After seeing that a majority of those polled blame the Democrats for the S&P downgrade, I am beginning to be concerned about the mental health of some of your readers.

After all, it was the Republicans who caused the nation to erroneously obsess about the budget deficit rather than job creation and economic recovery, and then to take the dangerous step of holding the nation hostage on passing what had been a routine debt-ceiling increase.

To make matters worse, the Republican leadership refused to consider a debt reduction package that balanced job-killing spending cuts with revenue increases that would affect only those enjoying preferential tax loopholes.

Perhaps we should be concerned about their mental health as well.

Jack Kinstlinger, Baltimore