The Economy
What is the cause of the current malaise of US economy?
Many say we need to create jobs, but what creates a job? A job is only created if there is a demand for it, and there is only a demand if there is a need. And, I believe that is the crux of the matter. There is no need to hire someone if there is no demand for more work to be done.
No free enterprise business, from Ford to the Deli down the street, will hire more people than are required to accomplish the task at hand. That is a very simple truth, but one that is often ignored or perhaps just not mentioned in the sound bites.
Business relies on customers, and customers need dollars to buy goods and/or services, which means they need to have an income. Most, yes, more than 9 out of 10 workers have incomes, so why isn’t that enough people to create sufficient demand for goods and services?
The un-obvious answer to this question is oil. The price of oil, and subsequently gasoline, is draining the American economy of the dollars that would otherwise be fueling a vibrant and thriving economy.
Commute twenty miles each way per day, and on average you will be spending $35 to $40 per week for gas, which is about $2,000. per year, let alone additional driving for family, fun, or necessity. A few years ago gas was under $2.00/gal. and not many years before that it was under $1.00/gal.
Gasoline cost is sucking the life out of the American economy! And perhaps, not by coincidence, so are the wars we are enmeshed in in the countries that reap the majority of those oil dollars.
In recent years we have discovered that the United States has tremendous oil reserves.
In light of the age old law of Supply and Demand, we should be doing everything in our power to produce oil here in the United States. The added Supply available would send the cost of oil downward, giving that commuter more non-fuel spendable money. The US produced oil and gasoline would create a need for hiring more workers in that industry, and the reduced cost of weekly commuting fuel would quickly translate into stimulating other aspects of the economy, which does mean more need for workers and more hiring. And, perhaps most importantly, would reduce our reliance on, and need to fight with the oil producing countries of the Middle East.
So, let’s stop worrying about the so-called one percent, and we, the ninety-nine percent, start thinking clearly about what is happening to our country, why, and doing something about it.
Make America a self reliant, sane and sensible country once again!
