Belcher case: Your reaction

Jovan Belcher had advanced from an undrafted free agent linebacker to NFL starter for the Kansas City Chiefs and played in every game since 2009. On Saturday, December 1, the 25-year-old star allegedly killed his girlfriend, then drove to the Chiefs' practice facility and took his own life. After the tragedy, teammate Tony Moeaki tweeted, "One of everyone's favorite teammates including one of mine." Here's a look at his career with the Chiefs and tragic end: The Kansas City Chiefs kneel and pray before a game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, December 2, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Natalie Samson wears the No. 59 jersey, which was Jovan Belcher's number, as she stands for a moment of silence on Sunday. Players from the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers gather at midfield Sunday for a prayer after the Chiefs' 27-21 win. A young fan holds a condolences sign for the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the team's game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Before their game against the Carolina Pathers on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs pause for a moment of silence. After Belcher and his girlfriend's deaths, flags wave in the wind outside of The University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex used by the Kansas City Chiefs next to Arrowhead Stadium, on Saturday, December 1. No. 59 Belcher battles guard Clint Boling of the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at Arrowhead Stadium on November 18, 2012 in Kansas City. Belcher stretches before the game against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium on September 20, 2009, in Kansas City. The residence of Kasandra Perkins, Belcher's girlfriend, is seen on December 1, 2012, in Kansas City. Belcher during an NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons on September 9, 2012. Belcher brings down Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller in the third quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on October 31, 2010. Belcher cools off from temperatures over 100 degrees during a training camp practice on the campus of Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, on August 1, 2011. The linebacker after a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on November 12, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the Chiefs 16-13. Belcher watches from the sidelines during his final game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on November 25, 2012. Belcher in action during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at on November 18, 2012, in Kansas City. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 A CNN.com op-ed by Kevin Powell about Jovan Belcher generated a lot of reactions On Tuesday, Powell will do a live chat on Twitter from 12:30 to 1 p.m. ET on @CNNOpinion Powell addresses some of the reader reactions about violence, manhood and depression What do you think of Belcher's murder and suicide? Join @CNNOpinion for live chat (CNN) -- Readers reacted strongly to a Monday op-ed on CNN.com about Jovan Belcher, the Kansas City Chiefs football player who murdered his girlfriend and then committed suicide. The piece was written by Kevin Powell, an activist, public speaker, and writer, and discussed how the tragedy related to depression and what Powell called "very warped definitions of manhood." It stirred a lot of conversation, including over 1,500 comments and numerous tweets. On Tuesday, Powell will host a live Twitter chat on @CNNOpinion from 12:30 to1 p.m. ET to discuss issues such as domestic violence, depression, gun violence, and the definition of manhood. Please ask questions in advance and join him for the chat by using the hashtag #JovanBelcher and mentioning @CNNOpinion. Here, Powell addresses some of the readers' reactions that he has already received. he very definition of manhood they've (men) embraced is more an emotional prison than anything else - Kevin Powell @cnnopinion — Dr. Victor S Couzens (@bishopVSC) December 3, 2012 As men, we must begin to think about manhood in a very different kind of way. I've gotten two distinct responses to my article so far. The first batch is from men who agree that we've got to go in a different direction -- it's unhealthy to squash our true feelings about issues and to never talk. Some men actually admitted to me in very personal and private e-mails that they are hurting right this very minute. Then there were the angry messages from very angry men, accusing me of being anti-men, of male-bashing, of being on the side of women, of not being willing to let a man be a man. Well, my personal definition of manhood is that it should be rooted in self-love and respect for all people, including women. We should view women and girls as the equals of men and boys. And the foundation of manhood needs to be about peace and nonviolence and communication, not anger, hatred, violence and ugliness. chippy1 comments: If he was just a blue collar worker with access to a gun, killed his girlfriend then himself, this story would be back with the comics. Since he was a "great" football player the whole planet goes into a tailspin, just making his victim a footnote. This demonstrates the American attitude towards its "idols," and the American persona, the more violent and bloody and scandal prone, the better. Kasandra Perkins is the victim's name. Let us always say the names of women who are the victims of violence. I would also add it does not matter whether the man is famous, a professional athlete, or someone nobody has ever heard of. Violence against women is unacceptable. However, when it involves a high-profile individual like Belcher, perhaps the tragedy can be a teachable moment so that more people will pay attention to domestic violence. Otherwise Kasandra Perkins' death will truly be in vain. Become a fan of CNNOpinion Stay up to date on the latest opinion, analysis and conversations through social media. