Congress should be charged with treason

At least one report is now claiming that by just approaching the "fiscal cliff" we're stalling the economy and causing more layoffs. That cliff is just two months away, so things could get far worse, according to most experts.

Because Congress is directly responsible for creating this fiscal cliff, I believe its members should be charged with treason.

Sound too extreme?

Well, I am open to other charges. But to say that Congress is not acting in some criminal manner is to be blind to all that has gone on in Washington recently.

If you were well on the way to recovering from cancer, but just as you were about to go into remission, doctors told you to stop taking your medicine and begin a diet heavy on bacon and hot dogs, and start smoking three packs of cigarettes a day, wouldn't you think that doctor should at least be thrown out of the medical profession. How about if he or she was injecting you with known carcinogens and your cancer returned? Shouldn't that doctor be charged with attempted murder or manslaughter?

This is what Congress is doing. They are killing the recovery. This goes way beyond negligence or even blatant incompetence. They are doing it on purpose and for selfish political reasons. They are raising fears in the business sector. They are acting as un-American and un-partriotic as anyone who would sabotage this country in any way, shape or form. And they are telling us that they are doing it to save the country. That's the biggest lie I've ever heard out of Washington. Even bigger than weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

I am not going to bother explaining what the fiscal cliff is or how we got here. I am tired of trying to tell people that they should pay attention to stuff like politics, climate change and other issues that directly impact them, even if they don't know it.

This country is going to get what it deserves by electing the people it does. This level of stubbornness and playing these insane, mean-spirited games of chicken on Capitol Hill occur because voters tend to vote against their own interests and support people who have zero honor and integrity. They do this because they don't open their minds or explore alternative views. They find an ideology they like, and they cling to it like never before, with no desire to compromise. They watch Fox News and never question whether its even close to being journalistically sound. Their guy clearly loses a debate and they can't even admit it. Some politician makes outrageous claims about rape, and they somehow dismiss it because he's on "their side."

It goes on and on.

This new lack of flexibility in voters and politicians is creating an epic mess that we may never be able to clean up. This country does not function best when it is divided the way it is now. It will, in time, destroy us from within if we don't seek common ground for the betterment of all. I fear the unwillingness of people to say, hey, maybe I am wrong about this or that, or perhaps I can bend my views based on new evidence, will do us in.

If we allow politicians to drive us over the fiscal cliff, we have no one to blame but ourselves for re-entering a recession or depression, which is what will happen in 2013. Regardless of who is elected president in November, if Congress continues to steer this country into the ground, they should be criminally indicted, not just voted out of office.

Required viewing for voters

The late George Carlin was always ahead of his time. This video about the loss of the "American Dream" is from a standup comedy act several years ago, before the great recession. He hits the nail right on the head. I wish politicians had the guts to speak this frankly and to actually do something about the real cause of why this country is in the shape it's in. Instead, they and their greedy ways are part of the problem. (Click here to read about the wealth gap between Congress and ordinary Americans).


I also wish voters would wake up and realize why things are the way they are. Perhaps, the "Occupy" protesters get it to some degree, but their message doesn't always come across quite as clear or succinct as Mr. Carlin's classic and justifiable rant.


This video needs to be required viewing for anyone heading to the voting booths. Real change -- whether it be in improving our education system or restoring the economy or just forming a fairer society -- will never take place until people give up on the illusion that we currently have a government that works for the people and not for the corporations.

"Years to come" a death sentence

The main story headline on The Washington Post home page tonight wasn't exactly a sight for sore eyes, but it wasn't a surprise either.


Any longtime unemployed or underemployed person could have told you that the job market shows practically no signs of improving. It's been that way for three years and the unemployed don't need data or comments from the Fed to prove it.


Trying to convince anyone who hasn't directly felt the hardships of unemployment that good jobs are scarce to non-existent is like beating your head against the wall. It's useless and causes severe headaches.


There is a large percentage of people who still don't know why protesters are occupying various cities or why they are angry at Wall Street and Washington. Those sitting in judgment of the occupiers look at the help wanted ads and see plenty of jobs. Just today I heard someone making fun of the demonstrators, saying they should all go get jobs and give the public parks back to the homeless.


It's maddening to hear comments like that from people who haven't missed a beat in their careers through this recession, which for many folks has been more of a severe depression. It's disheartening when I hear these things from people who I know aren't bad or heartless souls. For some reason, they just cling to the old stereotypes about the unemployed. They tend to place the blame where it doesn't belong and grossly underestimate how bad the unemployment situation is for every from white-collar professionals to blue-collar tradesmen. I am sure there must be some psychological explanation for this misinformed, careless attitude in otherwise decent, thoughtful folks. Maybe they have a deep fear of losing their jobs. So to feel more in control of their fates, they place the blame on the unemployed rather than the system that could claim anyone's job on any given day or prevent people from re-entering the workforce. They think that if they just continue to do a good job that everything will work out. Well, that's simply not true anymore.


For guys and gals like me, in my age group and predicament, the Post headline is particularly sobering. The phrase "years to come" is like a death sentence. Years to come puts me in my 60s or pretty damn close to it. How many people do you know who have been hired in their 60s lately, let alone started new careers? One can still be a valuable resource to any employer in their 60s, but try convincing the folks in hiring positions of that fact.


I have read many times that if you got laid off in your 50s during this recession, you may never work again, at least not in a regular, career-oriented job. You might be able to patch together a part-time position here and there, get a contract or consulting gig or two, and get by until Social Security kicks in. In the meantime, you may lose your house and have to give up your health insurance. Pleasantries like vacations are a thing of the past. And once you turn retirement age, what at you going to retire on? Those freelance and part-time paychecks without benefits don't last. They are merely week-to-week or month-to-month funds to survive on. They aren't an ideal option in trying to rebuild nest eggs. Social Security alone won't pay for a used mobile home in swamp, let alone medical bills or other expenses. And if the Republicans get their way, Social Security won't even exist in 10 years.


"Years to come" isn't what I want to hear from the Fed concerning the future of the unemployment epidemic that already feels like an eternity. That phrase tells me that worse days are ahead and that the golden years are going to be a tragic time for millions of Americans. That phrase makes it hard to enjoy the present, too, which in itself is tragic. Maybe it's just time to turn off the news.

1 percent should not rule 99 percent

I think most of us agree that government is broken. At some point, probably a couple decades ago, politicians began caring more about themselves than us. And we, the voters, allowed it because life was generally OK for most of us for many years, particularly following the end of the Vietnam War and military draft. The civil rights protests went away. More and more kids were going to college. Retirees were enjoying their pensions.

But now a massive vortex has formed as the country has reached a point of division and dysfunction that we might not ever recover from. We're spinning out of control. There are no more pensions. Even Social Security is at risk.

