What Would Happen...

...if Congress ended up being unable to pass a "bailout" bill this week, but the markets righted themselves anyway? Would people finally see that Congress as it stands at this moment is largely irrelevant? And would it cause people to send every incumbent home on Election Day, because the time seems ripe for a complete housecleaning?

Yes, I realize that something probably has to be done about this problem, no matter how much there might be a temptation to just let the market do its thing. While this week's problems may have been the fault of under-regulation, it's more than possible that over-regulation might be even worse. And I hate to see some members of Congress using this occasion to play politics as usual even now, seemingly putting party ahead of country once again. As Glenn "Instapundit" Reynolds is prone to say, I'll believe it's a crisis when the people who are telling me it's a crisis act like it's a crisis. Too many people in Congress aren't doing that yet. And if it really is a crisis, well...a pox on their House for screwing around like this.