Every American should be worried because there is no cooperation in Congress about the budget that needs to be passed. If the government falls off the fiscal cliff, our country will be in serious trouble. Not only will 98 percent of the taxpayers pay more, but more than 2 million people will not get their much-needed unemployment insurance. Our rating will go down, a lot of research will stop, students needing loans will not get them and much more.

President Harry Truman called the Congress a "do nothing Congress" in 1947 when 900 bills were passed. The number of bills passed this year is less than 100. Next year the House of Representatives will conduct business less than one-third of the year. Their pay should be cut by two-thirds like employees who don't show up for work.

I thought that when you voted, the man or woman who got elected was responsible to do what his constituents wanted. Why did the Republicans in Congress sign a pledge to not pass any bills covering new taxes on the rich? Grover Norquist was the person who got them to do this. He is not an elected official. What they did when they signed that pledge was to negate the vote of the people who put them in Congress.

Wake up, America, before all of you lose your vote. It can happen. Call your congressman to pass part if not all of the bill to avoid the fiscal cliff.

John Kronenberger

Belleville