Cost of Living Going Up

Bad economic news. I presume much of this is due to energy costs. The economy was absorbing much of the increases in prices but that could only last so long. It used to cost me $10 to fill my gas tank, now it's $25. Heating fuel, natural gas, everything has skyrocketed the last five years and it's beginning to take a toll on the economy. Consumers are cutting back and companies can no longer absorb the increased costs and are beginning to pass them along in the form of higher prices.

Combine this with a softening housing market and rising interest rates and many experts are predicting a recession. Combine this with the unrestrained deficit spending by the federal government, huge trade imbalances, and we're now the largest debtor nation, by far. This is a recipe for economic disaster. We keep outsourcing our good jobs and replacing them with service sector positions paying far less and without benefits.

We must get our economic house in order. The first step is balancing the budget. The rich have gotten hugely richer under this President at the cost of economic health and the middle class. Tax cuts must be rescinded to help balance income with spending. The working poor are getting so squeezed by the decade long wage freeze it's spiraling welfare, healthcare and entitlement programs costs, pricing many seniors out of their homes from increased taxes.

So many issues are inter-related. We must look at the economy in a macro sense and realize how raising wages reduces dependence on food stamps, for example. We must realize that providing comprehensive, universal health care makes our industry and businesses more competitive globally, saving valuable jobs. Balancing the budget fueled much greater economic expansion than tax cuts have and giving workers more disposable income actually fuels the economy by increasing consumer spending.

Perhaps more importantly we must lessen our dependence on oil. We must develop alternatives and use more renewable energy. CAFE standards for vehicles haven't been increased since Republicans took control of Congress. Why aren't all these big box stores putting solar panels on those massive roofs? Why aren't we mandating greater use of geothermal energy use? Because there's no leadership on the issue. The oil companies occupy the White House and have paid off too may Congressmen and Senators.

Of course that leads us to the issue of campaign finance reform (see how issues inter-relate?). Money corrupts our system. Public financing of political campaigns not only levels the field and gives much better candidates, but it frees them from obligation to those who fund their campaigns.