text: But after the requisite barb-trading with the White House , and a much-photographed round of negotiations in which the sanctity of Social Security and the need to invest in our nation 's children are duly invoked , it would be a blessing if Congress would quietly pass a continuing resolution keeping spending more or less where it currently is , and then take to the hustings , where each party can blame the other for doing what 's best for the country--nothing .
  
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  It would be nice if Congress could increase spending to a rate this country has never seen before .