Your Say: New Congress, same old problem

Comments from Facebook:

It's time for the leaders of this country to compromise, to work together for the sake of the country instead of for their party.

Personally, I think the balance between a Democratic president and a Republican House can be a good thing. If they compromise, the result should be moderate instead of extreme. Extreme politics is the biggest danger this country faces. Thanks to USA TODAY for providing this forum for Americans to participate in the political discussion.

Brian Kindel

Our party is not moving to the center. We'll just fight harder. After the next four years of the same old mantra, and ObamaCare being implemented and jobs moving overseas, it will be much easier.

I don't think "blame George W. Bush" will work then.

Mary Roy

I hope the Republican Party wakes up and realizes that the main reason the Democrats were able to increase their control of the Senate is that the Tea Party savaged, harassed, and monetarily helped defeat in the primaries conservative candidates who compromised — a necessity in a democracy — with the Democrats. The GOP needs to get rid of the Tea Party and the rest of the far right.

Mickey Cashen

The time for the two parties to work together is now. Republicans and Democrats both have strengths; they also have weaknesses. It's time to build on the strengths and cut out the weaknesses.

Jeff Bohan

I hope President Obama will bring about all the good things people are hoping for. I agree with the saying, "You reap what you sow." Still, here's to moving past being mad about who won or lost and on to hoping the one who's in office will do the job he says he will.

Jessica Franklin

We are supposed to be one country, but the party system does more to divide this country than anything else I can think of. For Mitt Romney supporters: The Obama win is not going to destroy the country. One person did not create the USA, and one person cannot destroy it. For Obama supporters: Obama is not going to single-handedly create your vision of utopia.

The Republicans have a majority in the House. The checks and balances from the three branches of government will work as they should. I hope both parties decide to put aside their hatred and work together to move the USA forward, even if it is one small step at a time.

Lori Sandoval

Almost half of the country does not want Obama as president. It's hard to unite behind a man whose principles have proved to be failures the past four years.

Ron Black

Letter to the editor:

It's hard to imagine a more depressing headline than "Next Congress likely to look much like this one" (News, Tuesday). It seems the news media and most of the voters have been so focused on President Obama vs. Mitt Romney that they have forgotten the childish, and possibly treasonous, Grover Norquist "pledge," taken by so many obstructionist members of Congress. They pledged to never raise taxes, unless offset with other tax cuts. Despite low approval ratings, it seems many obstructionists will be returning to office. This pledge was signed by 238 representatives and 41 senators.

This action by so many of our legislators has damaged the U.S. credit rating, made it virtually impossible to ever reduce the national debt, and thrown a wrench in the wheels of our excellent recovery from a terrible recession, just as it was picking up steam.

William Doyle; Fort Gratiot, Mich.