TWO PEAS IN A POD: Stuart Rothenberg has seen it all in the nation’s capital, over and over and over … Can you guess which congressional crisis he refers to it in this Roll Call oped?

“Congress often waits until the clock is running out before it actually gets down to dealing with big issues, whether spending or policy matters. … But the current hyper-partisan political environment makes it even less possible than usual to negotiate deals well before the clock strikes midnight. That’s because party leaders and activists spend most of their time playing to each party’s political base, rallying supporters behind their agenda and mobilizing their base against the opposition.”

Sounds a lot like the current impasse on Capitol Hill, doesn’t it? But Rothenberg wrote that passage back in 2011. And that’s the problem, Rothenberg and the rest of sentient America have heard this same song over and over and recognize it for the sham that it is. And just in case you missed the Motown reference, remember this?