We're at a juncture where individuals most hurt by the shenanigans of Constitution Avenue and Wall Street have exhausted all options to remain afloat, let alone thrive. Unless we unify, mobilize and get into the faces of bankers, senators and others who make up the approximately one percent of those getting rich on our pain, the lives of 99 percent of Americans will continue to spiral downward -- some slowly, some quickly depending on where you're at in the social-economic order.

While the one percent holds the power and privilege in this county, the 99 percent possess the numbers. However, if the majority continues to sit back and do nothing, or dilute and divide itself into mindless red and blue camps, then the one percent will continue to flourish at our expense.

We don't need a Tea Party, we need an informed Unity Party. We need for people to rally around groups like Occupy Together in order to send a message to those who have abused their powers that we aren't going to take it anymore. Regardless of political leanings, we as Americans should have one cause in common, and that is to stop being abused by those in power. We want our jobs back. We want a more level playing field. We don't want to make anymore sacrifices so that corporate titans can profit while we struggle to put food on the table. That isn't a political philosophy -- it's common decency. And everyone except the 1 percent should be for that.

It is the 99 percent that gives the 1 percent their power. We can also take it away if we stop allowing ourselves to be manipulated by various powerful factions that intentionally try to divide us.

Three years of unemployment and underemployment are taking an irreversible toll on the country as a whole. Roads are crumbling, families are splintering, stores are closing, tax rolls are dwindling. Eventually, the bridges that carry the trucks that bring products to market will collapse. And what will CEOs do then? Layoff more people? Is that how we're going to continue to handle this crisis, by firing capable workers? Is that really the best Corporate America and government can do to address a complex problem that they helped create?

Layoffs just make things worse for society, which in turn eats away at the economy and our national security. Yes, corporate profits have risen, but for how long and through what means? Eventually the recession will catch up to these job killers, who may then realize that gutting the workforce and sitting on their wealth might not have been such a good strategy. In fact, that tactic has fueled a dark super cell -- a storm on the horizon that is so ominous that it may threaten our way of life, our freedom.

There seems to be only one way out of this. We and our elected officials need to start working together. I mean really work together, not just give lip service about it. We need to put aside our philosophical differences, reject the lobbyists/special interests groups and hit the voting booths harder than ever in order to get rid of any politician who seems unwilling to compromise or unable to think outside of the box.

We need to work for and do business with responsible employers who protect and create jobs here in America. When a lawmaker trumpets a claim, they need to back it out with facts not partisan theory and manipulation. We need to verify that tax cuts for the wealthy help create jobs. If that claim can't be supported with hard data, then politicians need to let go of it and move on. And we, the voters, need to punish any politician who clings to any false statements or perpetuates economic myths. Those falsities are a distraction. They are delaying our finding real solutions for the 99 percent of us who don't have a pile of gold stashed away or more time to waste.

The cost of not working together is our destruction. Plain and simple. If you want to cling to your bumper sticker, red and blue mentality, do so at your own peril. But if you want to force our leaders to do something for us rather than against us, you have to abandon your preconceived notions about our two political parties. You must educate yourselves and realize that most politicians do not have our best interests at heart. You must join protesters marching in New York and form your own protests at your State Houses and corporate headquarters of the most offensive companies. You must write and call your representatives. Elect governors who can govern for the people and not just take money from special interest groups. Reject anyone and everyone who doesn't stand up for workers' rights, whether those workers are unionized or not.

At this stage, the 99 percent being passive or uninformed will only make the 1 percent stronger. The 1 percent doesn't need either political party helping them. You must be willing to reinvent yourself, your views on politics and government, and not fall for the same tricks that have done nothing but weaken the 99 percent for a generation or two while right-wingers and centrists have ineffectively ruled the country. If that means swallowing a little pride and admitting your party is overrun by folks who say they are for the middle class but aren't, then open your eyes and vote them out. But at the same time, be cautious with who you're voting in. Make sure they are qualified, honest, sincere and intelligent. Examine their records and make sure they understand history. Don't elect anyone based on your emotions or their empty promises.

Look around your neighborhoods, your offices and see who is doing well and who isn't. Dig beneath the surface and don't just assume that someone who lost their job or house must have done something wrong. If you do that, you're sealing your own faith. Your pink slip will come.

Statistics show that if you're a white male over 50 years old, and get laid off, there is an increasing chance that you will never work again regardless of your credentials. Age discrimination is running rampant, which is another thing the system is supposed to prevent but doesn't because we don't do a damn thing to make sure employers aren't operating outside of the law. Apathy is killing us.

I am outraged whenever I hear politicians talking about raising the retirement age. Who exactly is going to hire or keep a 70-year-old employee these days? It sounds fine to say we're living longer than ever and need to save money on Social Security by delaying benefits, but does anyone ever think about enforcing age discrimination laws so that we can work into our senior years? Simply raising the retirement age without putting some teeth into discrimination laws is a recipe for disaster in a job market that openly excludes experienced workers. I've read a lot of job ads in the last three years, and it always astonishes me how employers aren't shy about their not wanting to give anyone over 50 a chance to even apply, let alone interview. It's a tragedy for mid-career professionals and for less experienced workers who could learn from the seasoned pros. In addition, current job seekers do not need a whole new wave of people to compete with.

Recently, I've heard some Republicans want to make job training mandatory for anyone who receives unemployment benefits. Sounds good on the surface, but surface solutions are often flawed. The real agenda of these Republicans has more to do with throwing the vulnerable overboard than it does guiding them back into employment.

Unemployment benefits are just that -- benefits earned by once-employed people. You don't qualify for them if you didn't work. So the premise that unemployment is some sort of handout is completely wrong in most instances, particularly during this recession. In addition to that, many people who get laid off have years of experience and a wide range of skills. A few months of additional training aren't going to make them anymore employable. It's another illusion promoted by intellectually challenged morons who want to place the blame on the victims of this horrible economy rather than on the culprits. Heck, in many cases it was their vast experience (and larger paychecks) that got good people canned in the first place -- usually older workers.

I resent any statement that implies that all unemployed or underemployed people must have a shortage of skills. In fact, in certain cases, unemployed people from certain professions probably have more skills, education and ethics than those who remain employed. Companies throughout this recession have been letting go of the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

While adding tools to one's toolbox isn't a bad idea in a struggling job market, it should not be mandated as a condition to receive what laid-off workers are rightfully owed. In a day and age where companies don't even have the decency to provide severance, unemployment benefits must be paid as long as those receiving the benefits can prove they are searching for work. Unemployment benefits not only help individuals, but they have been proven to boost the economy.