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion and follow us @CNNOpinion on Twitter. We welcome your ideas and comments. Mattias Von Bismark comments: I thank you for this comment. It's a hard thing to say. It subjects you to this slander that you are, somehow, supporting the murder of that poor woman. It takes true courage and strength of character to stand up and say, "Yes, what this man did was awful, but there was something at the root of this tragedy which was unaddressed. If this man had received help, his life and the life of the poor woman would have been saved." Those who have never dealt with mental illness need to keep silent on this subject. As we have seen above, they have nothing helpful to add, and denigrate the serious discussion we should all be having. Mattias, I agree with you. Sadly, many of us do not want to deal with contexts for behaviors or situations. We are quick to name-call and judge and write someone off. The fact is that violence is normal in our country. One-fourth of American women have experienced some form of violence at the hands of men. I always challenge men to talk with their mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunties, female cousins, or their wives or girlfriends, and they would be surprised to find out how many women have been assaulted in some way at some point in their lives. Just read your local papers, the crime reports, and note the number of attacks on women. Dissing Jovan Belcher may make you feel good in the short term. But it does nothing to stop this kind of violence. @cnnopinion Sometimes things are THAT simple. #Jovan Belcher had no right to take this girls life. May he rot in Hades; thou shalt not kill. — dana bourgeois (@herfavstuff) December 3, 2012 Dana, I understand completely your feelings. Do I condemn violence? Absolutely. But am I in position to determine who is going to heaven or hell? No. I am Christian. I just think we've got to be careful of passing judgment on anyone at any given time. Kyle Jarvis Chan Wu comments: I get the idea that you are actually sticking up for someone who murdered his wife. He shot her. That is a fact. I don't need to stand in the shoes of someone who would act violently against a woman. There is a difference between someone who takes their own life to depression and someone who goes on a killing spree ending with their own life. One person needs help, the other person doesn't deserve a marker on their grave. Kyle, that is absolutely untrue. I do not condone violence, and I hope for peace and love toward all. But as someone who has overcome personal challenges in grappling with violence and anger, I know that there are some serious issues around manhood and mental illness that we are not fully addressing as a nation. We need to start talking about how to help those in need. @cnnopinion @kevin_powell sad thing is, to the media a woman's life has very little meaning. It's all about the men. — Desiree Steele (@HijabInAmerica) December 3, 2012 Desiree, that is why we must not forget Kasandra Perkins, Jovan Belcher's girlfriend. I'm not a woman but I can certainly empathize with what women and girls deal with every single day of their lives. I can only imagine. Sexism is alive and well, and the fact that Ms. Parker's name is barely mentioned in most media outlets means that there's a lot of work we need to do to change this situation. AB comments: the entire story is horribly sad, BUT why was there a moment of silence for him? he murdered his child's mother, and then, killed himself, leaving a baby with no mother or father. ... He murdered someone and you are giving him a moment of silence? If that was my daughter, it would make me more than angry if you gave her murderer this.. everyone is saying he was a great guy, well this great guy, did a horrendous crime. That is incorrect. There was actually a moment of silence by the Kansas City Chiefs for victims of domestic violence, as it should have been. My hope is that the National Football League, as well as other sports leagues, will take the same kind of very visible stance on domestic violence as it has on breast cancer. Interested in talking with the author, Kevin Powell? Join him for a live chat about his column on Twitter from 12:30 to 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday @CNNOpinion. Tweet your questions or comments by using the hashtag #JovanBelcher and mentioning @CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Kevin Powell.

