Political Issues
Economy

Support a Common Sense Economy
Today, our country is facing some major economic challenges. In a recent poll, taken in December of 2007, most Americans expressed unease about the state of the economy and concluded that we are now in a recession. Notwithstanding this news, here are some facts that all of us must be made aware of as Americans. Our national debt is 9 trillion making us the largest debtor nation in the world. Our combined trade deficit is in the trillions. According to a recent CNN report, 96% of our clothing is imported and almost 15% of our food is shipped from abroad. Our manufacturing base as compared to the early seventies has been drastically scaled down due to the outsourcing of plants and jobs abroad. The mortgage crises has only aggravated the problem. What can we expect when banks and the mortgage industry choose to exploit the least among us and engage in predator lending?

What should we do?
We must begin by supporting what Peter calls a common sense economy which ties policy decisions and key legislations in the corridors of power to the quality of lives of people. Elected officials must begin by renewing their thinking and mindset by first recognizing that they are servants of the people and not special interest. They must devote as much time to serving the interest of the citizens as they do to fundraising for the next election. We must abandon the smoke screen politics that gives the American people a false impression that raising or lowering taxes is the panacea to a robust economy without making hard choices. This is one of the biggest deceptions in our nation's history. Cutting and raising taxes can both grow and hurt the economy depending on whether you have a sound economic plan for the country.

First of all, we must invest in leaders that invest in American workers. We must make loans available for new industry start ups and entrepreneurs: for example, people who are willing to come up with new technologies for the environment, pioneers for a green industry

Invest in Leaders that invest in high risk communities. Turn so called poor communities and cash strapped cities into flourishing enterprise zone using drip capitalization.

Negotiate hard to further open up the Chinese market to U.S goods. Follow the exemplary work of Mickey Kantor: U.S. Trade Representative under Bill Clinton who did brilliant work in opening the Japanese market to U.S. goods.

Support trade schools and a new curricular that prepares American workers to compete in the 21 st century economy.

Begin to rebuild a manufacturing base for new America that will create good union jobs today and the future.

Renegotiate so called free trade agreements that are unfair to American workers: Stop global market exploitation for short-term profit gain; "Free trade without fair trade is no trade at all-

" Peter Idusogie”

We must balance our budget, bring the deficit to zero as it was in 2000 and draw up a plan to free us from our dependence on China buying U.S government treasury bonds to keep our economy afloat.

On a long term basis, invest in education of generation X, they are the future. Ease the growing burden of parents and students alike to pay for higher education. Consider making college education free as soon as we pay down the deficit as it is done in Turkey and Korea . I propose that in return for a two year commitment after college to serve in a national youth service corp in areas of our country that need critical services, Uncle Sam will pay for your college education.---Let us look at both Korea and Turkey . In Turkey , they are preparing to become part of the EU group of nations and would be the first moslem nation to join the block. Apart from the PKK, they are less terrorist of Turkey origin because education is a powerful tool in checking the spread of terrorism. Thus, apart from the endless opportunities that free education at the college level can bring to America , it can actually on a worldwide basis check the spread of terrorism. In Korea , they are part of the Asia Tiger sovereign states that are moved from being a developing nation in 1953 to an advanced nation with billions of dollars in reserve. America played a critical role after the Korean war in rebuilding the Republic of Korea . Now let us do the same things for ourselves Hello? Is someone listening!

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