Why have we all -- outside of those current protesters in New York and previously Wisconsin -- become so apathetic about blatant injustice? Social, economic and institutional injustice is reaching epidemic levels. Have we somehow collectively accepted that we can't fight city hall anymore? Are we willing to voluntarily march off a cliff, clinging to our stale political beliefs right until the end, while the one percent gathers more riches and power? We should be outraged by the one percent who are picking our bones clean, practically robbing our gold fillings from our graves. Where are these people acquiring their nerve and authority to make up the rules as they go?

If you're fresh out of college, and unable to find a job, it's going to be impossible to pay back your school loans, let alone begin your quest for the "American Dream." We have always sold that dream in order to create peace and tranquility among the masses and to drive the economy. It's worked for a long time because people were able to climb the social ladder, buy a car, put food on the table and pay into the system through taxation. That just isn't the case anymore. There is no ladder to climb anymore. Young adults are getting out of college and moving in with their parents nowadays. If you don't work, you can't pay taxes, which in turn causes more economic and societal woes for everyone.

Some are seeing a connection between our disillusioned young, educated people and the youths in Egypt who recently became so disenchanted with a government that wasn't working for them that they took to the streets in full revolutionary mode.

Can that happen here?

I don't see why not. Maybe it has already started.

Chronic institutional unfairness alters social norms regardless of nationality. You want to see class warfare, wait another few years. You won't be able to go the ATM without getting mugged by someone who once paid taxes and lived a three-room rambler with a white picket fence, but is now starving on the streets because politicians couldn't put aside their differences in order to address a national crisis. Wait a few more years and things could be considerably worse. At that point, who do we blame? The politicians or the people who elected them without doing their homework?

Close-minded voters who rely only on talk radio to help them decide on a which candidate to cast a ballot for are worse than people who don't vote at all. Recent Republican primaries are driven by some of the most ill-informed people on the planet and are taking away our options in general elections. I'd like to get back to having two viable candidates to choose from in a general election. I'd like to return to the days when Corporate American didn't control our politicians and where crazies didn't make it beyond their local homeowner association boards in the political world.

We have reached the point where if we don't compromise and find lasting solutions, we will fall and fall hard. The despair, the poverty, the lack of hope will eat at the inner core of America and reduce us to a nation of have and have-nots, with the have-nots eventually rising up to create chaos that even the rich won't be able to shelter themselves from. Perhaps this is why some wealthy folks are finally coming out and pleading to have their taxes raised. Yes, raised. They can and want to help the economy, realizing that if they don't take on a fairer share of the load, they might end up with nothing, like the 50somethings, who were once vibrant, middle-class contributors to society but who are now living in their cars all across this nation. Yet, there are some leaders in Washington who ignore the pleas of the moral rich in favor of the still-greedy rich. They won't raise taxes.

It is time to shut out the extremists and the selfish and work together. The media can play a role in this by not giving any airtime to all the usual suspects who do nothing but promote themselves. We need smart, sincere people on the front pages of our newspapers. People willing and able to make a difference, not manipulators of media who flirt with their short-sighted followers through bus tours and book signings. These people are a cancer. They are not patriots. At best, they are distractions. And we can't afford anymore distractions. Time is running out.

For some victims of the last three years, it's already too late. But there are millions more who could be saved from a very bad ending if politicians, business owners and others can simply redirect their energy to rebuilding the middle class rather than tearing it down though obstructionism and partisan inaction. Politicians can't create jobs, but they can create an environment more conducive to combating joblessness. In that regard, both Republicans and Democrats have failed us miserably.

Jobs, not "Obamacare" or debt reduction or anything else, must be the central focus of Washington. Every time I hear a smoke-and-mirrors politician utter the word "Obamacare," I know they aren't serious about job creation and I won't vote for them. If you're unemployed or want to remain employable for the next decade or two, I would recommend you do the same -- vote out anyone who seems distracted by lesser issues or who doesn't back up their jobs rhetoric with action. Real action. Not speeches, not phony bills that are dead on arrival. I want to see a look of authenticity and truthfulness on the faces of our leaders in Congress. I want to feel a sense of getting along with the opposing party. Please, no more posturing.

I would like to see entire debates dedicated to one subject -- job creation. I don't need to hear anything more about fences along borders, in-state tuition for the children of illegal aliens or English as an official language. I don't need for politicians to sneak in their pet projects or warped values in the name of job creation. I want to see members of both political parties roll up their sleeves and get back to the job of getting us to work.

Everything depends on employment. Everything, including our health, the environment and our defense. We can't protect whales or feed starving children if there is no money going to organizations that do good works. This is not the time for Democrats and Republicans to come out of White House meetings with nasty comments about the other guy or to drone on about why they don't believe in science.. This is a time for unity and a sense of urgency. We have no time left to listen to Tea Party fantasies or to cater to a do-nothing establishment. We must stand together in our demand for jobs. We must turn up the volume in a variety of ways if we want to be a democracy and create a fair and optimistic nation.

Read more about the 99 percent.

Rescue America from Wall Street.

End times? Not what I expected

The world didn't end yesterday, but my and my wife's little corner of the planet was certainly rocked with a trip to the emergency room -- coincidentally, right about the time we were all suppose to be feeling the doomsday earthquakes. We're not out of the woods yet, but hopefully things will work out. Once again the universe is teaching us how fragile human beings are and how we need to manage stress and treasure our loved ones. More details at an appropriate time.

PART TWO (May 26, 2011)

My wife, Ana, experienced a rapid heart beat last Saturday. It lasted for a good part of the morning and into the afternoon. Her visit to the emergency room that evening included various tests. All but one were negative. She had a very high concentration of a specific enzyme that indicates the heart was severely stressed within the last 24 hours, meaning there could possibly be significant damage to the heart muscle. That set off all kinds of alarms in the ER. She was admitted later that night. She is out of the hospital now and has various appointments and tests lined up with a cardiologist. As of today, there does not appear to have been any permanent damage to her heart, nor does it appear that she had a heart attack. We're grateful for that, but the tests will continue as there are some lingering problems.

This racing heart thing isn't new for her, but it's been dismissed in the past by doctors who were baffled by it and concluded it was nothing serious. I believe everyone, including us, figured it had something to do with stress. Each episode usually came about during high-anxiety times but went away within minutes of striking. Then came last Saturday. The racing heart led to breathing problems, dizziness and other troublesome reactions. The stress level of the previous few weeks leading up to that day was off the charts. In hindsight, this attack was not a surprise. As the doctors told us, extreme fatigue and chronic worrying does all kinds of destructive things to the body.

Like most folks, we've had a lot of anxiety for at least three years. A lot of it relates to the toll the recession has taken on our lives. At 50something, the body does not deal with the stress or anxiety in the resilient manner it did at 20something. So if this turns out to be stress related -- and it very well could because Ana is an otherwise very healthy woman -- it will be time to make some internal and external changes in our world, which include distancing ourselves from toxic situations and people, and processing better what we can't filter out. There is good stress and there is bad stress, and right now we have too much of the latter. We bite the bullet in order to survive day to day, but that strategy may have to be altered.

