If the problem with the tea party/Republicans is that they do not want to offend Grover Norquist and high income Americans that they call "job creators," why don't they just show the rest of us how many jobs these folks have created since they have had the Bush tax breaks? If the number was significant, why do we have such high unemployment? I worked for more than 30 years, paid into Social Security and do not think that I should have to worry about next month's payment because of folks who refuse to see that a diverse country like this one must be governed by people who realize that all points of view must be heard. The refusal to negotiate spells doom for the democratic process.

Alma T., Baltimore