Closer Look: Congress's Most Dysfunctional Committee

Ready to rumble? Here's the setup: On October 5, The men and women of the House Judiciary Committee will debate in open session whether the Starr report warrants an impeachment inquiry. That means we get to see on TV the biggest collection of partisan idealists in Congress: 16 soft-left Democrats, 21 hard-right Republicans. Each one is driven not by his or her constituents -- they're all in extremely safe seats -- but by their own political conscience. And boy, what consciences! This is a committee that routinely handles such hot-button issues as late-term abortions, gun control, school prayer, same-sex marriage and assisted suicide, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a member with a moderate view on any of them. When it comes to bickering over Bill Clinton's fate, nobody does it better than this crew. Click below for TIME Daily's jaundiced guide to the characters who are set to star in the greatest show in town.