Keller @ Large: Government Shutdown Caused By Staggering Incompetence

BOSTON (CBS) - I'm sure everyone is happy the government shutdown is over.

Unfortunately, it never should have happened.

Just look at the staggering incompetence that led to this completely avoidable shutdown.

The issues underlying the dispute were not especially complicated or even politically problematic. There is strong bipartisan support for funding children's health care and disaster relief, for beefing up border security, and for avoiding the deportation of hundreds of thousands of law-abiding immigrants brought here as children.

And no one in their right mind wanted to once again cause the massive disruption and cost that a government shutdown brings, given how unpopular past shutdowns have been.

But the key phrase there is - in their right mind.

Members of Congress and the White House have known for months they had to address all those issues, but as usual, they did little or nothing until the deadline was looming.

Then, rather than sit down and work out reasonable compromises, they immediately resorted to grotesque partisan finger-pointing; they're all obsessed with some imaginary edge they think they can gain heading into elections that are many months away.

It doesn't help that the president and his top advisors are in way over their heads, and that this entire generation of congressional leadership has almost no experience getting things done in a professional way.

And if any of them think they've impressed any voters with this performance, they really need to think again.

Talk back to me via email at keller@wbztv.com, or you can reach me on Twitter, @kelleratlarge.