The Bottom Line: Time for a Congressional Conclave  March 15,
2013 By Maryann Lawlor E-mail E-mail the Author  With the
unexpected retirement of Pope Benedict XVI, cardinals journeyed
to Rome and were secluded in a papal conclave where they made a
decision that will undoubtedly affect at least the near future
of the Roman Catholic Church. Prior to the mid 13th century,
cardinals could come and go as they pleased during this meeting.
But politicking intervened, and Pope Gregory X decreed cardinals
be secluded until they chose a new pope. Important decisions?
Politicking? A need for expediency? Sounds familiar. When it
comes to Congress, it’s time to give this seclusion idea a shot.
The idea has its merits for a number of reasons. The many
meetings among party leaders at the White House, on Capitol Hill
and even in Washington, D.C., restaurants aren’t moving decision
making forward, and the general consensus is that politics is
getting in the way. Without access to televisions, phones,
computers and visitors,