Will they return and show real leadership?

Whew, aren’t we glad that is over … for now.

It’s been a few weeks since lawmakers took this country to the precipice of financial ruin, seemingly reveled in their fleeting power to do so, then gingerly backed us all away. I can’t help but think they actually enjoyed the ride. Lord knows we watched every minute unfold in excruciating detail. And at every turn, lawmakers were not laboring in sweats, up at all hours of the night. No, they golfed with each other, sauntered over to the West Wing and sat around while press pools took pictures.

Then they had the audacity to troll out to the microphones, after presumably making sound, principled arguments for why we couldn’t go the other party’s direction, and proceeded to rip their opponents’ heads off in the media.

How many times did we see such shenanigans played out? On both sides?

Then in the final minutes, cooler heads prevailed. The president looked presidential (finally). The Speaker and congressional leaders came together and cut a deal to raise the debt limit. Only they didn’t strike a “grand bargain.” In classic congressional gamesmanship, they kicked the can down the road. Sure, tough decisions were made, but not the toughest. Not the ones that would set us on a path out of default. They agreed to come back in a few months and finish the hard work.

Will they and can they do the hard work and show real leadership when they return after Labor Day?