See how and why Washington is not functioning. Bob Woodward's freshly reported, thirty-five-page Afterword to his national bestseller, The Price of Politics, provides a detailed, often verbatim account of what happened in the dramatic 'fiscal cliff' face-off at the end of 2012 between President Obama and the Republicans. Now it's happening again. In fall 2013, Washington faces a new round of budget and fiscal wars that could derail the American and global economies. 'We are primarily a blocking majority,' said Michael Sommers, Speaker John Boehner's chief of staff, summarizing the House Republican position. It was the land of no-compromise: On health care cuts over ten years, Boehner suggested to Obama, you are $400 billion, I'm at $600 billion. 'Can we split the difference here? Can we land at $500 billion?' 'Four hundred billion is it,' Obama replied. 'I just can't see how we go any further on that.' After making $120 billion in other concessions, Obama pleaded with Boehner, 'What
