It is sad that there are so many unemployed throughout the state and nation. There seems to be an expectation that the government can do something to immediately remedy this situation. Seventy percent of our economy is consumer driven. Before the recession many were living far beyond their means. The average credit card debt was staggering. People were purchasing homes they could not afford, or for speculation purposes.
The 90 percent who are now employed have learned the lesson a deep recession teaches. You cannot spend beyond your means, and you must save money for a "rainy day." Thus consumers are no longer driving our economy.
Relatively speaking, we pay less taxes than in the 1950s. Some credible sources maintain that the Bush tax cuts have added more that $4 trillion to the current national deficit. One-third of the Obama stimulus was for tax cuts. Tax cuts will not seemingly reduce unemployment or improve our economy.
These are difficult times, and there do not seem to be many inclined to be their "brother's keeper."
Richard Burt
Sandy