Let’s take a break from party-driven contempt and focus on a reason for people on both sides of the aisle to share in a unified contempt for their Congress. A few days ago, the Senate and the House overwhelmingly voted to override President Obama’s veto of the bill that “allows victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to sue Saudi Arabia.” Within hours, some of the senators that voted for the override sent a letter proclaiming their concern about the measure they had just passed. Shortly after that, Senate Majority Leader McConnell reflected on the vote: “It appears as if there may be some unintended ramifications.” He added that, “Everybody was aware of who the potential beneficiaries were, but nobody had really focused on the potential downsides in terms of our international relationships.” Nobody? Well, nobody except the administration and the president who had vetoed the law for precisely those downsides. The Atlantic on The Runaway 9/11 Bill That Congress Refused to Stop.

+ Vox: The Obama administration’s case against the 9/11 bill, explained for Congress (and you).