Charles Dewald - October 9, 2012

Yes, you hit the nail on the head regarding moving the economy forwqard. Cut the darn taxes and regulations and get out of the way. The best way to do that is vote for Tea Party candidates. Business will do the rest to get the GDP up and running and the economy prospering once again.

David - October 9, 2012

our elected officials are sworn to uphole the Constitution of the United States-most of them are criminals and should spen the rest of their lives in jail-insider trading-conflict of interest and other criminal activity show “We the People” that we have put our faith in the wrong people and should vote them out en mass come November. I for one am tired of being lied to time and time again and then getting to pay the bill for Congress’s corruption

Elsie E Connelly - October 9, 2012

Yes they should. They should also have to have the same health care and retirement that the rest of us are stuck with. Instead they give themselves the cream of the crop and then they also get to collect SS$. What is up with that?

LEE SEWARD - October 9, 2012

I think it is unconscionable for our elected representatives to go into retreat at such a critical time in our economy. This isn’t “Animal House” where when faced with a crisis they opted for a “road trip or toga party.” Show some courage, some commitment to our economy, our country and stay at it until the tax crisis is solved. If our elected officials started acting like responsible adults, some real results might be achieved. If they continue to act like spoiled children then the results achieved by children will be the results they achieve.

Gene Bahls - October 9, 2012

My concern is that if elected, Republican controlled House and Senate will waste months trying to salvage
portions of Obamacare instead of repealing it in total.
In my judgement it will be much faster and better to repeal in total and then reformulate a law that first of all brings interstate competition to the Insurance Industry. Then negotiate a more inclusive bill that will deal with the many details needed to have a bill that we can afford.
In fact, I’m not sure there should be a federal bill at all. Let states do the experimenting and finally when we know what works, consolidate the best of the many bills into a bill for all states to consider and vote on. Exception: I think Illinois should be excluded from having anything that is state sponsored. The FBI should go into Illinois and clean out their political system and return it to the population as they did during prohibition. Illinois is a wasteland from I-80 north. I live in GA but IL was my home state.

Laurence DeBerry - October 9, 2012

Solutions? How can a Congress divided against itself come up with solutions? I can expect all day that our elected officials do something but not until we have the elected officials in both the house & senate that actually want to do something for we the people will that happen. The other key is the President. A person who understands that being a party is okay to get elected but once in the office must bring parties together. This is leadership. With leadership we will find solutions. I believe the majority wants decisive leaders that can work together. Our solutions are in our hands via our vote!

John - October 9, 2012

No, they should continue to look out for themselves as they have over the last 3 decades. I’m beginning to understand why politicians spend so much money to get elected. Once elected, it’s a license to steal. I only wish I would have become a politician instead of a small business owner. I would encourage any young person to chose a career in politics – especially if they like lobbyist cocktail parties.

Seapop - October 9, 2012

Just make the tax plan remain as it is until the new congress is in place. If the hopefully new President will move quickly to fix the situation so by late January the tax issue is history.

Marjorie Martin - October 9, 2012

The answer to your question is a resounding “YES!”

We’ve got to get Obama out of office; Romney and Ryan have the intelligence to start us back on the right course; but the power must be wrested from the hands of the Democratic/Socialistic/Marxists now holding the reins.

God bless the United States of America, and may he bring us the chance we need on November 6th.

Don Tettelbach - October 9, 2012

I think our elected officials know what has to occur to solve the problems of the economy. The question is whether or not they have the courage to acknowledge the solutions and take action in the best interests of the people and nation rather than their own political “careers?”

Richard - October 9, 2012

Of course they should, but it certainly is not higher taxes and more regulation. They should go back to Washington DC intent on doing away a number of agencies such as the EPA and Department of Education. Let the states handle any issues related to those departments, we would be a long way into solving our economic proplems.

Alex - October 9, 2012

Heck no!!