Getting sick is one of the forgotten byproducts of the recession. You mostly read about savings accounts having been depleted, careers being destroyed and homes falling into foreclosure. Unfortunately, all of these things take a toll on the mind and body. So first comes the economic collapse, then comes the physical and personal problems that we are all prone to.

In a way, we are hoping this was caused mostly by stress and that no further invasive procedures or potent medications are necessary. We can rearrange our lives -- make various sacrifices in order to alleviate some of the pressure -- but we can't turn back the clock to better times when her job was manageable and my career helped us save for the future. I would rather deal with the risk and challenge of creating a less pressure-filled life than for either of us to end up on an operating table. We need to change the lens in which we view ourselves and our situation -- control what we can control -- and live more in the moment. And we need to somehow do all of that without putting more pressure on ourselves in a year that has already included Ana being a donor for her leukemia-stricken brother and the sudden death of my daughter's 16-year-old sibling.

A coalition of America and little else

The chart on the left shows the so-called coalition countries that are allegedly involved in enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya. Note the "deployment status." (Click on the chart to enlarge).

Despite the political distortions out of Washington about our taking a backseat in this latest military action, it is clear that once again the United States has no problem essentially going it alone to police the world. As the chart indicates, our launching of bombs in Libya has been non-stop while most other nations sit idle.

Folks, we're spending over $1 million for every Tomahawk missile that we propel into Libya. No matter how honorable our intentions might be, do we have the money to spend on another campaign of explosions that is likely to produce even greater costs as time goes on? This isn't even our fight.

The cost of deploying American jets and ships to the region is off the charts. And I take no comfort in the fact that a handful of countries are cheering us on from the sidelines as we empty our wallets again.

We're still trying to recover from the worst recession of our lifetime and dealing with a record deficit, and we're doing so while fighting three wars. Running a peace-time economy in war-time era is beyond stupid. How do you explain to a layoff-weary nation that we need to keep bombing foreign lands rather than pay for unemployment benefits or job-training programs at home?

We bomb countries and don't seem to leave after we do, yet at the same time talk about possibly reducing Social Security benefits to save what we spend in a matter of weeks in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya. Republicans slam health-care reform but won't say boo about the expense of the war against the Taliban -- the longest war in our nation's history -- a war that is not winnable. There simply seems to be no fiscal worries whatsoever when it comes to flexing our military muscle, even when we're not at risk of being attacked.

It is truly amazing that ever since the U.S. got rid of the draft, Americans have lost interest in protesting something that is just as ill-conceived today as it was during the Vietnam era. We're still losing lives in no-win conflicts, but since no one is forced to serve anymore, well, the deaths and financial costs are just not on our radar screens.

We can't pay for basic domestic services anymore, but we can apparently fight a third war while coalition partners like Spain stand "ready to participate" in the attack. Ready to participate?

Yeah, right.

I never thought President Obama would drag his feet in getting us out of Iraq and Afghanistan, especially when we could use the money to employ teachers and rebuild infrastructure at home. But he has. What is more shocking is Obama's selling of this operation in Libya as something it is not. We're paying the check again and that is shocking at this time, in this economy and with this president in charge.

The media covers the Libya story as a military operation but says little about the battles we all face on a daily basis on countless American Main Streets. Reports fail to put Libya into context because there is no context for the average American. Additionally, the media, like the politicians, seems to have a tendency to take its eye off the ball. And the ball is and will continue to be the economy.

Source: Chart compiled from The Washington Post

Recession's most powerless victims

More homeless children and a poverty rate that will likely hit 25 percent in the not-so-distant future -- that is what is emerging from America's so-called economic recovery, according to a 60 Minutes report last Sunday.

A new generation of Americans will be raised in sketchy motel rooms, parked cars and worse places. These are the children of the previously stable, hard-working middle class -- not kids born into decaying urban neighborhoods or to transient families on perpetual welfare. These are the kids who would have gone to college or trade school and become taxpayers themselves one day, helping to pay down the national debt that we've created for them. They have parents who were accountants and teachers, writers and secretaries -- responsible folks who played by the rules, only to find out the game was fixed (and still is).

Parents have been unable to find comparable work for a variety of reasons. Age discrimination, companies stubbornly sitting on piles of cash, politicians using joblessness as venom ... we know what's happening. The point is, kids are now paying the price for a lack of political will to fix the damn problem. We will all be feeling the effects of this institutionalized neglect for a long time. The backbone of this country -- the middle class -- has all but been broken, and few people have given more than lip service to a problem, that if addressed, might also mend or prevent other social and financial problems.

What did we think was going to happen to the families who depended on the 8 million-plus jobs that were lost since 2008? Whatever modest employment gains have been made recently don't even keep pace with the number of Americans who are entering the job market for the first time. Underemployment figures are worsening. Men and women are accepting lesser jobs that don't pay enough for them to live on, let alone enough to raise a family. What will be the mindset of this generation as it grows into adulthood in the back of a Dodge Caravan?

The new norm for millions of Americans is an unfolding tragedy that will transform the United States in ways that go beyond the despair of mass homelessness or the expanding federal debt. The spirit of millions of people -- young and old -- is being shattered with each foreclosure sign that goes up and each rejection letter that is received by a desperate jobseeker. Tax collections are shrinking as layoffs continue. Yes, people are still getting laid off, although you'd never know it based on the lack of news coverage.

The unemployed and underemployed are slowly being forgotten by a society increasingly distracted by celebrity news and other trivial matters reported by mainstream media fighting for its own financial survival and making decisions based on ratings rather than sound news judgment. A free press is only beneficial to a democratic society if it lives up to its responsibilities and the citizenship shows more of an interest in being informed on important topics.

At a time when things are getting bleaker for young and old -- as kids who were once riding their bikes along pristine sidewalks are disappearing from the suburban landscape and Baby Boomers are abandoning retirement dreams -- we could use more informative reports like the one on 60 Minutes.

Loose lips sink Boehner's credibility

When George H.W. Bush used the "Read my lips" comment to proclaim that he wouldn't raise taxes during his presidency, well, you know how that turned out. His reversing course cost him a second term.

So why would the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, use the same phrase this week to claim he is serious about cutting spending? Essentially, it's a tarnished political cliche and should be shelved for the next few decades. Plus, does anyone believe a politician who excludes the military budget and gives massive tax breaks to billionaires is serious about the deficit or the federal budget? Most people understand the need to cut government spending, but I can't believe Americans want to do it in the way Republicans are suggesting.

