It's bad, but we'll make it
By LISA KNOX/Special to The Press
I'm hoping this opinion prompts some to realize, like me, that we can't sit back and "hope" things will get better. It's important for us to stay informed, educated and to question those things we don't understand or need clarity on. And to ensure those at the city, county, state and federal level know when we support their ideas and actions, and when we don't... to take some action! And besides being verbal with phone calls or town meetings, or writing your opinion in the paper - the most important voice is at the polls.
While the news media seemed to focus last week on Congressman Weiner's bad choices, there are much greater issues at hand in our country that eventually roll all the way to our front doors. Although Rep. Weiner's action is truly an embarrassment for him and a travesty for his family and the citizens of New York, it more importantly speaks to the weak moral character that seems to be more and more prevalent and the type of role models our children don't need.
Some of the headlines that didn't seem to make big news this week:
• The housing market of 2011 being worse than the Great Depression
• Revelation that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner doled out billions secretly to his favorite banks - at a special interest rate - .01 percent to the tune of $80 billion
• China pumping big money into Latin America for oil, food, minerals
• Long-term unemployment worse now than during Great Depression
• China official "sees risks in holding excessive U.S. assets"
• China official says U.S. could pursue weak dollar policy - What's that you ask? When the U.S. takes action to devaluate the dollar to boost demand for trade.
• Dollar falls on China comments, stocks rebound - China sold 97 percent of their holdings in short-term Treasury Bills.
• China buying European food companies
Instead of hearing how Pelosi wants an ethics investigation on Weiner, why does there seem to be a blind eye to what the Secretary of State did with his special loans? Or better yet, why with the serious food shortages, compounded by weather and flooding, that we have a higher percentage of corn being used for ethanol fuel production than for food products.
As the largest debtor nation in the world, why do we continue to provide financial aid to countries that we also owe money to as part of our debt?
The International Energy Agency has announced the world is running out of known energy reserves. Instead of supporting our own economy and cutting our reliance on foreign oil by increased U.S. oil production, President Obama felt compelled to provide funding and rights to U.S. deep sea drilling areas to Brazil while not allowing the same opportunity to U.S. oil producers. All the while you have the central Bank of U.S. Federal Chairman Bernanke continuing to print money, which only leads to inflation.
The approach of throwing stimulus funds at failing banks, manufacturers, housing market, etc. has not resolved the issues. History shows that when people have persistently worked through failures, it's driven innovation. It's what the United States was built on.
Although we may have some tough times ahead, we need to remember that we can work together, supporting those that need help and acting responsibly. We can't panic or even worse, react as various groups around the world have done causing chaos all in the name of their "self" interests.
Lisa Knox is a Hayden resident.