By Vern Holmquist
In a couple of days we are to see the biggest change in our government we will probably witness in our lifetime (make that my lifetime). We are going to have a different road to travel. We have elected a different president, different in many ways, but we pray he is the right one for the very different times – with the possibility of being very harsh times – that he will run into head on.
Just think of the burden, still two wars to fight, a tanking economy, a health care system fast becoming out of reach for all but the wealthy (or the very poor), a failing education system and a Congress still in need of more cleansing.
In the past eight years we have become the biggest debtor nation in the world. No other country has as many debts. No other country has passed on such huge deficits for a younger generation to pay off.
The solution to our financial salvation at this time is a roll of the dice. Both progressives and conservatives have offered plans, but neither guarantees their plan will actually work. It’s a crapshoot with less than Vegas odds. At this point nobody seems to know who to help first, the middle class, the financial institutions, the automakers. The already poor seem to be the least affected.
I remember our departing president making a speech on our threatened economy. “Our American workers can compete with any workers in the world providing they are on a level playing field.” At the time I wrote a little piece in which I wondered if this meant raising the living standards of the other workers in the world or did it mean that we must lower our living standards to match theirs?
Now I see where one rescue plan for GM depends on GM lowering its workers’ wages to match Toyota’s. Is this going to be our salvation – lowering our living standards to the world standards? This sure puts the kibosh to our American dream don’t it? Welcome to the Third World.
Just last night I looked up the status of India’s Tata Corporation’s $2,500 four-door car, which meets safety standards and gets 54 mpg. As far as I can see they are still going to produce it. Can you imagine driving a brand new $2,500 Chevy down the road? Hey! It’s a bumpy road ahead.
Frankly, I don’t see many in the Silverton – Mt. Angel area getting too excited about the economy. I suppose the price of turnips is still high, the big cities will be hurt first and sorry folks, the troubles will trickle down.
So whether our elected president was your choice or not, the work was cut out for whoever it was to be. We must give him every chance to turn our direction around and we must be prepared to make some sacrifices when called on.
I remember that’s what it took to win World War II. That, and a man with fresh ideas named F.D.R. So Obama, go for it.
