The whole thing is completely ridiculous, but it's unfortunately politics as usual. As has been pointed out, both parties engage in this silliness. But what hasn't been mentioned is that the folks in DC have never really had a history of acting like grown ups. These sorts of petty politics have plagued Washington almost since the beginning of the country, so this isn't necessarily a 'sign of the times'.

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“For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.” - Carl Sagan