion that this would leave the humanitarian problem addressed and said:   The president can act on his own to provide funds;  he doesn't have to depend on Congress.

Now here is the punch line:   This is exactly what Boehner and his crowd are suing President Obama for doing -- acting on his own, without going through Congress, to delay implementation of one part of the ACA.

Good Lord.  I think I'm going to have to go lie down.   It's making my head swim.

Ralph

[ADDED LATER:   I attributed to Ted Cruz the comment that the president could act without congress to ease the border crisis.   It wasn't only him.  The House Republican leadership actually released just such a prepared statement:

"There are numerous steps the president can and should be taking right now, without the need for congressional action, to secure our borders and ensure these children are returned swiftly and safely to their countries."

Even Republicans themselves took note of the irony of this coming just days after approving a lawsuit against the president for just such independent action.   The House Republicans just increased their credibility problem exponentially.