Like Regan said:

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

T. Murphy - October 9, 2012

The economy should be second ONLY to trying to maintain PEACE in our country! We MUST, first of all maintain a MILITARY second to none other in the world!!!
The economy ranks a CLOSE second, because without
an economy capable of “PAYING OUR OWN WAY” we become subject to “bettering” the economy of those who
would become ENEMIES at the “drop of a hat”!!! We MUST STAY STRONG MILITARILY in The U. S. TM

Wes - October 9, 2012

The government can do many things to help improve the environment where businesses can grow, prosper, and add employment. BUT there is no trust or confidence in their ever changing policies and regulations.

Washingon must demonstrate that they are really interested in a pro-growth economy by reforming the tax code, revise or remove oppressive regulations, downsize the government, and stop their deficit spending.

Until we have leadership in Washington that really understands the difference between opportunity and entitlement we’ll be in trouble.

john - October 9, 2012

our representatives are too busy running for re-election and do not have time to worry about things like our economy. they should have taken care of this months ago.

LOU - October 9, 2012

I am very disappointed with Congress and them just leaving with serious unfinished business. I think the Congressional Reform Act of 2012 -(I believe Buffet proposed this idea) should be put into place. How do we get this Reform in place?
1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they’re out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women. Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

Karl Weissinger - October 9, 2012

My hope will always be in the American CAN-DO spirit… that being said, We the People will need to start acting like responsible adults. We, like any human being, can NEVER stop learning … that goes for knowing whom we’re voting for and their record, NOT for how charismatic they might be. What we have now is exactly what we’ve voted for (well the majority did) despite those of us that saw through the hype and seamy background and lack of any concrete experience. There is PLENTY of blame that can be conferred on BOTH political parties, we need an end to the ‘fertilizer’ they’ve been feeding us … it is NOT making us grow . Too much fertilizer will only kill… any gardener knows that, we need more fresh air and sunlight That would be REAL hope and change. And while we’re at it Congressional term limits, a balanced budget, and a FAIR flat tax. We could change this country around in (relatively speaking) half a heart beat.

Ellen Elmore - October 9, 2012

With our nation at the brink of financial collapse Congress should be called back to Washington. They have been elected to solve our nation’s problems. Instead they have created them! But I don’t believe anything will change as long as Obama is president and the Democrats control the Senate.

Karen - October 9, 2012

This president is just like the chair that Clint Eastwood had talked about absent from his duty’s and not even there for our governments security briefings! Obama, the senate and congress all have not earned there money and need to repay America. This is the worse group serving our country in history, they are stealing from the people, borrowing for things that we don’t really need and also giving our money still to other countries! This is disgraceful!!!

John Kerker - October 9, 2012

They are a pathetic bunch but not as pathetic as those who keep voting for them. A clear example of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!

Gwen - October 10, 2012

Yes, they should stay at “work” until the work is done, which it is not! We the people hired (voted for them) them and we can fire them. The Senate is not doing its job of routing Harry Reid off his high horse and he is stopping all legislation that is not Obama friendly from being passed. Who is in charge here, one man? or the whole Senate???

William Morley - October 10, 2012

I think we should be making most of them look for new jobs!

James Cipa - October 10, 2012

The best way for Government to fix the economy is to get out of the way and let nature take it’s course. Government “fix’s” only make things worse. Get out of the way and do nothing. I like a “do nothing” Congress once they repeal most of the restrictions on the market place. Repeal, repeal, repeal.

Trudi Horning - October 10, 2012

My son was just laid off due to budget cut backs – doesn’t sound to me like things are getting better!!!!
Yes Congress should be working over time to make sure they balance the budget and stop any tax increases that will do more harm than good!!

Karl - October 10, 2012

I agree that Congress is ineffective. The House has sent more than 30 bills to the Senate and Harry Reid has blocked every one of them. We knew we would have a stalemate when we didn’t win control of the Senate. Could the President bring the parties together to get something done? Maybe, if he spent any time doing his job and not campaigning all the time. But bullying people is not negotiating; the last compromise cost the country trillions of dollars, because Harry Reid didn’t keep his word.

Janie - October 10, 2012

Cummins today announced a layoff of 1500 due to uncertainty about the global economy. Romney and Ryan are going to have to transform not only the US economy but the world as well. I only hope there are enough Americans ready for a fight. It is ideological, and the economy is the result.

