The federal government’s recent partial shutdown, which set a record for the longest in U.S. history, ended after 35 days. Regrettably, there was no permanent solution, as the agreed-on funding was only for three additional weeks. If no permanent agreement is reached by then, the standoff will once again resume, a continuing black eye for America with numerous disastrous consequences, some known and many still unknown.

The efforts to reach an accommodation between an unpredictable president and a highly determined speaker of the House, was a classic example of how not to reach an agreement: name-calling, public posturing and high-profile meetings without ground rules.