I am beginning to think that Boehner just isn't very bright, something some Republicans seem to pride themselves on in recent years. The other day Boehner bragged about his desire to cut government jobs, after first lying about how many federal positions have been created in the last two years by the evil Obama administration. He used the heavy-handed phrase "so be it" to explain how he didn't really care whether federal employees lost their jobs. You would think a guy representing a party that claims to have all the answers to the unemployment problem would be more careful with his words. Putting tens of thousands out of work -- regardless of whether that work is done in the private or public sector -- is not very intelligent or responsible, let alone caring. We don't need for a more competitive job market by displacing thousands of workers. Those federal employees pay taxes just like private-sector employees. I am not saying that some federal jobs aren't a waste of taxpayer dollars or shouldn't be trimmed, but the majority of government positions help to protect our food supply, teach our kids and patrol our streets. C'mon Mr. Boehner, don't kill what little credibility you might have by making Palin-like comments that show no insight or willingness to address the facts. Don't attack PBS (another GOP target) like it's the main reason for our deficit. Don't ask me to read your lips if you aren't serious about cutting from your pet projects.

Here's a fact: The rich are getting richer, the middle class is getting poorer, and the money and jobs are not trickling down as wealthy conservatives continually claim will happen but never does. The dwindling middle class needs to wake up and read the facts.

As I watched a documentary about Ronald Reagan recently, I wondered how Reagan could have turned his back on people who needed a hand when in fact his own family, as he was growing up, received government assistance to weather the economic storm of his childhood. Without that government intervention, Reagan might not have gone very far in life. Heck, he and his family might have found it hard to simply survive or put food on the table. Many people need a helping hand at some point in their lives, something Republicans fail to comprehend. They see it as a weakness. It was Reagan, the first Democrat-turned-Republican to make it to the White House, who made it OK to turn away from those down on their luck. But even Reagan wasn't quite as ruthless or dishonest as the current crop of conservatives. He had some redeeming qualities, unlike today's hardcore conservatives who seemingly want the middle class to go away so that the fat cats can get fatter.

Then there is the military and the funding for our policing the world.

Look, I am all for a strong defense. But I am not for overkill, especially in lean times. We already have enough explosives and war machinery to destroy the entire world multiple times. How many aircraft carriers do we need to stop underwear bombers? But hold onto your wallets because the Republicans, not the Democrats, are aiming to take your Social Security away or delay benefits until you're too old or dead to collect much of anything. Yup, Social Security is just one of those old, nasty government programs that new Republicans hate. In their eyes, the money would be better spent on occupying some foreign land.

So no, I won't support Boehner's selfish beliefs and inarticulate cliches. If Republicans and Tea Party radicals want to make a case for turning off grandma's heating (a miniscule savings at best), they better first find a way to milk their own sacred cows -- the extremely wealthy, the oil companies, the military. That's where the real recovery could occur without breaking the back of Americans who have nothing left to give. That's not class warfare, that's just a sense of fairness -- something we are losing in recent years as we allow one political party to fuel the flames of hatred towards the unemployed, the elderly and anyone else who isn't in a position of power.

And please, let's not even get into Boehner's so-called humble background. As I mentioned, Reagan also forgot where he came from as he stuck a dagger into union workers -- this from a man who was the head of a union early in his career. You would think these types of self-made human beings would help lift others up, but they don't. It's not in their nature. They believe that hard work was solely responsible for their success and that unsuccessful people just aren't vigilant enough.

Any talk of addressing the deficit must begin with where the money really lies, not with nickel and diming the middle class to death and robbing folks of their benefits that they worked for a lifetime to obtain. Not investing in clean energy and education, while continuing to cater to big oil and rich bankers, is short-sighted at best. If Republicans want to act as patriotic as they claim to be, they can start by demanding more from their entitled friends who rarely give back to society in any meaningful manner but seemingly get every tax break known to humankind.

Since becoming the leader of the House of Representatives, Boehner has displayed almost no leadership ability or big-picture thinking. His tone is often hyper-political and confrontational, and could lead to the government shutting down in March if the budget debate worsens. Boehner shoots from the hip and only has the back of the most privileged people in society -- the people and corporations who financially support his campaigns. He is, like so many Republicans these days, a political machine, void of any sense of fair play or fresh ideas. He is the perfect modern-day Republican -- a visionless version of Ronald Reagan with lots of tears and no heart. His shining city on a hill is gated and consists of CEOs driving around in large SUVs while their employees watch their health-care premiums go up.

Republicans are exposing their true identity and lack of intellect lately. You don't have to read between the lines to see it. You just need to read their lips.

A more patriotic approach needed to fix what ails America's economy

Everyone from Rush Limbaugh to some of my friends like to point out that it is not the role of businesses to provide jobs. In normal times, I would agree.

These are not normal times.

Look, during past wars, businesses refitted their production lines to serve the military. They stopped making goods for civilians in order to supply our soldiers with ammo and other items needed to successfully defend our country. Their missions changed from making profits via the private sector to helping to uphold our way of life. From housewives to Hollywood, everyone was behind the war efforts because losing was not an outcome that served any American's interest.

What I am about to say is the most important point I have made in over 300 posts. The economic crisis we're in might not feel entirely like a national emergency but it is. We should not wait until the enemy is deeply entrenched in every neighborhood across this land before fighting back with everything we have.

Businesses, particularly profitable ones, have a new responsibility and it includes creating jobs just as it involved making tanks instead of cars in World War II. It is no longer acceptable for anyone to say it's not the role of any entity to create jobs. It also isn't constructive to continue to lie about why so many workers were laid off in the first place. Too many corporations over reacted to the recession and exploited millions of their most vulnerable workers, making the recession far worse than it needed to be. That is a fact. It is time for corporations that went too far to make up for their part in bringing down the entire economy, not to mention the personal lives of many good people.

It's the responsibility of government, small and big businesses to work together to restore the American economy. Schools, vocational training centers and banks willing to make loans can also play a positive role. Everything and everyone should take responsibility in some manner, including bloggers and the media.

A true recovery can't happen until unemployment is reduced. We need to throw out the old playbook and figure out a way to get people back to work. That can't be done by businesses pointing the finger at government and government pointing back. It can't be done with the level of partisan politics we're experiencing or the continuing decline in education.

America needs some out-of-the-box thinking that doesn't rely on stereotypes about the role of businesses in a capitalistic society. We would be speaking German if that sort of thinking existed in the past. To say that employers are too afraid to hire because of the uncertainty about the economy is probably true but it's also a trap. It's a vortex that no one can escape. A circular argument that pushes us closer and closer to the edge. Businesses were not exempt in contributing to past war efforts. Why are they now washing their hands of any responsibility during one of the most profound emergencies we have ever faced?

