2 cents

Just my thoughts on our new presidents speech given to congress the other night...

While I can appreciate that you have speech writers at your beck call who have probably spent hours, days, if not weeks and maybe even months helping you come up with your speech . . . and while one might also give you credit for being a really good public speaker (...the title of "one of the best in our history" is still up to debate... sorry to burst your bubble local channel 2 news anchor) can I make a couple of suggestions...you know - just little "take away points" from a single American citizen.

Instead of more flowery words and promises of recovery and restoration of our great nation, can we please get down to the dirty business (yes, it will be dirty and ugly as all hard work ends up being) of actually mapping out a strategic plan for how we are going to fix the problems that we as a nation are facing? The time for talking and talking about what we are facing is past. We all know on some level what we are facing, some more worse off than others.

Now is the time for some action...so maybe even a rough outline as to what steps are going to be taken to get our economy back on track would be appreciated. I don't mind if things here and there have to be tweaked and changed around, because lets face it with huge problems there is no way you can account for every little scenario, but let's get this show on the road... lets get going....enough with the pretty speeches and the pep talks - we are ready for some action. Maybe you already have the outline in place and are just now ready to share it with the public, as of yet, but soon would be better rather than later. Just so we know that you are really on this one. I guess you could say it's important.

Also, one part in your speech really bothered me. Mind you I am really paraphrasing here, but to say that we are no longer going to tolerate behaviours from corporate executives (or anyone for that matter) that result in massive market and company destabilization going forward, is a lot like telling a bank robber that even though we know you stole a lot money and still have in your possesion all that illegally obtained money -> just know that we won't let you do it again!! This seems to be missing a pretty big point. How about we go about it from the stance that since you (the deceitful, dishonest awful "people") who stole/defrauded/embezzled* (*feel free to add in your own word if mine aren't doing it justice) all that money and then still walked away with your "golden parachutes", we (the United States of America) are going to take it ALL back and use that money to get our economy back up and running. You know, give it back to the people/companies etc. you defrauded, so that we can try and maybe recover just a little bit quicker.

Seriously, does the concept of seizing funds that these people gained through illegally/ deceitful means mean anything. Our government could (and should) do it to a drug cartel or to any organized crime unit who blatantly profits at the expense of others, why not take away the funds from the people who knew what they were doing was wrong (on so many different levels and in so many different ways) and made off like bandits??

Think about what all those millions (if not billions) of $$$'s would do if put back into the economy and not just hanging around, sitting in some CEO's or CFO's bank or off shore account. Atleast, it's a start!

Also, I am so NOT down with continuing free handouts / benefits / whatever - to anyone. Sorry, this is my opinion, but I work hard for everything I have as I know my family and friends and neighbors are doing as well, and if you think I am ok with you giving free money to people who AREN'T WILLING to lift a finger and get whatever they need to become an American citizen (for some that is the 1st step) and/or getting the training, education, or whatever it takes for them to become a contributing member of this nation, then that is where we may also differ in terms of opinion.

So, again just my 2 cents, but I for one and ready to see some action points and get away from the talk and talk and talk . . . and talk . . . guess you can say I am an action kind of girl.

It's just the way I am . . .