What standard should candidates be held to?

In the editorial “America within our reach” [Opinion, Jan. 25], The Times editorial board rightly expects the president to behave like an adult.

But what about other players? What standard should they be held to? This is yet another example of holding the president to a high standard but letting everyone else off the hook. Where are your editorials excoriating Republicans for backing programs until President Obama accepts them, only to see Republicans flip over to opposition.

There are way too many examples of this behavior to cite them here. And how about Republicans blocking judicial and other appointments from getting an “up or down” vote using procedural tactics? The “all constitution all the time” party routinely shirks its constitutional obligation to “advise and consent,” usually with no coverage at all.

And how about the “moderates” like Democrat Max Baucus and Republican Chuck Grassley? They are supposed to save us from the excesses of the lefties and righties. I am still waiting to hear a good idea from these two or any of their colleagues. Baucus held up health-care reform for more than six months and never delivered anything.

Grassley’s contribution was to start shouting about mythical government bureaucrats that were going to kill grandma. There are death panels. But they are operated by insurance companies, not the government.

Then there is the almost daily insanity on display at the Republican presidential debates. Herman Cain was the front-runner at one point. Seriously? Much of what goes on in Washington, D.C., is a clown show. Most but not all of the clowning is done by Republicans.

None of it is done by the president. It is past time that you started holding the rest of them to the standard you hold President Obama to.

— Patrick J. Russell, Seattle

We need to consider raising taxes

Not once did you mention President Obama’s comments on how we will get “America within reach” — raising taxes on the wealthy, closing tax loop holes, taxing companies that move jobs overseas, etc.?

The editorial board’s decision to exclude Obama’s means of getting this country back on track is the very problem we have with getting the country back on track.

Some of the people in this country, including The Seattle Times, don’t believe in raising taxes.

As long as this absurd idea continues, the editorial board is right, Obama’s “capacity to deliver in a poisonous atmosphere on Capitol Hill” — no new taxes, no taxes at all attitude — “haunts the promise and prospects outlined Tuesday night.”

— Kathy Harris, Seattle