The Week

■ The American Federation of Government Employees, upset about the President’s proposed 5.5 per cent lid on their salary increase, is threatening a work slowdown. This is the happiest prospect of the season.

■ Representative Barber Conable (R., N.Y.) had a thought. Every year, the House casts a ritual vote against raising the debt ceiling; and every year, congressmen approve a whopping budget increase that makes it necessary to raise the ceiling. Conable reasoned that if he could schedule the two votes for the same day, some of his colleagues would be shamed into consistency. He did, and they weren’t. The $50.9-billion deficit passed, 201 to 198; 15 minutes later, the House voted 228 to 167 against the raised debt ceiling.

■ The American Federation of Government Employees, upset about the President’s proposed 5.5 per cent lid on their salary increase, is threatening a work slowdown. This is the happiest prospect of the season.

■ Representative Barber Conable (R., N.Y.) had a thought. Every year, the House casts a ritual vote against raising the debt ceiling; and every year, congressmen approve a whopping budget increase that makes it necessary to raise the ceiling. Conable reasoned that if he could schedule the two votes for the same day, some of his colleagues would be shamed into consistency. He did, and they weren’t. The $50.9-billion deficit passed, 201 to 198; 15 minutes later, the House voted 228 to 167 against the raised debt ceiling.