It is easy for me to say, “don’t do a pike” (see my blog October 1, 2010 – “Set your mind of a positive note – don’t do a pike”) since I am covered and protected with a stable job, a salary and a house that is paid for. Will I ever understand the hardship the unemployed people have to face every day, every hour and every minute, their concerns about loved ones, their concerns about their own future, and their own loss of self-esteem and pride?
I guess I can’t! Nor can I offer any solutions to comfort all of those in need. The only thing I can do is to ask them to walk a path that stirs up their passion, and to do everything possible to find a new job, step by step, day by day, action by action, as small as they may be! Today, it is obviously an uphill struggle, but tomorrow may offer new opportunities. It is important that such journey, as all others in life begin with small steps forward.
For these efforts to turn into success for the unemployed, requires not only their will power and sacrifice, but also the help and hard work of the politicians!
Rather than to focus on the economy and job creation, it seems that the political leadership is debating other, less relevant issues. I am afraid that President Obama, with his vision of change for the US, initially invested too much effort in issues not directly related to the economy. His #1 Priority should have been not only to dampen the consequences of the financial, but also to create jobs. It worries me deeply that he didn’t act faster and was not more focused, since jobs are fundamental to a healthy society.
ALL political effort should go towards job creation and growth as the main objectives. With jobs and growth, we are all capable of creating prosperity and helping those in need. That’s the main reason we delegate our collective responsibility to elected politicians so that they can pursue the will of the people and to ensure that all individuals in society have the necessary tools to create decent living.
Have politicians given up or have they forgotten why there are there? Is it acceptable to have 10% of the work force in the US unemployed? 15 million individuals out of work! 15 million people, who most likely have a family to protect and support!
As a result of the financial crisis, industries function with a reduced workforce and find that they can now produce the same amount of output. Can we blame them? Not really. This is part of the capitalist idea – to make money and to create your own happiness. No, the ones to blame are, again the political leadership. They should do what it takes, to walk the walk, to work for those who elected them. Instead they cover their ass, are only concerned with positioning themselves well for the next election and protect the benefits they receive. Far be it for these politicians to get off their high horses, work together in a bipartisan way, find political and economic solutions that work and actually do something for the people!
When I consider the problems within the US economy combined with other domestic problems, I must admit that another concern I have is the continued political support of the war in Iraq? They scream endlessly about cutting spending, yet we spend billions a year on this war. This must stop! It is a war that is fought for the wrong reasons (read former President Bush’s book). The money spent could go towards addressing serious domestic problems like job creation, stimulating the economy, improving education, just to name a few. By redistributing resources within the total budget, tax increases could be avoided, thereby reducing the burden of the American people.
And this, ladies and gentlemen, makes good political sense!
Think progressively!
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