They played their political games right down to the wire, with much strutting and promenading and pompous posturing.

Finally, within inches of the first default in our history, they cobbled together a deal that gives us some breathing room. Then they all began to boast about who won and who lost, forgetting that the only player in the game who mattered was America. You have to wonder if there are any Americans in Washington, or is everybody simply a Democrat or a Republican?

Sorry, guys. This is no time for bows or curtain calls or bragging. Millions of us who stood by watching life savings pour down the drain as our nation’s credit rating and stature sank daily are grateful for a chance to catch our breaths, but recognize that this chance is not because of but in spite of people we hired to represent us, who have proved totally incompetent and self-centered to a fault.

What words best describe them? “Nincompoops” comes to mind as well as “sapheads,” “morons,” “birdbrains,” “dunderheads” and “dimwits.”

It is as though these government parasites live on Mount Olympus with Zeus as their leader while we, the underlings, reside on a different planet. But we Martians are beginning to wise up and realize that the fabled Mount Olympus is in Greece, and Greece is in more trouble than we are.

The “deal” they scraped together at the last minute could have been done weeks, if not months, ago. This would be before there was talk of downgrading our credit and threatening our economy even more. But that would have avoided the drama — the theater — that vies for votes and re-election. Because that is what it comes down to. That is what it is all about: keeping your fat-cat job in Washington.

These are fat-cat jobs. Note that, while Social Security has been frozen for several years, Congress has yet to fail to give itself a raise every time the subject comes up. Congress folks have big pensions that require limited qualifications before they kick in; Congress has its own health care, which is far superior to any piece of Obama-care.

Congress has perks galore, with ever-increasing staffs to do the bulk of their work. It is only natural that they will kick and scream at any thought of not being re-elected; it is only natural that everything they do is designed to keep the goodies flowing into their offices. But we Martians are beginning to see through these wiles as well.

We need government. We need regulations and bills that make sense. Lately, however, we have been apathetic as our representatives dream up rules that force us to buy toilets that don’t work (how can they save water when they have to be flushed 10 times?) and light bulbs that are hazardous to our health if they fall on the floor (look out for that mercury!) and health care that is asinine.

We are relieved that the solution to the debt ceiling crisis does not include more taxes and does propose some token cost-cutting (although we don’t trust bills that talk of things 10 years down the road).

We are, however, disgusted with the delaying orchestration that got us there — the threats and scare tactics and far-from-subtle maneuvering as Obama, Reid, Pelosi and Boehner pushed the pieces around the board.

We keep telling them, and they don’t listen, that this was no time for games. Given that, we have to take stock of who should be sent to Washington and groom them and nurture them and train them before we turn them loose. We escaped going off the cliff this time, but we are far from on safe ground and far from having leaders that we can trust. We have to take control.

Sorry to seem like a wet blanket, but we Martians cannot lead the applause for a squeaker. Besides, the real applause begins in November, when we toss the dunderheads out of their plush offices.

Allan Jefferys, a former New York theater critic and newsman, lives in Pinehurst. Contact him at oldjeff@nc.rr.com.