Judge blocks controversial gay therapy law

Rich Pedroncelli / AP In this combo image from May 8, 2012, State Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, left, and David Pickup, a licensed marriage and family therapist, address lawmakers in favor and opposition, respectively, of a bill to ban a controversial form of psychotherapy aimed at making gay people straight. By Lisa Leff, The Associated Press A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked California from enforcing a first-of-its-kind law that bars licensed psychotherapists from working to change the sexual orientations of gay minors, but he limited the scope of his order to just the three providers who have appealed to him to overturn the measure.  U.S. District Court Judge William Shubb made a decision just hours after a hearing on the issue, ruling that the First Amendment rights of psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals who engage in "reparative" or "conversion" therapy outweigh concern that the practice poses a danger to young people.  "Even if SB 1172 is characterized as primarily aimed at regulating conduct, it also extends to forms of (conversion therapy) that utilize speech and, at a minimum, regulates conduct that has an incidental effect on speech," Shubb wrote.  The judge also disputed the California Legislature's finding that trying to change young people's sexual orientation puts them at risk for suicide or depression, saying it was based on "questionable and scientifically incomplete studies."  The law, which was passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October, states that therapists and counselors who use "sexual orientation change efforts" on clients under 18 would be engaging in unprofessional conduct and subject to discipline by state licensing boards. It is set to take effect on Jan. 1.  Although the ruling is a setback for the law's supporters, the judge softened the impact of his decision by saying that it applies only to three people — psychiatrist Anthony Duk, marriage and family therapist Donald Welch, and Aaron Bitzer, a former patient who is studying to become a counselor who specializes in clients who are unhappy being gay.  The exemption for them will remain in place only until Shubb can hold a trial on the merits of their case, although in granting their request for an injunction, the judge noted he thinks they would prevail in getting the law struck down on constitutional grounds.  Bitzer, Duk and Welch were represented by the Pacific Justice Institute, a Christian legal group. President Brad Dacus said he thought Shubb's ruling would have a chilling effect that would keep the licensing boards that regulate mental health professionals from targeting other practitioners.  "If there are any, we can easily add them to the case as a plaintiff," Dacus said. "We know we will have to have another hearing on the merits, but to be able to get a preliminary injunction at this stage is very telling as to the final outcome, and I'm very encouraged by it."  Complicating the outlook for the law is that another federal judge in Sacramento is considering similar arguments from four more counselors, two families and a professional association of Christian counselors, but has not decided yet whether to keep the ban from taking effect. "We are disappointed by the ruling, but very pleased that the temporary delay in implementing this important law applies only to the three plaintiffs who brought this lawsuit," National Center for Lesbian Rights Legal Director Shannon Minter said. "We are confident that as the case progresses, it will be clear to the court that this law is fundamentally no different than many other laws that regulate health care professionals to protect patients." Lawyers for the state argue that outlawing reparative therapy is appropriate because it would protect young people from a practice that has been rejected as unproven and potentially harmful by all the mainstream mental health associations.  More content from NBCNews.com: More than 20,000 students to miss school as teachers in Chicago suburb strike Witnesses: Man pushed to his death on NYC subway tracks after argument Florida guide uses hunting as rustic therapy for combat veterans Police: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker kills girlfriend, then himself Cuba pushes swap: its spies jailed in US for American contractor held in Havana Passengers killed when tour bus hits Miami airport overpass Women warriors pass elite Army training course 66 species of coral proposed for protection by US Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Judge blocks Calif. controversial gay therapy law

Rich Pedroncelli / AP In this combo image from May 8, 2012, State Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, left, and David Pickup, a licensed marriage and family therapist, address lawmakers in favor and opposition, respectively, of a bill to ban a controversial form of psychotherapy aimed at making gay people straight. By Lisa Leff, The Associated Press A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked California from enforcing a first-of-its-kind law that bars licensed psychotherapists from working to change the sexual orientations of gay minors, but he limited the scope of his order to just the three providers who have appealed to him to overturn the measure.  U.S. District Court Judge William Shubb made a decision just hours after a hearing on the issue, ruling that the First Amendment rights of psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals who engage in "reparative" or "conversion" therapy outweigh concern that the practice poses a danger to young people.  "Even if SB 1172 is characterized as primarily aimed at regulating conduct, it also extends to forms of (conversion therapy) that utilize speech and, at a minimum, regulates conduct that has an incidental effect on speech," Shubb wrote.  The judge also disputed the California Legislature's finding that trying to change young people's sexual orientation puts them at risk for suicide or depression, saying it was based on "questionable and scientifically incomplete studies."  The law, which was passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October, states that therapists and counselors who use "sexual orientation change efforts" on clients under 18 would be engaging in unprofessional conduct and subject to discipline by state licensing boards. It is set to take effect on Jan. 1.  Although the ruling is a setback for the law's supporters, the judge softened the impact of his decision by saying that it applies only to three people — psychiatrist Anthony Duk, marriage and family therapist Donald Welch, and Aaron Bitzer, a former patient who is studying to become a counselor who specializes in clients who are unhappy being gay.  The exemption for them will remain in place only until Shubb can hold a trial on the merits of their case, although in granting their request for an injunction, the judge noted he thinks they would prevail in getting the law struck down on constitutional grounds.  Bitzer, Duk and Welch were represented by the Pacific Justice Institute, a Christian legal group. President Brad Dacus said he thought Shubb's ruling would have a chilling effect that would keep the licensing boards that regulate mental health professionals from targeting other practitioners.  "If there are any, we can easily add them to the case as a plaintiff," Dacus said. "We know we will have to have another hearing on the merits, but to be able to get a preliminary injunction at this stage is very telling as to the final outcome, and I'm very encouraged by it."  Complicating the outlook for the law is that another federal judge in Sacramento is considering similar arguments from four more counselors, two families and a professional association of Christian counselors, but has not decided yet whether to keep the ban from taking effect. "We are disappointed by the ruling, but very pleased that the temporary delay in implementing this important law applies only to the three plaintiffs who brought this lawsuit," National Center for Lesbian Rights Legal Director Shannon Minter said. "We are confident that as the case progresses, it will be clear to the court that this law is fundamentally no different than many other laws that regulate health care professionals to protect patients." Lawyers for the state argue that outlawing reparative therapy is appropriate because it would protect young people from a practice that has been rejected as unproven and potentially harmful by all the mainstream mental health associations.  More content from NBCNews.com: More than 20,000 students to miss school as teachers in Chicago suburb strike Witnesses: Man pushed to his death on NYC subway tracks after argument Florida guide uses hunting as rustic therapy for combat veterans Police: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker kills girlfriend, then himself Cuba pushes swap: its spies jailed in US for American contractor held in Havana Passengers killed when tour bus hits Miami airport overpass Women warriors pass elite Army training course 66 species of coral proposed for protection by US Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

On routine stop, cops find man bound in trunk

Kentucky police were making a routine traffic stop when they discovered a kidnapped man locked in the trunk of the car. WAVE's Jaimie Weiss reports. By Daniel Arkin, NBC News Some Louisville, Ky., police officers got the surprise of their careers when they pulled over a car with expired license plates: a man bound in the trunk. Shawn Bloemer, 22, could hear the officers from inside the cramped space. "I heard a voice and I could tell from his inflection of what have you that he was an officer. He came back and asked about insurance and that's when I started kicking and punching on the hood, yelling," Bloemer said. Bloemer, a clerk at a local Circle K convenience store, says he was captured after his late-night shift and locked in the trunk of his own car after he discovered three people -- Brittany Elder, Trent Blye, and Joseph Davis -- trying to steal his tires. Bloemer said Blye assaulted him, along with the others. "He started to hit me, struck me in the head, punched me in the stomach a couple of times," Bloemer said. "They shoved me headfirst into the light post." The three attackers then allegedly forced Bloemer into the trunk of his vehicle with his wrists tied with a t-shirt and a towel wrapped around his head.  "Right before they closed the trunk they said, 'This isn't personal, we need your car,'" Bloemer said. Bloemer estimates he spent nearly three hours locked in the trunk on that August night while his kidnappers drove around. At one point, he fell unconscious. "It was really hot. I passed out a couple times," Bloemer said. Around 3:30 a.m., he woke up to flashing red and blue lights he could see through a crack in the taillight.  