Risk is involved in the operation of any business during up and down times. Those without the stomach for risk probably shouldn't start a company. The excuse that hiring is too risky now is just that -- an excuse. While it might be a justifiable excuse, it is nonetheless an unproductive claim. Profitable companies can't lean on that crutch until the good times return. There will be no good times without companies showing some confidence in America. Government can help lessen those risks, but can't eliminate them. It's going to take brave corporate leaders to chart a new course -- a course that navigates us to safer waters. The profits will return and the stockholders will get paid, but for now, we need a fresh, less selfish approach to doing business.

The fact remains that the private sector provides most jobs in most democracies. With that privilege comes the occasional responsibility to chip in, to do right by society, to give back. Companies hold fund-raising drives for the United Way and other charities, now they need to do a little more for the benefit of the entire country.

We have a domestic war going on. The further collapse of the economy will mean the eventual collapse of a nation. History has proven time and time again that countries without viable economies will implode. Ask anyone on the front lines of this war about the seriousness of our economic woes. They will describe scenarios that might seem unimaginable to most people at this stage of the war.

While I empathize with anyone trying to keep their business afloat with all of the current obstacles in their way, I must say that the time has come for the bigger, more profitable employers to show some faith and start becoming part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Others will follow. I believe in momentum. Businesses that become leaders in this cause will motivate others and stimulate the economy in ways the government can't.

Being frozen with fear while sitting on profits is no longer an option. This is an emergency. A war. All hands are needed on deck. A sense of patriotism that trumps greed needs to emerge, just as it did in past wars. We have to get away from this stuffing-cash-in-the-mattress mentality. Continuing to debate roles and responsibilities just prolongs the conflict and jeopardizes the very thing that most companies and individual citizens treasure -- freedom.

Read what others say about why corporations got rid of so many workers during the recession (far too many in the estimation of some) and why companies are refusing to hire despite bulging profits: "A Sin and a Shame"

Big profits don't mean significant job gains

Despite the highest profits in six years and a plan to increase automobile production, Ford officials are not committed to hiring workers anytime soon. That is representative of what is keeping the economy from a true and sustainable recovery.

Many companies are making money again. The federal stimulus funds are beginning to work and certain business practices are improving. Some companies, such as Ford, are reporting huge profits. Even the newspaper industry, where I worked for nearly three decades, seems to be on the mend.

Yet, there is one thing missing from all this good news. Jobs.

Whether it's due to a lack of confidence in the fragile recovery or just pure greed, corporate America does not seem inclined to hire at a rate sufficient enough to put a serious dent in unemployment figures. That's a major problem for the country as a whole as we try to reduce the deficit and restore the hope and spirit of the middle class.

If companies don't begin to show some faith in themselves and the economy by creating more jobs, whatever gains that have been made in recent months will be quickly lost in a second and deeper recession -- maybe as early as this fall, according to some economists. Whatever sense of optimism that has been generated in real estate sales and through other economic indicators has to be supported by the generation of a significant number of new jobs. Simply halting layoffs isn't going to get it done. We have a lot of catching up to do in order to bring laid-off folks back into the system.

So far, it appears the majority of new jobs have been low-level positions. That is feeding into the underemployment rate, which is around 18 percent. Until jobs are available that pay decent wages, foreclosures will continue. Consumers will cut back again. The negative rippling effect will resume once the stimulus funds are exhausted.

The formation of good jobs remains the key to everything. While $50,000 jobs being replaced by $20,000 jobs might be good for short-term corporate profits, it does little to strengthen our economy for the long haul.

Are things looking up for newspapers?

I have been seeing some positive signs regarding the revitalization of the newspaper industry. That's certainly good news for seasoned guys like me who are looking for a way back into the business or related professions. There are thousands of unemployed journalists with a lot of talent out there -- victims of the recession -- so the competition for good jobs will be intense even if newspapers do rebound. But at least there are some signs of life and hope for those with ink (and pixels) in their veins. Too many good folks are either out of work or are pulling double and triple duty in newsrooms across America. A strong, credible media -- one that doesn't just run on fumes and interns -- is a must for this country. Read the latest from Editor & Publisher.

UPDATE: More good news.

Where will the "thresholders" go?

I learned a new term today. I discovered I am not simply a baby boomer. Folks my age are now being referred to as the "threshold generation" by career advisers. Watch the 25-minute video about the changing face of the workforce. (If that direct link to the clip doesn't work, you can go here and scroll down to the video). There is an interesting segment about folks in their 50s -- the threshold generation. These people make up an enormous segment of the population.

There is some good information in the video for job seekers. But I also think that the values, advice and good intentions of these experts aren't matching up with all of the current realities confronted by job hunters or how the recession has altered what employers are seeking. Until the mindset of employers changes and bottom lines improve, you can take all the Microsoft Office classes you want and "tweet" until you fingers fall off, and still remain unemployed or underemployed.

I am a big believer in all generations bringing value to the workplace. The best companies, in my opinion, have a wide range of ages all working together, learning from each other while growing the business. However, that is not how companies are viewing the workforce. I think it's a tragic mistake -- penny-wise, pound-foolish -- for companies to view older workers as fat that can be trimmed from the payroll. When I was young and breaking into the newspaper business, I truly enjoyed working with older editors who mentored me. I never would have learned as much as I did about journalism without their being in the newsroom. And to their credit, I think they appreciated my enthusiasm and energy. The companies that I worked for in the 80s and early 90s benefited from experienced employees mixing with young talent that could be cultivated. Those companies were family operated and seemed to be more likely to employ folks of all ages. Family-owned businesses, unfortunately, are disappearing.

A friend of mine who works for a major company that provides services to the Defense Department and Homeland Security watched some of his coworkers get their pink slips last week. The layoffs were mostly tied to pay rates. In general, the higher-paid people were let go. That was a real eye-opener. This isn't suppose to happen to the people who do the work that keep the country safe. That is allegedly an industry that is growing. It tells me that the recession is far from over and that once again older workers are being dismissed mostly because of their higher salaries, not because they can't learn PowerPoint. Many companies aren't even bothering to see if these higher-paid folks would be willing to take a salary reduction in order to keep their jobs. It's really quite ruthless and cold. I have to believe some bad karma is brewing. But more importantly, where are these "thresholders" going to go?

The downfall of the suburbs

"A new study from the Brookings Institution tells us that the largest and fastest-growing population of poor people in the U.S. is in the suburbs."

How's that for a wake-up call. Read more in Bob Herbert's column: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/opinion/23herbert.html

Yes, Herbert's opinion piece is very similar to my Jan. 19 post. But note that his column was written on Jan. 22. Guess a lot of people are beginning to reach the same conclusions based on the same realities we see all around us. We are in serious trouble but the politicians still don't get it. Some people just want to continue to stick their heads in the sand or blame unemployed people for not trying hard enough to find work. Some folks live in such a state of being above it all that until some beggar with a master's degree is camped out on their circular driveway, they refuse to open their eyes to any inconvenient truths.

