Fiscal cliff scare shows political parties aren't working for us

EDGEWATER -- Over the Chtistmas holiday, my cousin and I were discussing the “Fiscal Cliff” and how disgusted we are with the lack of cooperation between political parties and she made a comment that I think is the crux of the whole situation: “If the founding Fathers and composers of the Constitution did not compromise, we would still be bowing to the Queen of England.”

They had differing parties and opinions even back then but they came together to make a new country and eventually came to the conclusion that the only way to do that and get out from under England’s rule each side had to be willing to compromise something.

So they sat down, hashed it out with both sides gaining and losing various small battles and in the end won the war of forming a new free country with a very special constitution.

We have come so far away from that original document with all our amendments that we have lost sight of the purpose of it and what it meant when it was written; freedom for the people of this land governed by men who were to follow the guidelines set down lo those many years ago and work for the interests of the people and not themselves or their party.

Naturally, the founding fathers could not even imagine the world we live in today so some amendments were necessary as we grew and the world around us changed drastically. Even though we have changed, added or subtracted words from that original document we still should be guided by the main points set down in the beginning. Problem is that each side interprets those rules differently.

Naturally, the founding fathers could not even imagine the world we live in today so some amendments were necessary as we grew and the world around us changed drastically. Even though we have changed, added or subtracted words from that original document we still should be guided by the main points set down in the beginning. Problem is that each side interprets those rules differently.

Even though we have changed, added or subtracted words from that original document we still should be guided by the main points set down in the beginning. Problem is that each side interprets those rules differently.

The Republican and Democratic parties are so wrapped up in their opinions that neither side will give an inch no matter the consequences.

Their job is to be able to compromise and do what is best for the country not what is best for their party alone.

I wonder if we should do away with separate parties and stop all this unnecessary squabbling which has put this country at the edge of the fiscal cliff.

The fact that any one of them is unwilling to compromise and let us sail over that cliff is very disturbing to me as well as many others I talk to. Being that stubborn at the expense of we the people is not what they were elected to do.

We seem to go from one frightening crisis to another these days and are in a constant state of fear perpetuated by our leaders and the media, which persists in scaring us to death with their dire predictions.

We seem to go from one frightening crisis to another these days and are in a constant state of fear perpetuated by our leaders and the media, which persists in scaring us to death with their dire predictions.

Each time one of these things comes up the leaders argue for months then at the last minute they figure out a settlement and it all goes away until the next issue arises.

None of this angst was necessary because they knew in the end they would fix whatever the problem was. Whether a good fix or not at least it will be a solution. Why keep putting us through this agony? It’s like a game they play and we are the pawns.

Well, my friends we are the people and if we would just figure out that we outnumber them and if and when we stand up for ourselves in one huge unified group we can make positive change then we would be running the country not them. That, after all, was the intention of the makers of the Constitution, by the people and for the people.

Sadly the people are the ones being left out of the decisions and paying the price for their apathy. Something is very wrong with that scenario.