Well, it’s over — at least for now.

Federal lawmakers came to an agreement Wednesday night to fully reopen the federal government and to also avoid a threatened national default.

The deal will fund the government through Jan. 15 and allow the Treasury to borrow normally through Feb. 7.

Let’s hope that those in Washington can learn from what has transpired the past few weeks and be able to find bipartisan solutions to the big problems our country faces.

That was also a similar feeling former President Bill Clinton expressed when he visited Cleveland on Thursday to speak at Cuyahoga County Community College Foundation Presidential Scholarship Luncheon.

Clinton shared that he felt relief that the situation was over in part because of the political drama that had been created and he believes the country’s reputation has suffered internationally because of it.

The former president has a perspective that only a few can share because he was in office the last time the federal government was shut down.

Although many believe Clinton benefitted politically and that it helped him get re-elected to a second term, he said that threat of a government shutdown is not the right way to govern.

Even though it was a last minute agreement with little choice and time left, a bipartisan agreement was reached.

When looking at the final roll call, eight of Ohio’s 16 members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the deal including Reps. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township, and Marcia L. Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights. Both Ohio U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, and Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati, voted to approve the deal.

A Washington-based television reporter asked President Barack Obama that same night after he delivered remarks prior to the House voting on the deal whether he expected the drama to return in a few months when the next deadlines arise and the president simply said “no” before exiting the room.

It would make sense for Congress to work together to put forth a budget for Obama to sign. Is that really too much to ask?

The policy of adopting continuing resolutions to fund the federal government doesn’t seem to accomplish much except to keep things status quo.

Quite frankly, there has to be a better way for our elected officials to govern.

Maybe it took the country’s nearly falling financially off a cliff to make that point clear.

Candidate endorsements

Candidates in Lake, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties who appear on the Nov. 5 ballot may send in listings of endorsements they receive for the upcoming election via email, fax or standard mail. They will appear online periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics blog.

Deadline reminder

The weekly deadline for information to appear in this column is each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Jefferson-Jackson dinner

The Lake County Democratic Party hosts its annual Jefferson-Jackson starting at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Patrician Party Center in Eastlake. Featured guests include Ohio Attorney General candidate David Pepper and former Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Event

Ward L. Kinney, candidate for Chester Township trustee, hosts a meet and greet event 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 27 at Geauga West Library in Chester Township.

Fundies

n Lake County Recorder Ann M. Radcliffe hosts spaghetti dinner fundraiser 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Park Road Grill in Painesville Township. See Terri Conley.

n Arlene Becks, candidate for Painesville Council at large, hosts Three Pasta Entrée Buffet fundraiser with special guests state Sen. Nina Turner and state Rep. John Rogers, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 22 at Painesville Elk’s Lounge. See Becks, Trudy Simmons or L.K. Williams.

n Tom Fitzgerald, candidate for Painesville Council Jan. 1 term, hosts an open house fundraiser, 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 23, at his home in Painesville. See Debra Fitzgerald or Janet Clair.

n Chuck Brickman, candidate for Willoughby Council at large, hosts a fundraiser, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at Wild Goose in Willoughby. See Brickman.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah