Why wouldn't our feckless Congress just take the issues in question and give them up-or-down votes under the current Congressional rules?

• One year extension of the payroll tax reduction…yea or nay?

• Build the pipeline?…yea or nay?

• Increase income taxes on those with $1 mil or more in annual income?…yea or nay?

Why don't we just get on with it and let the chips fall where they may?

Oh, I know. If the Congress actually voted that way, they'd each have to stand up to their constituents and be counted, rather than hiding behind the excuse that they didn't vote for "this" because it would include a vote for "that". That would prevent them from hiding behind the confusion created with the competing sound bites on the Sunday talk shows.