WASHINGTON – A frustrated Congress quit Washington on Saturday with at least one hope – that the stark choice in the election ahead will give lawmakers clarity about what Americans want from their government.

They desperately need some direction.

Lawmakers will return in about seven weeks and face a crowded list of must-do items, topped by avoiding what’s become known as the fiscal cliff: the combination of expiring George W. Bush-era tax cuts and automatic spending cuts that could drive the country back into recession.