Creationism

The country is looking for a creator, you know. No, not The Creator. He’s doing quite well these days. I guess most everyone is praying for a solution to the stagnant economy and bleak unemployment figures. Rather, the creator I speak of is the entity that creates jobs for the masses seeking gainful employment.

It is said by many that government cannot create jobs. Tell that to the myriad of workers receiving a paycheck from various and sundry local, state, and federal coffers.  But we’re also possessed with paring down the size of government and, in so doing, only add to the unemployment rolls in a time where we are also trying to pare them down. Confusing, isn’t it?

Government can, however, create an atmosphere more conducive to job openings within the private sector. Lower taxes on business, less red tape and the like, or tax credits for expansion are just a few being bandied about. (Business likes to throw in less oversight, but that’s what created much of the mess the world finds itself in today, so I’d say we may need a pinch more money and personnel on the oversight side of things.)

Unfortunately, we’re witnessing an unparalleled Congressional logjam where any potentially successful program is unpopular because it might reflect favorably on a President the House majority is trying to oust. Without the cooperation of Congress, government has little to offer, job creation wise.

Banks could loan sought-after funding to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and homeowners. But they don’t (or won’t). They claim that credit requirements are tighter than ever, but they’re sitting on historic piles of cash (largely provided by us via TARP) and choose to “loan” their bucks to Uncle Sam for a guaranteed, albeit lower, return on their investment. And guess who pays the return? Yup: you and I.

The corporate world is also awash with large sums to use for investment and expansion. I believe that they’d rather play high stakes poker with the politicos and see how many perks, exemptions, and loopholes their lobbyists can create in the name of promised future growth. And others, still, like to think that their reluctance will be blamed on a Democratic administration that will then be defeated in November 2012. Either way, it doesn’t amount to many jobs, does it?

And there you have it: government can’t do much and the unholy alliance of banks and big business won’t. Each blames the other for being the major impediment to a brighter and bigger tomorrow when, in reality, it is a circle in great need of a knife to cut the continuing cycle of inactivity.

This is where I normally exhort the reader to get involved and change the direction of things, but I’m at a loss in thinking of anything we can presently accomplish. We can send emails to our representatives, but I don’t believe that they’ll change their allegiance to whichever altar they currently worship. And we don’t have the money to take our business elsewhere.

So we hunker down and count our currency, hoping that the great job creator will rise out of the ashes and save our day. I guess that’s why The Creator is finding new customers daily as more and more turn to prayer. Will the tide turn? I think so, eventually. I certainly hope so, anyway. But our society is used to instant gratification and waiting even an extra thirty minutes for a meal is unbearable. Should it come as any great surprise that we’re equally, if not more, impatient when talking about turnarounds that could take several years?

In the meantime, keep an eye on your elected representatives so you know if they chose politics over progress come next November. And be ready to reward businesses that took chances on investment when you once again have a dollar or two extra to spend. Not the best prescription for a happy day, I know, but with a little patience and fortitude we can all live to see the other side of the coin.