With Congress demonstrating a lack of brains, a heart and couragein its gross mishandling of the credit crisis, and with PresidentGeorge W. Bush reduced to a powerless humbug, Washington isstarting to resemble the characters from “The Wizard Of Oz,” ratherthan living up to the the hopes and dreams of the Founding Fatherswho set up this great republic. It's time for more dramatic action,and insurance lobbyists can help.

Instead of leading this nation in a time of crisis, Congress hasbehaved like a bunch of frightened children, cowering as the phonesring and the e-mails pour in decrying the “bailout of WallStreet.”

Terrified of being voted out by an angry mob furious over a WallStreet “bailout,” lawmakers caved under the pressure, rather thanstand tall and explain to one and all how if nothing is done, werun the risk of seeing credit dry up entirely, sending the entireeconomy into a death spiral many businesses and individuals may notsurvive.

Meanwhile, President Bush, looking as bewildered as if he'd juststepped out of a car wreck, keeps pleading pathetically for publicunderstanding and congressional support, while everyone shouts out,“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” The “wizard” ofWashington has certainly been brought down to size by thiscrisis.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., playing the role ofDorothy, skips along the yellow brick road to Capitol Hill,seemingly oblivious to the mortal dangers surrounding her. As herfaithful dog Todo, I give you House Minority Leader John A.Boehner, R-Ohio, who reluctantly got on board with his Democraticcounterpart, yet his bark was far worse than his bite, as hecouldn't deliver enough fellow Republicans to approve a rescuepackage even after declaring that the fate of the country hangs onyour vote.

People just don't get it–inside Congress or around the countryat large. No one seems to understand that to stand still wouldamount to cutting off the country's nose to spite its face.

Unless Congress acts to clear up the bad loans clogging thecredit markets, you won't be able to borrow affordably (if at all)to buy a new home or car, build any commercial properties, orlaunch, sustain and expand your business.

The fact that Wall Street rallied yesterday means nothing. Inthe long run, it's the credit markets that will save or sink thistitanic economy, now that the subprime iceberg has been hit.

If ignorant voters and gutless lawmakers prefer to let the freemarket have its way, we're all going to be in huge financialtrouble–insurance companies and brokers included. A rapidly slowingeconomy and collapsing investment markets would make lifeunbearable indeed for this industry.

President Bush has botched this problem from Day One. Instead ofdelivering lame pleas from behind podiums in the safety of theWhite House, he should have called a joint session of Congress toread lawmakers the riot act, and to forcefully make the case to theAmerican people that inaction would prove suicidal.

Actually, this lamest of lame ducks can still take that step andget a rescue package passed. Any of you in the industry with anypolitical pull at all–and insurance has loads of high-poweredlobbyists–should begin pushing for such action right now, beforeit's too late. Demand more dramatic action from the White House,and call short-sighted legislators to help them see the light.

Of course, it doesn't help that Congress does not appear to havethe economic background to cope with a financial meltdown ascomplex as this.

Indeed, a Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Literacyanalysis of economic education among congressional members revealedthat less than 15% of current members have degrees in the business,economics, or finance fields.

But it's not only Congress that is lacking in economicfundamentals. The glaring ignorance of our citizenry is equallyapalling.

“The lack of personal finance education in America has resultedin widespread financial illiteracy throughout the country,” thegroup said. “That illiteracy has been partly to blame for thecurrent credit crunch, as Americans at all income levels actedrecklessly by taking on too much debt.”

Financial literacy is woefully inadequate in this country, andwe have been advocating for increased education in economics andpersonal finance in American public schools, said James Bowers,managing director of the Center for Economic and EntrepreneurialLiteracy. But after watching the events of this week, a crashcourse on Capitol Hill might not be a bad place to start.

He noted that more than eight in 10 members of Congress receivedno formal schooling in economics or business, adding that “itsinteresting that those who are responsible for solving the biggesteconomic crisis in generations dont have the educational backgroundto know the difference between commercial paper and copy machinepaper.

We can't just click our heels three times and keep repeatingthat there's no place like home. Call the White House and everymember of Congress you've lobbied in the past and demand actionnow!