At the State of the Union, it is expected that Obama will turn to setting out more gritty detail on domestic priorities for this second term. Undoubtedly, a large part of the speech will focus on how the United States can protect their economic recovery and create jobs.

Will it have thrills and spills of a NASCAR race? Or will it have the numbing predictability akin to watching partisan paint drying?

The next fiscal crisis is set for February or March. Paul Krugman is pleading for minting a $1 trillion platinum coin to avert gloom and doom. Ideas like these help put a smile on your face in difficult times, but how will the fiscal saga really evolve?

If Congress appears divided, partisan and irrational then it is partly the fault of its electoral system and partly the fault of the voters. Until something is done about this the pattern will keep on repeating itself.