As the 108th Congress gets close to being history, congressional Republicans and Democrats have criticized the partisanship that has limited accomplishments, especially during this presidential election year.

Trouble is, there has been little or no bipartisan attempt to change that. And, sadly, the impact of the stubborn partisanship falls not only on the government, but also on the American people who depend on lawmakers to act in their best interests.

Lawmakers of both parties deserve to be chastised for failing to accomplish something so basic as passage of 13 spending bills for federal operations. Only four of the 13 had been enacted into law as the lawmakers began an election break on Oct. 11.

At that rate of success, lawmakers should have felt too embarrassed to leave their seats.

And, basic budget action isn't the only source of this Congress' penchant for not getting things done. Also in limbo are extension of the 1996 welfare overhaul law; a proposed six-year, $300 billion highway-and mass transit-funding bill; bills on asbestos compensation, patients' rights and changes in immigration and bankruptcy laws; and bills that would limit class-action lawsuits and medical-liability claims.

Actually, with an increasingly bitter presidential campaign in progress this year, expectations were modest, and lawmakers chose not to defy those predictions. But the nation and its people deserve more from those in whom they place their trust and confidence, regardless of how that stacks up against the political climate.

It might be naïve to think that situations of this kind can be kept from happening in the future, but Americans shouldn't be happy about such production from these purported public servants.

"From day one, Republicans have wasted and squandered the 108th Congress," said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California.

In Congress' upper chamber, Republican Sen. Rick Santorum criticized Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, claiming that Daschle had "used procedural measures that had never been used in the history of the Senate to stop bipartisan reforms from happening."

With such examples of partisan rhetoric, no wonder Congress' production level remains consistently below par, even in non-election years.

Too bad it isn't possible to send lawmakers home in election years - and not pay them. If it was, the nation would save a bundle of money for which it consistently doesn't get its money's worth.

If Congress' partisanship were gold, the nation would have a multitrillion-dollar budget surplus.

- J.R.K.