As the November mid-term elections rapidly approach, Congress finds itself rushing against the clock. Out of concern for the campaigning requirements of its members, it has set October 6 as its target adjournment date for the year. This means that the legislature has given itself only a scant few weeks between its August recess and its October adjournment to take care of several pieces of outstanding business. At a September 15 press conference, President Bush identified two such issues he felt that Congress must address before it recessed: military commissions for the detainees at Guantanamo Bay and new rules for the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program. It is surely possible that the time constraints Congress has placed on itself will motivate legislators to reach resolution either or both of these contentious issues. But it is more likely that such pressure will prove counterproductive, resulting in neither useful public policy nor a positive image of the United States abroad.
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