Education is key to economic security

During the most recent government shutdown, the commerce secretary stated that the furloughed government workers should simply apply for personal loans. He clearly has no understanding of kitchen table, family economics. Both sides played chicken with 800,000 families to score political points. I don't know about you, but my bank does not accept political points as payment.

Democracy needs economic security to survive. We need economic leaders who understand that in order to sustain America, in order to sustain western democracy, we need economic security. In the early 20th century, both Russia and Germany did not have economic security. Russia turned to communism, and Germany to fascism and democracy was pushed aside.

The only way to have economic security is to have education and training programs that are of high quality and of low cost. We need to have the walls of education and training lowered so that workers can readjust to inevitable and ever-quickening economic change.

So, during our big sleep, during our government inaction, our anxiety grows, and we blame the other. We blame the other party, we blame other races, we blame the other (insert here). If we don't prepare, and simply blame the other, our collective situation will only worsen. Good education and training are paramount to saving our economic prosperity and saving our democracy.

It seems obvious to state, but perpetration for change is the only way to prepare for change. Not only will this allow for a sustainable economy but will restore our hope for democracy, and our human decency to each other. We need national leaders who understand and work toward lessening our economic anxieties, not leaders who manipulate our worries.

John Krummen

Naperville