Politics is supposed to stop at the water’s edge, but Mississippi’s lawmakers on Wednesday let their political differences wash over the shore and almost drown 650,000 of the state’s poorest people.

Senators and representatives, called back to Jackson for a one-day special session hopefully to reauthorize the Department of Human Services budget, instead passed differing legislation and, with no discussion, adjourned and went home. Their action left the DHS budget &045;&045; with its money for food stamps, child welfare services and counseling services &045;&045; up in the air.

A court order and promises by Gov. Haley Barbour will keep DHS going, but that doesn’t stop the embarrassment that politics has caused our state.

While the House wanted to include reversing Medicaid cuts in its bill, the Senate &045;&045; minus 21 senators, including Natchez’s Bob Dearing &045;&045; wanted a bill that would only include authorizing DHS. Instead of staying in their chambers to come to an agreement, the different houses simply passed their bills and moved on.

The Legislature’s inaction was absolutely irresponsible.

Dearing &045;&045; who was as frustrated as anyone over what happened &045;&045; said he believes partisan politics is at the root of the problem.

We’re not surprised. But that doesn’t excuse what the Legislature did &045;&045; or failed to do. And it has come close to hurting thousands of people who depend on DHS for a variety of services &045;&045; from the single mother struggling to put food on the table to the abused child who needs a way out of an unhappy home.

Next time lawmakers meet, they must put aside their politics and get the job done. That’s why we sent them to Jackson.