JOBS: Let's rebuild the nation

I was just thinking about what might help put our country back into a working, prosperous mode again. Looking back over a 40-year career in the engineering field and having had the opportunity to work on some very large projects for the Aerospace, Petro/Chem, Power and Nuclear industries for both the department of energy and the department of defense. I realized how many people had made the decision to relocate to various locations of the United States to work on these projects. Engineering, construction and all the related disciplines required thousands and thousands of people to accomplish the completion of these projects and operate them. As a result, all the relocated families required homes to live in which usually caused quite a population growth and building boom. The building boom caused a huge impact on manufacturing of building materials. Think of all the things it takes to build a house. Many businesses were built in the area to supply all the items to build these homes.

City growth from the building boom also required new schools to be built, more services were required such as grocery stores, restaurants, beauty salons, medical services and on and on and on. Kind of get the picture of the impact a significant new project can create in any community that also has a nationwide effect?

The employment for a large project such as an energy plant from research and development to completion and operation of the facility is enormous. Just think of the billions and billions of stimulus monies that could have been returned in payroll taxes alone not to mention the disposable income and its impact on the economy. Obviously our country needs a form of energy to get us out of the dependency of foreign oil. Research and development is a tool that can be utilized to create an alternative form of energy.

I am sure there are other ways of creating employment, but why can't the U.S. politicians and the infinite source of intelligence plan a way to put all who want to work and contribute to building this country again to an independent powerhouse it should be? Let us all think about this in the upcoming November election and again in November 2012.

R.D. LaLONDE

Coeur d'Alene