Has Congress made the recession worse? CNN

Since the economy dropped off a cliff in 2008, members of Congress have not exactly been shy about casting blame for no-or-slow growth on a variety of bureaucrats, outside institutions and Wall Street power players.

But if lawmakers are looking for an explanation as to why the recession lasted so long, they should look no further than their own actions.

There is growing evidence that policy uncertainty has contributed to the slow pace and extended length of the current economic recovery.

And who’s to blame for that?

Consider what Congress has busied itself with over the past year: An acrimonious debt ceiling debate that nearly resulted in default, a series of battles over whether the federal government should fund its own agencies and a drawn-out fight over whether to extend a 2% payroll tax cut.

Just as telling is what Congress has managed to avoid, namely the development of credible plans to deal with expiring tax cuts, burgeoning long-term deficits or desperately needed systemic reforms.

via Has Congress made the recession worse? – Feb. 23, 2012.