Not only does the economy have to be the top priority, but age discrimination must be addressed so that people over 50 have a fair shot at getting back to work. I've said this countless times in this blog. Laws are being blatantly broken by employers who now openly advertise jobs for younger people. Discrimination violations aren't even being masked anymore. It reminds me of the way real estate ads were once written to distinguish between white and black communities (right and wrong side of the tracks), yet fooled no one. But with job ads, employers aren't even attempting to speak in code words anymore. They are coming right out and saying they don't want anyone over 30 or 40 to apply or are using phrases like "youthful energy" to describe qualities they want in job candidates. Amazing that there prejudice is so transparent. So much institutional knowledge, experience and know-how being flushed from society.

On this same topic, here's something else we better start thinking about. There is going to be a profound need for affordable or free senior-citizen housing soon. With so many 50 and 60somethings out of work or in jeopardy of losing their jobs, a normal, self-reliant retirement is becoming an impossible dream for millions. If the politicians aren't going to fix the economy, then at least start building the shelters now so that we can warehouse older people who have lost everything in this recession. It won't be pretty, but it's better than living on the streets.

Homelessness is already increasing in the suburbs. Just yesterday, someone I know got a memo at work stating that a homeless person's belongings were found in the stairwell landing near an elevator that goes to a parking lot. Other office building managers have noticed similar signs of folks finding shelter in parking garages or anywhere else that protects them from the bitter cold. These reports are coming from middle-class and high-end areas in Reston and Tysons Corner, Va. This was unheard of just a few short years ago in these types of communities.

What's astonishing is that acts of desperation are happening in an upscale, well-educated area like Northern Virginia where the unemployment rate isn't as bad as it is in the rest of the country. However, I think what is leading to this new homeless class is that Northern Virginia is also very expensive. If you do lose your job here, and can't find one elsewhere, you very well could end up on the streets, as I am becoming intimately aware of as my own predicament worsens.

Massachusetts speaks loudly

Scott Brown's winning the special election in Massachusetts tonight is stunning in a historic sense but predictable when you consider all that has gone on nationally in the last year. The seat held by the late Democrat, Sen. Ted Kennedy, will go to a Republican for the first time in decades. While the GOP won upset elections in Virginia and New Jersey in November, this victory is a clear indication of how people are incredibly upset with state and national Democratic politicians.

Here's why the Democrats are self destructing:

1. Health insurance reform should not have taken priority over the economy/jobs for the past year. Health insurance reform is a noble and worthwhile cause, but should have been third on the list of political priorities for the White House and Congress.

2. We are spending too much money on bailouts and wars -- money we don't have. A lot of parents are concerned about what kind of future their children and grandchildren will face as the deficit grows. Folks are tired of propping up foreign governments and greedy executives while endangering the financial well-being of our own families and country.

3. Our federal government seems as inept as ever at protecting our borders, preventing terrorists from getting on planes bound for the U.S., and can't even keep party-crashers from entering the White House. While President Obama is a smart guy, his administration has made some seriously bone-headed mistakes. Remember Air Force One flying low over New York for a photo opportunity, which sent the Big Apple running for cover in fear of another 9/11-like attack?

The election in Massachusetts isn't so much about New England going red, it's about calling out the Democrats for running up the deficit, not getting us out of these wars and most importantly, not putting the same amount of focus and energy into the economy as they have into health insurance reform. Yes, it's still the economy...

Democrats have seemed detached from the economic pain and worry the middle class is feeling. They talk a good game but appear to get derailed by what are lesser-issues for many Americans. Political issues. That doesn't necessarily mean the Republicans are better suited to fix all that ails us. If Republicans are smart, they will, however, at least create a perception that they understand it's mostly about the economy now. It probably will remain that way for several years.

Americans want to feel secure in their jobs and homes. They want opportunities for their kids. They don't want China owning half the country or political correctness going so overboard that we can't stop a member of the U.S. armed forces with ties to a known terrorist from shooting people on a homeland military base. We certainly want decent health care, but who is going to pay for it if no one is working and every job is outsourced to another country? We better start taking care of our own soon.

Voters spoke as loudly and smartly as ever in Massachusetts tonight. And that's a good thing for our country. When push comes to shove, democracy does work. People do wake up. Politicians of any party must understand we aren't going to let them set the agenda for us regardless of what party we might be registered with. We have to set the priorities and our New England brothers and sisters stood up today and did just that. They didn't fall into the Kennedy-legacy nonsense or antiquated ideas of red versus blue states. They saw the serious problems of today, didn't buy into the notion of the recession being over, and they said enough.

I am not a Republican or Democrat. My support goes to the politicians who understand what the issues of the day are and address them in a responsible, intelligent manner. I certainly hope Brown will be a solid senator and cast votes that are good for America and not just for his party.

2009 a year of loss and false hope

I don't remember so many well-known folks dying in one year. Here's a partial list of deaths from 2009: Les Paul, Ted Kennedy, Robert Novak, Don Hewitt, Patrick Swayze, Mary Travers, Oral Roberts, Roy E. Disney, Chris Henry, George Michael, John Hughes, Walter Cronkite, Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, David Carradine, Dom DeLuise, Jack Kemp, Bea Arthur, Harry Kalas, Ron Silver, Paul Harvey and James Whitmore.

Of course, this was an unusual year in many ways.

Granted, some of these folks were old. But some died before their time for various reasons. I can't help think that all these deaths were just another small part of a rather dismal year -- a year in which even the most optimistic people were tested by the barrage of bad news and sense of loss. Death comes in many forms, and I think we've all gotten a clearer picture of that this year.

2009 was billed as a year of hope and renewal as President Obama took office. But hope, to a large degree, seemed to die along the way, like the many fallen celebrities listed above. While Obama grades his first year in office fairly well, millions of folks lost their jobs and homes due to the recession. Unemployment shot into double figures despite government bailouts. The health-care reform package has many folks worried as the deficit continues to spiral out of control. And we continue to fund wars that few truly believe in anymore.

All of the deaths we've witnessed this year underscore how short life is no matter if you're a famous actor or just an average citizen. It's difficult to go through hard times like we have this year when one realizes that every day, week and month is precious. Yet, there is no way around day-to-day worries in this climate of increasing financial hopelessness, conflict and global concerns. It's getting harder to smell the roses, harder to unearth new opportunities. There is plenty of evidence to indicate that the economy is not going to turn around anytime soon. And does anyone truly believe we're going to be done with Afghanistan in 18 months? The poor keep getting poorer and the rich get richer. Meanwhile, the middle withers away with each layoff, coffin at Dover and foreclosure notice.

