As everyone knows, Congress has not accomplished much in the past two years. One of the few things it did manage to do was take action to slash the soaring federal deficit. It wasn’t pretty, but it was action.

Now, Congress is panicking. Come Jan. 2, 2013, a $110 billion across-the-board spending cut will kick in. It will cut government spending in virtually all areas. It is part of the $1 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years signed off by President Obama and Congress just after the 2010 elections. It came with a firm commitment to follow up with yet another $1.2 trillion in cuts.

Remember that news? Remember the promises?

Now come Republicans and Democrats alike to say that promise can’t be kept.

The problem? All of the House membership and one-third of the Senate face reelection. And those members of Congress are deeply concerned about their fate. Indeed, they are far more concerned about their fate than about the fate of the nation.

Some argue that the cuts might stall the economy and thrust it back into recession. OK. But the cuts don’t take effect until after the election. And if the issue was so critical, so essential, less than two years ago, how has it become less so now, after still more continuing deficits?

Well, the need hasn’t diminished. If anything, it has grown. But it also has become politically inexpedient.

Obama’s budget office will decide the details of how the scalpel, or meat ax, is applied, but it is more than likely that nearly every domestic program will face cuts. The only programs shielded are Social Security retirement checks, veterans benefits and transportation programs funded through the highway trust fund. Even Medicare for the elderly would be affected, since doctors and others treating Medicare patients would face a 2 percent cut.

No matter how it is argued, federal spending is out of control and needs to be cut. Period.

On the matter of the delicate economy, we are talking about $110 billion in spending cuts in a $16 trillion economy. Get serious.

The truth is that Congress doesn’t want to face a potentially angry electorate, that individual congressmen don’t want to risk losing their cushy jobs by exhibiting the political courage necessary to bring federal spending back under control. The short-term benefit, to them, outweighs the long-term benefit to the country — and to future generations.

If Republicans have genuine concerns about the depth of the cuts in defense spending, they need to join with Sens. Lindsay Graham, John McCain and Kelly Ayotte in trying to justify the spending and coming up with other cuts. (Their plan would cut the $110 billion through a federal pay freeze and employee attrition.)

The same holds true for Democrats. Show us the cuts. But, of course, that might mean they wouldn’t get the campaign contributions they count on from their biggest supporters in the affected industries — at least not before the election when they need them.

Demand accountability. This is the time to hold the feet of your representatives to the fire … or find replacements. Watch carefully, as Congress tries to find a way to cut and run from one of its few meaningful accomplishments of the last session.