If economy is flat, there are no raises

As a Social Security recipient I did not receive an increase this year as the cost of living hasn't gone up. If fewer workers insisted on their "rights" to a raise maybe fewer people would lose their jobs.

I applause the teachers who gave up their raises to save programs. Another couple of ideas to encourage employment are to discourage outsourcing and get rid of the annoying automated answering and responding on the phone.

I personally am tired of the poor quality of the products made in China and certainly would prefer to buy American. Also, imagine the time that could be saved by business and personal callers if the phone were answered by a human who could get them to the right department in the first place.

Obviously the Cook County Board never used common sense in realizing that having the highest sales tax around would reduce the amount of tax revenue they would receive from businesses since shoppers would go to other counties or shop online.

And maybe fewer companies would go out of business, you can't get revenue from an empty store.

Lastly, I would like to tell the overpaid charity workers who call to have you strong-arm your neighbors into donating in this tight economy - stop. If people do not respond to your mailed requests it means they don't intend to donate. Through ranting for today.

Eve Barson

Schaumburg