From recession to depression

The Republicans are going full steam ahead to save the government money by cutting government spending. We were working our way out of a recession and now some of them are trying to take us into a full blown depression.

Cutting wasteful spending is admirable, and I’m all for it, “BUT.”

The “BUT” is the consequences of overdoing the expense cutting. Getting out of the recession required creating jobs. We were headed in that direction. Now some of the proposed spending cuts are not only killing existing jobs but projects that would create jobs. Firing teachers, police, firefighters and millions of government workers is the beginning of the end. Cutting funding for projects that require labor does the opposite of creating jobs.

When people are not working, they have no income taxes to pay and consequently the government takes in even less money.

Once enough people are out of work and have no money for food or rent, we’re back to the Depression of the 1930s. After World War II, we got out of the Depression by building homes and the things that went into them. Since we now have more homes than we can use and nothing to manufacture because we shipped all of our factory jobs overseas, what’s left?

Maybe some of the Republicans believe that we should get our manufacturing back by going to the early 1900 days of 14-hour work shifts and starvation wages.

Gerald Loebman

Huntley