Officers Fred Wilson and Daniel Goldberg had initially flagged the vehicle for expired plates. But when Goldberg heard someone in the trunk while talking to the occupants, he realized this wouldn't be an ordinary traffic stop. "At that point the officer became very much more aware, immediately called for backup," Bloemer said. In the dash cam video, officers are seen pulling the kidnappers out of the car one by one and rescuing Bloemer from the trunk. Police have arrested Elder, Blye and Davis, who allegedly purchased illegal drugs during their late-night joyride, according to WTSP 10 News. They are each charged with kidnapping, wanton endangerment, and theft of Bloemer's car. More content from NBCNews.com: More than 20,000 students to miss school as teachers in Chicago suburb strike Witnesses: Man pushed to his death on NYC subway tracks after argument Florida guide uses hunting as rustic therapy for combat veterans Police: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker kills girlfriend, then himself Cuba pushes swap: its spies jailed in US for American contractor held in Havana Passengers killed when tour bus hits Miami airport overpass Women warriors pass elite Army training course 66 species of coral proposed for protection by US Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Syrian rebels choke off base

About 450 government soldiers are trapped inside the military base "Slowly, they are weakening," a defected soldiers says of government troops Syrian forces are mixing chemical warfare agents, a U.S. official says The Syrian Foreign Ministry denies plans to use such weapons Northern Syria (CNN) -- Undeterred by Syria's gruesome war of attrition, rebel fighters have scored a key gain where government forces once ruled. The rebels have choked off a sprawling military base outside Aleppo with some 450 government soldiers trapped inside. The rebels could easily overrun the base, fighter Ali Jadlan said. But they want to give government soldiers a chance to defect. Looking at Syria's chemical weapons What's our next move in Syria? President warns Syria over chem. weapons Read more: Obama warns al-Assad against chemical weapons Already, about 250 soldiers have escaped the siege, and most of them have joined the opposition. It's another indication President Bashar al-Assad is losing his grip on a country he once firmly commanded. The government has tried air-dropping food to its soldiers, often missing its targets. Opposition fighters have shot out their water supply. While the soldiers still have stockpiles of artillery, their options are dwindling. Read more: Qatar accuses Syrian government of genocide after failed truce "They have reached a point where they think that they can't go back," said Jamal, a defected soldier. "They have reached a dead end. Slowly, they are weakening." But the government isn't giving up. Fierce artillery and missile shelling bombarded the opposition hotbed of Homs for the 35th straight day, dissidents said Tuesday, as government and rebel forces battled in neighborhood streets. The renewed violence comes a day after 239 people were killed across Syria, said the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria. Fears of chemical weapons Clinton issues stern warning to Syria Terror on Syria's front lines Assad shuts down Internet in Syria U.S. officials are concerned that with fighting closing in on Syria's capital of Damascus, the government may be toying with the idea of using chemical weapons to crush the 21-month rebellion. U.S. President Barack Obama issued a stern warning to al-Assad's government: "The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable. And if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there will be consequences, and you will be held accountable," he said. The Syrian Foreign Ministry denied that the country had any plans to use chemical weapons, state TV reported. The government has repeatedly stressed it will not use such weapons, if they exist, against its people under any circumstances. But U.S. officials say "worrying signs" suggest otherwise. Syrian forces have started combining chemicals that could be used to make deadly sarin gas for weapons to attack rebel and civilian populations, one U.S. official said. The intelligence, obtained over the weekend, the official said, came from multiple sources. But the official declined to provide more details about how the United States learned of it. Sarin gas, the source said, could most readily be used to fill artillery shells. Bracing for the worst in Turkey The Syrian civil war has spilled into Turkey, where errant Syrian artillery shells struck the border town of Akcakale and killed five Turkish civilians in October. Turkey has asked NATO for Patriot missiles to bolster its air defenses against Syrian threats. NATO is expected to approve the request Tuesday. The United States, Germany and the Netherlands, which all have Patriot capabilities, have signaled they may be willing to contribute missiles should NATO approve the deployment to Turkey. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stressed the possible deployment of Patriot missiles would be "purely defensive," and not aimed at preparing a no-fly zone. "We have no intention to intervene militarily in Syria. We will do what it takes to protect our ally Turkey," he said. But for residents on the Turkish side of the border, fears escalate almost every day. Warplanes bombed a Syrian town within sight of the Turkish border Monday, killing at least 10 people, opposition activists say. Thick black smoke rose from the embattled town of Ras al-Ain. Across the border in Turkey, Dr. Feras Haj Khbbur described the carnage among rebel fighters and civilians. "The injuries are bad. Big injuries. Lots of arms and legs are gone." CNN's Holly Yan, Gul Tuysuz, Barbara Starr and Jill Dougherty contributed to this report.

