Habemus Papam! We have a Pope! The centuries-old tradition of locking 115 men in a room until they make a decision still works today. This brings us to an old idea for getting rid of gridlock in our political system.

Santa Clara County could lose millions of dollars if Congress doesn’t quit its bickering and steer clear of the impending sequester. Not since 1985 has the threat of sequestration come this close, the White House says. Sequestration is a big word for slash-and-burn cuts to federal services, which inevitably trickle down to state and local governments.