Amaze - October 10, 2012

We citizens have gotten the government we disserve.
Voting means something!

David Paddock - October 10, 2012

The US Congress has been negligent and irresponsible for years, and it’s no better now.

John Uhrhammer - October 10, 2012

If our congress members were paid for performance, they would owe us! Every incumbent should be voted OUT. Every congressman should serve 2 terms; one in office and one in jail! How can they do so little for so long and think they deserve either time off or another term?
Make ‘m put up with the same medical service that they impose on me!

Clyde Jones - October 10, 2012

You are making an assumption that they are smart enough to do so and I do not think that is the case. They do not care about America, if they did they would do something about it….no balanced budget in how many days now????? In God We Trust….not Washington!!!!

Daniel P. McCarty - October 10, 2012

I think we should take away all the perks and extras that Congress has given to themselves and make their salaries equal to what the average American citizen makes…maybe that would get rid of the crooks we have there now. Also, I think we need to institute term limits so that they actually do some work instead of spending all their time campaigning for another term to line their pockets some more.

Jim - October 10, 2012

Having witnessed the ineptness of Obama and his progressives, aka regressives why would even the Obama lenings want more of the same. Elect R & R and I believe Americans from all ethnic groups will respond. It will be the first time in almost 4 years that “We the people” will want to do something positive for our nation. Obama the oppressor is going to wonder what hit him on 11-6-12. What people like Obama don’t understand is that freedom and liberty are the two greatest ingredients we have been given by Our Creator. People like Obama can try to repress them but there will always be Patriots who know the value of freedom and liberty and they won’t at any cost give them up to a scrofulous man like Obama. On 11-6-12 Obama is going to learn again like 2010 that he bit off more than he could chew. The economy will rebound starting 11-7-12. Every ethnic group in American should stand up and vote for R&R. They offer the much needed rest and recouperation that will reinvigorate America.
Jim Brown

Patricia - October 10, 2012

Of course they should be looking for things that will help the economy, thats what their supposed to do. But I realize that with the senate we now have, they will be held back no matter what they do. Thats how it’s been so far.

Paul Lamoureux - October 10, 2012

Congress and the President need to grow up and recognized the grave threats that face this country. The federal government has for many years, and particularly in the last four, been grossly irresponsible in overspending and borrowing beyond the ability of the American people to repay. The actual cumulative debt burden amounts to $150,000 per American tax paying household and it is growing at an alarming rate. This does not even include the unfunded liabilities for the major entitlement programs which brings the debt burden per tax paying household to over $1,000,000! This amount of debt can only be repaid by the government devaluing the U.S. dollar, In addition, Congress and the President need to replace the abominable federal income tax system which is overly complicated, caters to special interests, diminishes the incentives to produce and excludes 47% of American households. The fact that almost half of American households pay no federal income tax is very dangerous as well as unfair. Too many people have no skin in the game to curtail government spending and they continue to vote for politicians that promise them more free stuff that the other half of the country has to pay for, or that adds further to our debt burden. Also, the tax laws need to be permanent i.e., requiring a super-majority in Congress to change. Temporary tax cuts which are short-lived and constantly expiring create way too much uncertainty which stymies actions which promote economic growth. We are at a serious crossroad today. The path we take now will determine for better or for worse, the long-term viability of our country as we have known it. We can blame the politicians but we, the American people, are ultimately responsible for the kind of representation we are getting from our elected leaders. We need to hold their feet to the fire and be willing to make some sacrifices ourselves to right this slowly sinking ship which was once a great nation. Here’s hoping that we begin to right the ship on November 6!

Jim Wilson - October 10, 2012

I am in business, have been since 1982. If you are not in business you have no idea of the paperwork involved for the government, for FREE. I am running this business alone, part because of the paperwork and the other being, a lot of the people do not have PRIDE in their work. I am 65 years old, the way I learned, if a job was worth doing, it was worth doing RIGHT.
The best thing (as I see it) the government could do is get out of the way. Kind of like Regan said, I’m from the government and here to help,just go home, leave me alone.
In your life, God should come first, family second, the United States third.
The only law we really need is the Gloden Rule.

