Italy's Zombie Politicians Cross the Atlantic

Zombies have overrun Rome—and they’re spreading to Washington. Politics on both sides of the Atlantic is stuck in limbo between life and death as politicians stagger about hopelessly to stall on reform. Italy’s reformist technocrat government, led by Mario Monti, came to an end last month, which means the country is at risk of losing its only hope to escape political stagnation. Meanwhile, despite all the grandstanding from President Obama and Congress, nothing seems to change in the U.S., either. Yesterday’s tax-raising deal to supposedly avoid the “fiscal cliff”and punt on cutting spending is just the latest episode of Washington’s lifeless routine. Italy’s broken political culture represents the political zombie apocalypse that America must avoid.