Letter: National debt fight looms

It appears that Washington is still dysfunctional. The "fiscal cliff" was passed in both houses and has been signed by the president.

The balanced approach of $1 in taxes for $3 in spending cuts as the president campaigned on fell a little short, if you define short on spending cuts as zero. What wasn't expected were the billions of dollars of pork barrel spending in the law that went as pay back to campaign donors and special interests groups.

Didn't the president say that type of legislation would come to an end and that he would have the most transparent administration in the history of the country? The president could not make the grand bargain with the four leaders in Congress;

John Boehner told Harry Read to do something to himself that is fundamentally impossible.

In lieu of that breakdown, President Barack Obama sent in his closer, Joe Biden.

So, behind closed doors, another deal was brokered and the can was again kicked down the road.

The president had Air Force One on the tarmac so he could jet back to Hawaii on a moment's notice. Now we will watch as the debt limit will soon expire, the same strategy will be deployed to wait until the last minute and shove another deal down our throats that won't deal with the debt and spending issues.

The president has already warned Congress that he will not negotiate to raise the debt limit.

Rick Reiss

Marysville