FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The dysfunctional disaster that is Washington will only get worse after November's election.
Moderates are quickly becoming extinct - with Congressional Democrats and Republicans who represent the middle heading for the exits.
Politico reports on a study by political scientists that shows Congress is more polarized than at any time since reconstruction.
The sad part is our current political environment encourages the extremes: 24/7 cable news, Super Pac money, interest groups, activist blogs - they all cater to ideologues.
The big losers here: The American people. With the two parties too busy fighting to offer any real solutions to what's looming on the horizon.
And don't kid yourself - we're in trouble.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is warning Congress that the Fed won't be able to undo the damage to the economy if lawmakers mismanage the fiscal cliff.
This so-called fiscal cliff represents $7 trillion worth of tax increases and spending cuts that will be triggered by year's end - if Congress doesn't act.
$7 trillion.
None of this will get addressed until after the election; at which point there will only be a few weeks to try to do something before the triggers kick in.
And then there's President Obama, who seems content to whistle past the graveyard while trying to get re-elected.
Mr. Obama is ignoring the big issues– from deficit reduction to Medicare, Social Security and government spending.
Instead the president is majoring in the minors - focusing on smaller, and more politically popular, things like the Buffett Rule, student loan rates and oil speculators.
It may help him win votes, but the country is on a collision course with disaster.
Here’s my question to you: Where's the leadership?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Lisa in New Jersey:
Jack, Never in my life have I seen politics so polarized. I am a moderate and there does not seem to be any place in politics for people like me. I truly believe that there are more moderates than the far right or the far left. The extremes in both parties are tearing the very fabric of our nation apart.
J.M. in Dallas:
When we elected Obama, we shared his vision. We did not expect the Republican Party's attempted plan to make him a one term president. It appears to me that this is not a question of leadership, but a lack of support from people who prefer an agenda different from what the majority of America wanted during the last election. The lack of leadership is in the Senate and House.
D.:
It's like the old TV ad: "Where's the beef?" Well, there isn't any. There is a lot of b.s. but no real red meat in terms of addressing the issues this country is facing.
Doug in Massachusetts:
Now that is an open-ended question. Let’s take a look. In Congress? Nope, just crooks. Wall Street? Nope, more crooks. The Treasury? No one home there. The Executive Branch? Nope, just pitchmen for the military industrial crowd. What about the big corporations? They are beautiful if you live in China. The Fourth Estate? Journalism has become agendalism in most cases, but there are exceptions, and if you are reading this you are tuned to the right show
Bill in Orlando:
Very good question, Jack. I would say on vacation, playing golf or joyriding on Air Force One.
Rob in North Carolina:
What leadership? When was there any in recent memory? Mom and dad are arguing all the time and the divorce isn't quite final yet so we are stuck in the middle. They are quickly dividing the assets though!