I think the single most important obstacle that our great democracy is currently facing is the inability for our politicians to compromise.

I found it disheartening when our congress refused to work out a solution concerning our current fiscal crises or put their differences aside to pass a jobs bill.

Some of our most experienced Republican leaders are now afraid to extend their hand across the aisle because they fear a backlash from the likes of Grover Nordquist and his anti-tax rhetoric that only favors the wealthy or the Tea Partiers who care nothing about doing what’s in this country’s best interest as long as they get their way.

This lack of compromise currently has a chokehold on our nation and it all has to do with the fears and the greed of a marginal group of people.

For many years Tea Party members have allowed themselves to get whipped into a frenzy of panic by the corporate-inspired rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

I recently discovered some interesting facts about what they believe. For instance, 90 percent of them are convinced that we are becoming a socialist nation; many of them believe that Obama is a Muslim; and many also believe that global warming is a hoax. They are nothing but angry people and frightened of an uncertain future and looking to place blame.

Men like Nordquist know how to play upon these fears and now many politicians are afraid not to sign his pledge because they fear losing a primary to an extremist even if a compromise is in everyone’s best interest.

They’re not serving the people; they’re serving the special interests and the Tea Party out of trepidation.

The ability to compromise is one of the things that have made our nation great.

Right now all we are accomplishing is making our country more divisive. We are allowing small-minded people to use propaganda against us for their desire for more wealth.

We need to stand up to them before it is too late.