It doesn’t take much to be disenchanted with our federal government. Optimism and progress are consistently stunted because of overspending, inaction, stalemate and utter incompetence.

Take the war in Iraq, for example. Democrats replaced many Republicans in the 2006 election based primarily on unfulfilled promises and a shift in public sentiment toward the conflict in the Middle East. President Bush’s steadfast ineptitude cost his party control of the legislative branch.

You didn’t need to have a sixth sense to recognize U.S. citizens were sending a message to our nation’s leaders: Get American troops out of Iraq – pronto.

Heading into October 2007, progress (if you can call it that) has moved at a snail’s pace. Last week, the powerless Democratic majority forged ahead in its battle to end the war in Iraq. The results: not even close. The latest vote on the war ended in a 47-47 tie.

Politicians must be laughing at the “mandate” they supposedly faced after November 2006.

Because Gen. David Petraeus testified in Congress that the troop surge was succeeding, Democratic hopes for troop withdrawal lost momentum. Even after the omniscient general spoke, an overwhelming majority of citizens disagreed with U.S. involvement in Iraq.

So in the world’s self-proclaimed “freest” country, the federal government remains unresponsive to public sentiment. Sadly, even if the Democrats found a way to muster a majority of votes in the Senate, it would remain futile because of President Bush’s promised vetos.

The U.S. legislative branch’s ineffectiveness is directly promoting the power of the executive branch. Bush realizes the potential for deadlock on most legislation, so he can sit back like a king and sign what he pleases. Senators refuse a bipartisan compromise to veto-proof him.

While Americans like me shake our heads at Congress’s inability to pass comprehensive legislation, the gang of do-nothings at least accomplished something on Sept. 10.

A controversial ad submitted by liberal organization MoveOn.org ran against Gen. Petraeus in The New York Times before his testimony to Congress. The ad showed a picture of the general with a caption, “General Petraeus or General Betray Us?”

Big deal, right?

Apparently its severity is more important than troop safety because action was promptly taken in the Senate to condemn it. While our troops face continuous danger in a war with either no end or wide-ranging success in sight – their government accomplished condemnation of a newspaper ad.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama is one of the only politicians who noted the absurdity of the resolution.

“The notion that we’re wasting time debating about a newspaper ad makes no sense,” said Obama, in response to his no-vote of the condemnation, according to www.abcnews.com. “So I just, I didn’t even vote on that vote. This is the kind of game playing that the American people are tired of.”

Amen.

This same week, Congress attempted to pass health insurance coverage for poor children. The plan proposes coverage for an additional 4 million impoverished children at the cost of $7 billion per year, according to The Times. President Bush however, has different plans, as he threatened to veto the spending bill. Bush’s rationale for a potential veto stems from reckless spending from the Democrats.

Reckless spending from the Democrats?

President Bush must be reveling in his own hypocrisy. While billions upon billions of dollars are spent on war and destruction, health care coverage gets lambasted – improved coverage for children, no less.

Exasperation is an understatement.

An exceptionally unpopular president continues to dictate and fail the American people as best he can. Meanwhile, our pitiful legislative branch extends its inability to pass significant laws, while lending him more power in the process.

A gloomy war continues as health insurance for children is scoffed off the table.

With a do-nothing congress and a no-brain president, frustrated citizens continue to voice disappointment in the federal government.

-Conor Shapiro is a political science senior.

-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, major and year in school.