“When you rush to judgment, you usually make mistakes. This is something you can’t let go on forever without addressing, but Congress in a short span of time is best served by going home.” — Former Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.), justifying Congress’s bipartisan plan to adjourn for the year without first enacting legislation to deal with the current financial crisis.

Boehlert spoke just one day before the consensus changed and Congress leaders promised to enact major financial-markets legislation before the end of the current session.