Thoughts on the Economy

I sat and watched quite a few of the Sunday morning talk shows and I have been checking in with many of the evening news/editorial shows and it got me thinking something that I've thought before, but never felt strongly enough about to articulate it. Why does everyone always, or at least almost always, talk about the same thing from the same standpoint -- they all seem to ask the same questions and come to the same conclusions? I know the former is a function of what the news item is "of the day" but the latter? I know you will get difference between the republican and the democratic perspective. But beyond that, there seems to be very little variation even if the participants in the discussion are different people. I guess it is because most of these people want to "approve" the questions they're going to be asked, so the real "tough" questions just never get approved. It is why Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" & some of the other late night talk shows have become some of the better resources for the truth, rather than the spin. Take the economy, for instance. The bailouts seem to have flopped and bonuses seem to be alive and well, while lending hasn't loosened up at all, but no one is asking why or what can be done to correct the situation. Everyone, including the administration and the congress who came up with the plan, agree, in varying degrees, that lending needs to loosen up and that bonuses aren't what we want to see as a result of the bailout, but no one knows why it is happening or how to fix it. Does that strike anyone as odd? You engineered the bill, so now engineer a revision to address the issues. And admit that you must have left out some critical elements because the results do not meet the intent.

This is only one of the many issues, besides Afghanistan & Health Care, that are not being pursued. Why isn't the stimulus package impacting the unemployment rate. Why am I hearing of major public works projects being put on hold due to lack of funding when this stimulus package is supposed to be so all-encompassing? We hear all about the sky-high unemployment rates, but what we don't hear is how inaccurate those numbers actually are, because of all of the people, like my husband and myself, who can't find jobs, but don't qualify for unemployment because we are self-employed.

As I see it, an entire section of this so-called american life is being ignored. The very foundation this country is built on, the pursuer of "the american dream", the small business owners, the independent contractors, the entrepreneurs, all who contribute substantially to the vitality of the economy during the "good times" are suffering at least as much as the banks on wall street or the employees who have been laid off, but who is helping them out. . . where is their bailout? No one is going to extend their health insurance coverage, there is no one handing them a thousand dollars, let alone 7 or 8-hundred million. . . Many of these people are the ones who were leveraged or over-leveraged, invested in their business trying to either keep their business afloat or get it ahead. Their unemployment insurance is their credit card -- I know this from personal experience, and I also know that the credit has dried up and not only that, even if it remains, it is far from reliable. It could be taken away at any time, or the interest rate could increase, and in many cases has, making it unusable. When are these people going to get a break? They could use a bit of recognition, first, and a boost, second.

A smattering of government contracts will help a few, but many others, from restaurant owners to retailers to electricians to massage therapists are hurting. Where is the stimulus to provide start-up funding for new business? Imagine trying to get back on your feet after you've just lost everything. You try to qualify for financing when you don't have a job because you were self-employed and your business went under or you just plain don't have any work to sustain you. Why is nobody talking about this very important & critical sector of the population?? This country consists of more than union workers and bankers. The dialogue should start addressing the plight of all americans. I can't believe it hasn't yet.

While I am going on, I need to add this bit about Health Care. If the Democrats can't put aside semantics and get it together among themselves to pass a meaningful health care bill, they don't deserve the seats they occupy. Shame on Pelosy and Reid. Why is no one saying anything about their leadership -- or lack-thereof. If the Democrats can't get their agenda passed now, there is NO HOPE! Step up to the plate, make the tough choices, take the hard line, and get something done!! No more watered-down compromises. I really, really, hope that they have a plan to implement some of the stuff they've left out once this bill gets passed. If they can pull a "republican-style" stunt and get the bill to pass in one form, then revise it to fit their agenda once it passes, it would be brilliant, but so uncharacteristic -- too devious for the dems. Or is it? As I have been known to say, "the public doesn't always know what's good for it".