For some folks, it's already too late to rebuild. Talk to someone who has lost a son or daughter in Iraq or has been foreclosed upon in their 60s or 70s. Where do those folks go from here? How does one remain optimistic in Fort Myers, Fla., where every other house is abandoned and there are no jobs as drug dealers and other criminals takeover a once vibrant vacation and retirement community. Talk to a young college student who had to drop out because loans weren't available or his or her parents lost their jobs and couldn't afford tuition. Minorities are being hit particularly hard by the recession as are older folks who have become unemployable despite years of valuable work experience and top-shelf work ethics.

I keep hearing hints of things getting better but see no hard evidence of it. Instead, I only see skewed numbers released by government officials with partisan interests. There seems to be an inordinate number of elected officials these days who not only dance around the truth, but claim victory and success when there is neither. Remember Nancy Pelosi trumpeting big wins for the Democrats during the elections in November, when in fact the biggest races were won by Republicans? How about some political types claiming the system worked when a Nigerian man tried to blow up a Delta jet over the weekend. That was nearly the ultimate failure of security measures and governmental policies. The only thing that saved that plane from being blown up was a faulty explosive device and some quick-thinking passengers who restrained the would-be bomber. It was quite obvious that this was a security breach only rivaled by uninvited guests strolling through the White House this year. But we now live in a society where truth is no longer acceptable if it means egg on an administration's collective face, whether it be in government or even at the top levels of corporate America. We've gone from top officials sticking their heads in the sand to their now saying whatever is obviously contrary to all evidence and reason. I guess if they say it enough they think we will believe it. But I digress...

Many of us have cut back...way back. But there reaches a point where you can only cut so much before life becomes too much of a burden and not enough of a joy. The inconvenient truth of our society is that money drives almost everything, including relationships and self esteem. One can only turn down so many invitations to go out because they have no money to buy a round of beers before life become rather lonely. That loneliness, if prolonged, can lead to many more problems that go well beyond being unemployed.

There are setbacks that not only hurt one's checkbook, but can destroy something within us that allows us to hope, wish and work hard to reach our dreams. When too much is lost through no fault of our own, and it happens time and time again over the course of a lifetime or bad economic drought, it's difficult to rebound or to see any light at the end of the tunnel. Yet, most human beings move on and fight to survive another day. Survive for what, I am not sure. But I guess it's just in all living things to cling to life regardless of circumstances. This recession may make it impossible for some to ever resume their previous lifestyles, but they try to endure, to cope and pray.

Hopefully 2010 will bring a real turnaround for common folks and not just for fat Wall Street investors. We don't need anymore false hope from politicians or self-serving economists. We need to see real improvement such as small businesses hiring and banks lending money to those in a position to help rebuild the economy. We need a government that provides more than Band-Aid solutions. But first these politicians and other policy-makers need to acknowledge how bad things are and how much worse they will get if nothing is done. Bailouts aren't the answer. Fundamental changes to the core of how we conduct ourselves is where the true turnaround will start. When the greed stops, the healing will begin.

As I begin to curtail this blog and ponder the possibilities of the new year, I am rooting for President Obama but know he is just one man with limited powers. My eyes are wide open as I am still not sure Obama has the right stuff to restore America. He has an incredibly tough job ahead in a country that seems to be on the brink of becoming second rate. His next year doesn't appear it will be any easier than the first. And if Obama continues to lose public support, as polls have shown, he won't be able to get much done beyond what he's already initiated. I am hoping he, along with Congress and business leaders, can find ways to get people back to work -- not just in any old jobs -- but in careers similar in stature to the ones they had before this economic collapse. That will improve Obama's popularity and restore national confidence more than the passage of health-care reform or global-warming initiatives, which are good things to pursue, but not quite as relevant in people's everyday lives. If that means giving tax breaks to businesses that hire, so be it. If it means ending wars, then the "hawks" will just have to live with that. We need a strong military but we don't need to fight wars against an enemy we can't see or truly defeat in the manner we're going about it. We can't afford these types of wars anymore.

The time has come to rid ourselves of what is perceived as Republican or Democrat ideas. We must do whatever will work and put aside notions of political alliances and ideals. A sense of fairness and trust must be restored in individuals and collectively as a society. We must recognize how short life is and make the best use of our time for ourselves and for the future of the country. Life should not simply become a game of economic and emotional getting-by in a country that once stood tall and provided the one thing people treasured the most -- hope.

2010 has to be a year when we get down to the business of restoring faith in the economy, government and companies, and make some hard choices about where and how we spend taxpayer money. CEOs need to police themselves and stop creating class warfare and institutional mistrust by splurging on themselves one day, and laying off people the next.

This is an opportunity to get it right -- to make America a more fair and just place. We have to reject greed and reward fiscal responsibility in the private and public sectors. If we simply weather this storm with some flimsy fixes and return to our bad habits, 2009 will soon look like the good old days.

Car commercials lack sensitivity

I have a profound desire to throw my shoe at the TV every time one of those luxury-car commercials comes on urging us to buy a pricey vehicle for Christmas. We're in the worst recession of our time. People are genuinely hurting and many folks can't afford to buy anything for the holidays, let alone a Lexus. If some fat cats can financially swing gifts like cars, all the more power to them. But these commercials seem to want to rub it in the faces of those who aren't doing as well ... and that's a whole lot of people these days. The tone of these commercials is insensitive at best.

Low-paying gigs hard to live on

There is little money to be made by low-end musicians. By low-end I mean the guy who plays piano in Nordstrom's department store or the dude strumming guitar on the schooner tour of some second-rate city's polluted harbor. There is even less cash to be made by musicians in small clubs who many times must guarantee a certain number of patrons otherwise they could actually lose money.

But "real" professions in offices don't seem to be any better these days. As jobs begin to trickle back, I am noticing pay is way down.

I saw a rather typical ad recently from an employer who wants to hire a journalist for a newspaper/web-site operation. The job required candidates to have a four-year degree, be experts in various software such as Photoshop, InDesign and Flash, be able to write sports and news stories, do page layout and manage a couple of part-timers. Weekends and night work was required. The ad said the salary was "competitive." When I checked to see what competitive meant, I found out it was $20,000 a year. And this isn't unusual, particularly in journalism. Makes you wonder why anyone would spend tens of thousands of dollars on a J-school education.

As employers have the upper hand in a bad job market, they are requiring a vast array of skills. This is not all that unusual in journalism jobs, but the salaries being offered are what folks could have expected 25 years ago with a degree and maybe a year or two of experience. The pay is so low that you might as well take that gig singing Van Morrison tunes at the tacky airport hotel lounge. Cubicle work certainly isn't that much more lucrative these days.

Of course, employers are like anyone else -- they tend to get what they pay for. Even though the market is flooded with fairly talented folks who would be willing to lower their salary demands, it's not always the best move to hire inexperienced folks or people with questionable work histories just to save a buck. That bargain-basement employee in the long run might not be such a good idea if your company ends up being sued for libel or some form of malpractice.