‘Fiscal cliff’: Thanks for very little, readers say

Uncle Sam won’t take a bigger chunk out of most Americans’ paychecks in 2013, thanks to the House’s vote Tuesday to pass a bill averting the “fiscal cliff.” The reaction so far from readers? Calling it mixed would be generous.

The responses sent so far to letters@latimes.com spare little disgust with members of Congress, which readers say has taken the country to the brink too many times in the last few years. Some of the letters here may be printed in Wednesday’s paper.

Cheryl Holt of Burbank wrote:

PHOTOS: Scenes from the ‘fiscal cliff’

“We now have many members in our Congress who place no importance on good governance. We lurch from crisis to deadline to crisis, and nothing is more frightening to me than to hear that Congress will act in a hurry and under pressure, or that it will reach a ‘deal’ at the very last possible moment. In the coming weeks and months, as we learn the true details that were slipped in, or the unintended consequences of their rash legislation, we’ll all be cringing and shaking our heads.

“Members of Congress take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Perhaps we should also add a line from the physician’s Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm.”

T. Guy DeMarco of Temple City wrote:

“I am not mad at the Republicans in Congress or even at the Democrats in Congress. I’m not even angry at the president over Washington’s inability to compromise and avoid last-minute deals that hold citizens hostage. I actually blame anyone who voted to keep any incumbent in office.

“Just what makes people think that voting for extremely partisan politicians is going to make anything better? Sometimes I just want to scream, ‘Wake up America!’ ”

Marc Scott of Los Angeles echoed DeMarco’s “throw the bums out” sentiment:

“Most people are disappointed with Congress but like their own representative; consequently the same jokers get reelected time and again. This nonsense will be replayed.”

Steven M. Clayton of Ocean, N.J., provided the mailbag’s lone pat on the back so far to Congress and the president:

“While it was later than anyone would have liked, it is great to see cooperation over conflict and a deal finally made to avert the fiscal cliff. Hopefully such cooperation could serve as a model for the numerous problems that we will have in the near future.

“I don’t have much confidence in Congress; however, the fiscal cliff negotiations show that such cooperation is indeed possible. We send people to Washington to lead, not to cause conflict. Let’s hope for continued cooperation.”

Dean Jenkins of La Cañada Flintridge singled out his retiring congressman for scorn:

“With the fiscal cliff approaching, I decided to email my congressman, Republican David Dreier. What I discovered is that my representative, who served his country for so many years, effectively stopped serving. Now I have no voice in this all important congressional mess.

“Dreier, who decided not run for reelection, stopped accepting emails from constituents prior to his term’s conclusion. He should be ashamed for this.”

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