The problem is that Congress failed to do its job, and deferred to president Bush. Then Obama had the choice of ending the program, which would antagonize the chicken hawks in the Republican party; asking for proper legislative authorization, which wouldn’t work because Congress would not miss an opportunity for inaction; or leaving it as he found it. The latter alternative had worked until now, but is indefensible. So the schizophrenic response is an understandable consequence of past decisions.

Taking a step back, the theme of congressional irresponsibility is recurring. The whole debate about the Iraq war would have been clearer if Congress had done its constitutional job and voted for or against declaring war on Saddam Hussein’s regime, and later making peace with the new government. That would have forced a discussion on who we were fighting, and for what. Delegating the power to the president with an “Authorization for use of military force” protected politicians against the judgement of the people, but created a mess.

Irresponsibility is a defining characteristic of Brazil’s congress. That, plus tropical storms in June, are evidences of tropicalization, a form of climate change if you want.