The partisan bickering going on in Washington is a slap in the face to every citizen of this country suffering from the economic fallout from the failures of their elected officials to act responsibly and decisively in this mortgage and lending crisis. It reinforces the belief of many Americans that those they placed in office are a collective lot of dysfunctional representatives capable of nothing more than running for reelection.

All Americans— Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals and Independents—have always been able to cast aside their own torches and pick up that of their country's in time of need. Now is not the time to abandon the political culture that runs through our blood and that has made America a nation of achievement and prosperity. What we need now is less finger pointing and more work.

We could spend time and energy talking about how Congress created these momouth lending institutions, pressured them to extend mortgages beyond responsible limits, and then left them in abject abandonment. We could recall how Congress failed to react when the weaknesses in these institutions began to show, and how repeated attempts to do so were summarily rejected because they weren't popular nor politically imperative. We could talk about the political kickbacks many enjoyed as a result of all of this.

But that's for another discussion, and one that must also include implementation of a legal process to hold those responsible for this collapse accountable. For now, let's focus on shoring up this economy and give every American a chance to work through these tough times.