Avlon: Beware the fiscal cliff deniers

John Avlon says a combination of tax increases, budget cuts could harm economy He says the fiscal cliff is being minimized by partisans on left and the right Newt Gingrich, Paul Krugman among those saying a deal to avert cliff isn't urgent Avlon: This is the kind of extreme thinking that led the U.S. to lose its AAA credit rating Editor's note: John Avlon is a CNN contributor and senior political columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He is co-editor of the book "Deadline Artists: America's Greatest Newspaper Columns." He is a regular contributor to "Erin Burnett OutFront" and is a member of the OutFront Political Strike Team. For more political analysis, tune in to "Erin Burnett OutFront" at 7 ET weeknights. (CNN) -- Washington is playing chicken with the fiscal cliff -- the combination of automatic tax hikes and deep spending cuts in 2013 that could plummet our recovering economy back into recession. Brinksmanship is back while the clock ticks. Responsible voices in both parties say they don't want the country to go over the cliff, and Republicans have just offered their own outline of a plan to counter the president's opening bid. (Both sides have rejected those opening offers.) There is danger ahead -- a growing chorus of ideological activists on both sides who insist there is no reason to fear going over the fiscal cliff, if the cliff exists at all. Call them The Cliff-Deniers. Some say that there is no fiscal cliff, just a slope, perhaps suitable for sledding into the New Year. Others argue that plummeting over the side is preferable to an impure deal that compromises the views of their key constituencies. It's déjà vu all over again. Listening to all-or-nothing advocates got us into this mess in the first place, leading directly to the loss of America's AAA credit rating. Listening to them again would be the definition of insanity -- doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result. Become a fan of CNNOpinion Stay up to date on the latest opinion, analysis and conversations through social media. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion and follow us @CNNOpinion on Twitter. We welcome your ideas and comments. On the right are folks such as Newt Gingrich, who penned an extended blogpost to that effect: "Every time you hear 'fiscal cliff,' just remember it is an artificial invention of the Left," he wrote -- "a mythical threat which can only be solved by Republicans surrendering their principles and abandoning their allies." On the left are voices such as The New York Times' Paul Krugman who argued in a column called "Let's Not Make a Deal" that the president should "just say no, and go over the cliff if necessary" rather than what he characterizes as an economic "hostage-taking" approach to negotiation by the GOP. "It's worth pointing out that the fiscal cliff isn't really a cliff," Krugman continued. "Nothing very bad will happen to the economy if agreement isn't reached until a few weeks or even a few months into 2013. So there's time to bargain. ... So stand your ground, Mr. President, and don't give in to threats. No deal is better than a bad deal." Deal or no deal in Washington? Republican deal rejected by W.H. This created the odd spectacle of bloggers at RedState.com applauding Paul Krugman. True, they were careful to call him "both an inveterate liar and relentlessly wrong" before saying "in the main he is right" on this issue. "There is no Fiscal Cliff that demands action by a lame duck Congress. ... A deal against your own interests is not a deal, it is capitulation." It's interesting how hyperpartisans can sometimes echo each other, if only because they share a vision of American politics that is intensely ideological, imagining a country deeply divided between liberals and conservatives. The problem with this vision is not just that it is unrepresentative of the moderate majority of Americans, but because the final cleansing ideological Armageddon they imagine never comes. We need to find a way to govern again, but folks on the far left and far right are quick to cannibalize their own party members who work to constructively across the aisle. Conservative activist groups such as Americans for Prosperity criticized the House Republican outline for ceding too much ground on tax revenues. Then there's the AARP, running ads that urge its members to "Tell Washington: We Can Do Better Than a Last-Minute Deal." The problem, of course, is that this is not a last-minute problem, but something predictable and self-inflicted. A failure to deal with the fiscal cliff is a failure of the political willingness to compromise. Everyone knows the outlines of a reasonable compromise: spending cuts, revenue increases and entitlement reform. A last-minute deal, at least a patch on the problem until more fundamental reforms can be achieved, is necessary. Republicans rolled the dice when they walked away from the Obama-Boehner Grand Bargain in the summer of 2011. They lost. Obama won. Yes, the White House can be faulted for its fixation on raising top rates in the name of fairness rather than national sacrifice to the goal of long-term economic stability. But CNN polls show that a clear majority of Americans back the Obama administration's plan rather than limiting deductions that could impact the middle class. Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma made the most sense when he said the GOP should make sure that lower tax rates don't expire on 98% of Americans at year's end. But in the current cult-like environment, Cole's common sense perspective was deemed traitorous. In times of tough negotiation, it can be tempting to listen to the siren songs of hyperpartisans who promise that better things can be achieved through the power of no. But we have seen deficit reduction plans from Bowles-Simpson to the Gang of Six to the Grand Bargain to the Super-Committee fail because partisan absolutists said those balanced plans weren't good enough. That all-or-nothing approach is what has led us to this fiscal cliff. These extreme voices aren't interested in reducing the deficit or debt. They are interested in either ruling or ruining. They are the problem in our politics, and they have completely misread the moderate mandate of the 2012 election. In this high-stakes negotiation, with America's economic recovery hanging in the balance, the cliff deniers are the ones who must be denied. Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Avlon.