To those with more than a casual interest in politics, “Silly Season” is a common term used to indicate the time running up to an election when the logic of Capitol Hill, such as it is, gets crazier than usual. Votes are scheduled or canceled depending on how much they would help or hurt the opposition in their home districts rather than on the merits of the bills in question. Silly Season used to start in late spring or early summer before an election and ran right up to election day, though you could argue that it now starts earlier than that, roughly the first Monday following the second Tuesday of each even-yeared November.

As fun as it is to watch,