Last week, I wrote here about Congress passing through 10,000 introduced bills even while the annual spending process goes neglected.

Now the Wall Street Journal has picked up the story, coming at it from a slightly different angle. The story is called “As U.S. Economic Problems Loom, House, Senate Sweat the Small Stuff,” and reporter Elizabeth Williamson points out how many symbolic resolutions have been introduced in Congress while the real work of government goes by the wayside.

The 110th Congress, whose term officially ends in January, hasn’t passed any spending bills or attacked high gasoline prices. But it has used its powers to celebrate watermelons and to decree the origins of the word “baseball.”

Williamson’s story emphasizes the small number of bills that have been passed into law, but counting laws is not an appropriate measurement of Congress’ work. A small number of high quality laws would be much better than numerous junk laws.

But like the 10,000 bills post, the story highlights the fact that Congress hasn’t taken care of its basic responsibilities.

Congress, which won’t return to session until September, has yet to pass any 2009 appropriations bills, even though funding the federal budget is its official function. Before leaving town for summer break in August, lawmakers failed to establish August as Heat Stroke Awareness Month, blowing the deadline to make it official.

Now, you won’t find the Heat Stroke Awareness Month resolution or the “we love watermelon” resolution here on WashingtonWatch.com. We have them in our database, but generally don’t display the symbolic bills. The 10,000 bills I wrote about are all substantive and not the symbolic stuff featured in the WSJ story.

But the point is the same. Congress is frittering away its time, while its basic responsibilities are going neglected.