The State of the Union is Congressional Disunity

The State of the Union speech by President Obama was a testament to how far those very representatives we elected are displaced from us, the American people. All the bickering, the special causes, the "you do this for me and I will give you my vote in Congress," is proof of the Disunity of America. Watching the clapping and the standing ovations were sad reminders of how little these representatives have accomplished to return America to a healthy economy. Our clapping representatives have had months to devise solutions, but stall on specific actions to implement, while the rest of us wait, some desperately for relief slow in coming.

Perhaps I am naïve, but I didn't realize Congress enacted taxation laws that provided credit to corporations sending jobs out of America. Thousands of jobs are now gone to other countries and the President speaks of canceling those tax credits. One in ten Americans cannot find work and our government is rewarding companies intent on greater profitability at the expense of Americans? Those jobs would have kept people working and hired more people because more income would have created new jobs in communities. Instead of cutbacks on services and the nightmares many Americans face, the money would have continued to flow in a robust manner.

Lobbies, lobbies and more lobbies, these special interests do not have the interest of the American public at heart. Insurance company giants create nightmares for those who desperately require medical attention. The bottom line is not a healthy America, but a healthy profit for the company and those who run the company. Now the Supreme Court has opened the door for foreigners to influence our elections as well, my goodness where does all the manipulation of America end?

Ask any unemployed American how life is these days and the response will be, when will I be able to go back to work again? Most unemployed Americans are good people who have worked and paid taxes, raised families and believed in the American dream. More than two years ago, I was making a decent wage, had a house and a life. Last year I had an income of $8,500 and without food stamps life though challenging, would have been nightmarish, in fact at times it was nightmarish until the next round of extended unemployment kicks in.

Oh we, the unemployed are getting kicked from all sorts of directions. Many Americans have lost houses, which has a boomerang effect on us for future employment because our credit is now in the basement. Many companies hire based on credit worthiness and if we get the opportunity of a possible job, we will be disqualified because of our credit history because of extended unemployment. Some of us have fallen so far down, climbing back up will be almost next to impossible because we are close to retirement and now do not have the savings to retire.

What if these Congressional Representatives had to worry about THEIR incomes as we do? What if the President suddenly laid them off? Could they survive on the money we collect on unemployment or feel our embarrassment when we have to apply for food stamps to feed families? They make seventy-five thousand or more a year to not work for us? Perhaps pure arrogance is the answer why this Congress cannot work together and get America working once more. The solution is actually quite simple, stop sending jobs away, stop letting people illegally take jobs, stop helping the rest of the world, and start helping us.

I am no career politician, expert on American government or have an interest in running for office. I am an American who is tired of all the rhetoric, of seeing one day the economy is improving, the next day the economy has slid. Many Americans have suffered for a couple of years with promises that have not come true, living on the edge. Where is our champion who takes concrete actions to make American strong and vibrant once more? More importantly, when will the Union become Unified?