Another abdication of duty by House Republicans

Late Friday night, the House of Representatives solved a problem it created, channeling Scarlett O’Hara, who famously said, “I’ll think about that another day.”

The House will think about funding the Department of Homeland Security for another week.

It’s yet another abdication of duty from lawmakers, one that is embarrassingly predictable despite assurances that the 2013 government shutdown will not happen again.

At issue is funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the agency created in the aftermath of 9/​11 to combat terrorism on the home front. Renewal would have been no big deal if Republicans hadn’t entwined President Barack Obama’s controversial immigration measures through the bill, rendering it a sticky wicket not easily passed through.

As in the 16-day general government shutdown two years ago, this wasn’t just the failure of one measure, but a failure to govern.

House Speaker John Boehner tried to downplay the dysfunction Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” explaining that the House is “a rambunctious place” and that Friday’s debacle wasn’t fun for him, because “it was messy, and I’m not into messy.” As if the U.S. Capitol were Chuck E. Cheese on the Potomac.

But Americans are tired of games in which money is spent and energy expended, with nothing achieved. When it comes to government shutdowns, they’re particularly tired of pin-the-blame-on-the-president. The House failed, not the president, and for the second time under Mr. Boehner’s leadership. When asked Sunday if he can lead effectively, he said “I think so.” Some of his colleagues, however, are thinking not.

Rep. Charlie Dent, a Republican in Eastern Pennsylvania, put it succinctly: “… all these palace coups or whatever the hell is going on around here has to end, and we have to get down to the business of governing.”

In December, Gallup reported that only 15 percent of Americans believe Congress is doing a good job. Lawmakers’ approval rating sank to 9 percent after the 2013 shutdown. How low can it go? The House will find out, if on Friday it dares play this game again.