Games played as people suffer

For 14 years as Shields Township supervisor, I would write Letters to the Editor about the serious economic and societal issues facing real people every day. During those years, I met with individuals and families from all corners of the township and focused on real-life economic issues. How to pay for housing? How to pay for food? How to pay for car expenses?

Working together with many other organizations, we initiated innovative policies that had a positive impact and real change for the benefit of all. I am extremely proud of the accomplishments that were achieved over those years. But that was then. Now, I am one of my own clients.

All that changed for me when I decided to not seek re-election in 2009. Like millions of other Americans, I didn’t realize what an economic abyss the people of our nation were about to fall into. Jobs lost. Employment opportunities disappeared.

Many, like me, have been fortunate out of necessity to find some kind of work just to pay the bills. Though, in my opinion, I would rather be working in my profession of expertise. Not being able to utilize the skills I’ve obtained is frustrating and disheartening.

However, my current situation is something I would have never imagined and is truly a humbling position to be in, from one end of the economic spectrum to the other. I have literally lost everything financially. Soon, I won’t be able to pay my bills. The tragedy is that there are many more people that are in the same position or worse.

I, and many others like me, am one of the people that you don’t hear about that fell through the cracks. The Wall Street bailout, most Americans didn’t make a penny. The Obama bailout, most Americans didn’t get a dime. Now, our elected official(s) in the White House and in the Congress are more preoccupied with political posturing, rather than focusing on how to be leaders and lead our nation forward out of this economic catastrophe.

Why are our elected officials, from both parties, in Washington choosing not to address the fundamental needs of our nation and its citizens? As the nation teetered on the brink of economic default, both sides of the aisle played “chicken” or “who’ll blink first,” both wanting to be “right” at all costs. These are our leaders as the nation burns, while D.C. fiddles.

Charles Fitzgerald

Zion