After weeks, months, of bitter feuding, Congress has finally agreed on who cannot be trusted to solve the country’s complicated fiscal problems: The U.S. Congress. All 535 members. And Congress has a solution — a special committee.

Both Republicans and Democrats have proposed drumming up a committee of 12 legislators — handpicked by both parties — to deal with the most complicated issues involved in a likely debt-ceiling compromise. It will be up to this “super committee” to complete the epic task of cutting more than $1 trillion in spending from the federal budget.

It took Faun Trackway, a Welsh company that produces temporary roadways and landing strips, about 3¹ / ₂ years of research before it decided to launch a U.S. business.

Company officials flew back and forth, visiting military installations and officials, exhibiting at trade shows, and getting to know the U.S. defense industry.

Last week, the company jumped in, opening the sales office of its independent U.S. business in the District. Even as the Pentagon warns of reduced spending, Faun Trackway is among those European contractors seeking opportunities in the United States, citing a market that is simply too big to pass up.

A shorter list this mid-summer weekend, a reflection, perhaps, of the deluge of vacations that Washingtonians begin taking just about this time of year (and well into August), and a preoccupation with the wearying budget debate on the Hill.

Though that disgust with the way Washington operates may explain the last book on this week’s list, a harsh critique of the Federal government and the way it spends money — your money. Certainly bashing government is all the rage nowadays, considering the budget / debt-limit debacle taking place even now on Capitol Hill, but alleging that there is a cadre of federal workers with exorbitant salaries ($170,00 is the number bandied about) “stealing you blind” is a bit much considering the vast majority of government workers are hardworking, conscientious folks making much less than you might think. And there’s no real reason why top-notch talent shouldn’t ear as much as some of their private sector counterparts, especially as a desire for more money is what leads many to leave the federal workforce in the first place. And as for “Stealing you blind,” it may be wise to turn your attention to the “recession-proof” moneymen of Wall Street and the often ridiculous salaries earned there — much of it lately at taxpayers’ expense.

No matter how the debt-ceiling fight is resolved in Congress, it’s going to end poorly for the states.

If the country defaults, the states will be plunged into an immediate financial crisis: Investor confidence in government assets across the board would plummet — including the municipal bonds that states and local governments have traditionally relied upon to pay for new schools, roads, utilities, sewage systems and other basic infrastructure.

According to Dan White, an economist for Moody’s Analytics, states and local governments would see their credit ratings drop and their borrowing costs rise, and they would be forced to abruptly slash services and employees for the near future.

At the end of last week, with the country barreling toward financial default and the governing apparatus at a loss about how to respond, the crisis seemed to demand the involvement of someone with the personal gravitas, political acumen and institutional leverage to move the process toward a final deal. The moment called out for Mitch McConnell.

On Saturday, after all the partisan bills were doomed and dismissed, the Senate minority leader took charge of the process, reaching out to the White House to demand that President Obama get personally involved. Any debt-ceiling deal before the Tuesday default deadline, McConnell said, would require direct engagement with the president — and late Saturday, the approach seemed the last, best hope.