Perspectives
by ED CHERRYHOLMES
Are we in a recession or a depression? If you have a job, then we are in a recession. If you don’t have a job, then we are in a depression. The news broke recently that the Dow-Jones fell by more than 600 points, wiping away all the gains of the whole year and delaying economic recovery for who knows how long.
It is apparent that the United States is struggling to find answers to get America moving again. No section of our economy has escaped the effects of unemployment, which hovers around nine percent and doesn’t seem to be getting any better. We know only too well how difficult it is for those who labor to “keep the wolf from the door”! From the lower class to the upper class people have had to adjust their style of living.
Programs that benefit those in need are often the first to be cut. Some people are caught in between the needs of living and the difficulty of trying to earn enough to cover living expenses. In addition, many do not have medical insurance and live in terror of unexpected illness. Often as a group they are employed but are underemployed. Minimum wages do not meet the needs of a large cross-section of the population. If we are to have recovery it must include all sections of our population.
Is America losing the middle class? It is imperative economically that our society has a middle class. The middle class lifts the lower class and keeps the upper class in check. Without the middle class, the rich will always get richer and the poor will only get poorer.
What is the answer as how to divide the wealth of the nation? I’m not certain as to how to handle such a gargantuan problem. I do think that each section of the population must pay their share rather than some getting off by using big tax deductions. The best plan to wend our way out of this national difficulty might be to remember to “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
Ed Cherryholmes is a retired pastor of the Kyle United Methodist Church. He enjoys travelling, and when he is in town, can be seen at local coffee shops.
