Here we go again...

It's clear that until or unless this tactic starts costing them something, the Democrats plan to keep using it -- representation and responsible behavior be damned:

In a replay of the recent political upheaval in Wisconsin, Indiana state government remains at a five-week standstill with the departure of 39 House Democrats who remain holed up in Illinois. In this instance, they are protesting of a Republican agenda they characterize as unfair to the state’s middle class and a threat to future business development.
The standoff, which has no sign of abating on either side, may lead to a government shutdown if the Democrats do not return by April 29, the last day in session and the final opportunity legislators have to approve a state budget, due June 30.

Here's an idea: any legislator who participates in such an organized walkout to prevent a quorum should immediately be considered to have tendered their resignation and be rendered permanently ineligible for any elective office in that state. Maybe that would be incentive enough to actually, you know, show up to work!

Speaking of not doing their jobs, isn't it interesting how Congress passed yet another "continuing resolution," rather than a budget? This one's good until April 8th, at which point we'll be seven months into the fiscal year. Oh, and they were nowhere to be seen in the process leading up to the airstrikes on Libya. So if Congress can't be bothered to execute their Constitutional responsibilities to pass budgets or declare a state of war when we lob missiles and three days of airstrikes at a country that has not even attacked us, what do we need them for?

Hate to say it, but I believe we're watching the death of representative government in America, right before our eyes. When just one man (the President) can commit the nation to war, and whole segments of the population are without representation because the people they elected are AWOL, you can't exactly say our Constitutional government is functioning as designed.