Understanding governmental action - fiscal cliff edition

To understand things, you must at times look to sources of wisdom and insight.  For politics in general, there seem to be only two such sources, both comedies.  What does this tell us?  So with respect to the situation in DC (DaCapital), turn to Yes Minister, which dummies in the USA will think is a religious source.  "Politicians must be allowed to panic. They need activity. It is their substitute for achievement."  Our government either makes you laugh or cry, but crying is so depressing, so better to make fun of the fools we have elected.  The other source is of course the Daily Show, the finest in phony news.