EDITORIAL - America The Banana Republic

KINGSTON, Jamaica - If it intends to prevent a return to global financial turbulence and maintain America's pre-eminent place in the world, it is urgent that Congress end its latest bout of irresponsibility and begin to manage the country's economic affairs in a fashion not reminiscent of a banana republic.
This is how Washington appears at this time - a place of political hostage-taking, blackmailing and what some might consider as attempts at constitutional putsches.
Since the start of this week, for instance, the United States federal government has been on partial shutdown because of the failure of legislators to agree on a budget for the fiscal year that began on October 1.