James C. Scheuer - October 10, 2012

The solution is at hand. The problem is the reluctance of congressmen, senators and the administration to face the tough side-effects of implementation. Gutless twerps.

Craig Y. - October 10, 2012

No,I think our elected represenatives should be doing what they always do–sitting on their fat asses and sponging (big bucks,benefits) off us taxpayers while we work our arses off to try and stay employed!

Patricia Aamodt - October 10, 2012

YES! And they already know many of the solutions: stop the tax hike, lower other taxes, repeal Obamacare and allow drilling.

Ann Shapiro - October 10, 2012

Our elected officials are OUR employees. We are the employers. Our taxes pay their salaries. The LEAST they could do is listen to the people they represent and do as they are bid and instructed. Which is, do their best to take our country back to where it aligns with the Founders’ prophetic views. Namely, Federalist Paper No. 51: If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.

William M Snedden Sr - October 11, 2012

Absolutely YES the government should be looking for ways to improve the economy. They need more business thinking to do this NOT self serving, me first, the country second. They make claims like certain businesses being “too big to fail” I think the Federal Government has become “too big to manage”. The mentality that suggests that the only way to increase revenue is to increase taxes is baloney.
First, if they spend less they will need less revenue. Second, if they implement a Fair or a Flat or a combination Tax reform the revenue source could become 350 million people (Citizens, non-citizens, and visitors to this country who buy our stuff). Most of the IRS employees not required to handle today’s 72000 plus page tax code, could then be applied to reducing the fraud now costing us BILLIONS.
Third, if the corporate tax rate were reduced to 20% or less the USA would be among the best places in the world to open new businesses and to bring back businesses that have left the country because of our high tax rate and burdening regulations.
Fourth, if we had a national E-Verify to work in the USA we would like have 5 or 10 million jobs that are now occupied by illegal aliens!
Fifth, the Federal Government should return many of its functions back to the States where the population is less to be “managed”, Medicare & Healthcare for example (like Paul Ryan is proposing), like Healthcare.
Sixth, cancel the unsuccessful job training program. The dismal hiring record of government training programs is evidence enough. The Federal government doesn’t have any idea what specific businesses need, the business could train and hire those same people to do what they need; not what the bureaucrats think the business needs.

Gary Moog - October 11, 2012

yes I do and the best way they can do that is to quit putting government roadblocks up in the form of useless restrictions and red tape. I think we would be better served if they would just get the hell out of the way. sometimes they seem to be the problem instead of the solution

Ramon Villegas - October 11, 2012

They should be LOOKING for a NEW JOB!

Cheryl - October 12, 2012

If you believe that the people we elect to legislate are not to seek solutions to fix the economy, pray tell what did we elect them to do? They are supposed to represent the people that elected them…the ideas represented in their constituents…not to just sit in a comfy office and spout off nonsense. They are to do the job elected to do. Why are we so willing to excuse these people for not doing their jobs? I am totally confused here. We expect the tailor to make our clothes correctly, or the barber to cut our hair correctly, or the cabinet maker we contract to put in our kitchen cabinets correctly, but our elected officials are not held accountable to do their jobs and still get paid. Huh?

Frank Kimball - October 14, 2012

If Congress had remained in session the Democrat controlled Senate would have continued to block any propsals from the House.. A better use of time for the Repblicans was to go home and work on defeating as many Democrats as possible.

James Harper - October 15, 2012

Until the welfare system is completwely overhauled and the corruption is completele purged, OUR country will never get back on its feet.

Robert Durrance - October 20, 2012

I’m totally disgusted at the failure of both sides of the isle to come to agreement on positive measures to solve the massive debt crises, the rising tide of unemployment and underemployment (too much smoke in the mirrors regarding numbers). Regulations are snuffing the life out of businesses. Quantitative easing is trashing our currency. The entire political environment seems gridlocked and polarized beyond any measure of common sense governance. I suppose the Cold War merely shifted to warfare between ideologies: socialism vs. capitalism. The legislative pen has displaced the sword and mini-ball.