In speaking before the Senate of its recent inability to pass legislation, Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said that the Senate is "constipated" and could use some laxatives.  Then, to be filed under the heading of "You Can't Make Up Something This Good", he said the following (seriously):

"The Senate needs to function just like our intestinal system functions."

I would submit that in speaking words truer than he imagined, he aptly described the government in general.  Unfortunately, all too often it does function "just like our intestinal system", with outcomes similar in value.