Posted by
peripheral on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 7:02:07 AM
From My Perspective - - -
What should one do when surrounded by the consequences of one’s own
actions? Is there ever a time for reality to set and responsibility to
be accepted? When trying to avoid responsibility, what is the response
in terms of the calamity at hand? In the area of politics, one resorts
to “Shrub-Drubbing” (or “Bush-Bashing”)! For the next four or eight
years, every negative experience imaginable is not the fault of the
current office holders – it is because of the ineptness and
incompetence of the previous administration. This becomes an
interesting rallying cry even though there is diminishing evidence to
that effect – factualness matters little in the “blame-game”!
Mortimer Zuckerman, chairman and editor in chief of U.S. News &
World Report has an article in the Wall Street Journal today. In it, he
allows: “The recent unemployment numbers have undermined confidence
that we might be nearing the bottom of the recession. What we can see
on the surface is disconcerting enough, but the inside numbers are just
as bad. The Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary estimate for job
losses for June is 467,000, which means 7.2 million people have lost
their jobs since the start of the recession. The cumulative job losses
over the last six months have been greater than for any other half year
period since World War II, including the military demobilization after
the war… Here are 10 reasons we are in even more trouble than the 9.5%
unemployment rate indicates: (1) June's total assumed 185,000 people at
work who probably were not. The government could not identify them; it
made an assumption about trends…(2) More companies are asking employees
to take unpaid leave. These people don't count on the unemployment
roll. (3) No fewer than 1.4 million people wanted or were available for
work in the last 12 months but were not counted. Why? Because they
hadn't searched for work in the four weeks preceding the survey. (4)
The number of workers taking part-time jobs due to the slack economy, a
kind of stealth underemployment, has doubled in this recession to about
nine million…Add those whose hours have been cut to those who cannot
find a full-time job and the total unemployed rises to 16.5%, putting
the number of involuntarily idle in the range of 25 million. (5) The
average work week for rank-and-file employees in the private sector,
roughly 80% of the work force, slipped to 33 hours…and factories are
operating at only 65% of capacity. (6) The average length of official
unemployment increased to 24.5 weeks…(7) The average worker saw no wage
gains in June, with average compensation running flat at $18.53 an
hour. (8) The goods producing sector is losing the most jobs…(9) The
prospects for job creation are equally distressing. The likelihood is
that when economic activity picks up, employers will first choose to
increase hours for existing workers and bring part-time workers back to
full time. Many unemployed workers looking for jobs once the recovery
begins will discover that jobs as good as the ones they lost are almost
impossible to find because many layoffs have been permanent. (10) Job
losses may last well into 2010 to hit an unemployment peak close to
11%. That unemployment rate may be sustained for an extended period. No
wonder poll after poll shows a steady erosion of confidence in the
stimulus. So what kind of second-act stimulus should we look for?
Something that might have a real multiplier effect, not a congressional
wish list of pet programs. It is critical that the Obama administration
not play politics with the issue. The time to get ready for a serious
infrastructure program is now. It's a shame Washington didn't get it
right the first time…”
In Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus addresses the subject of “Foundations” – the
difference it makes if one wisely builds on rock versus the one who
persists and foolishly chooses to build on sand. Regrettably, as our
nation’s infra-structure continues to erode and crumble, we have those
who choosing sand foundations rather than rock. In Psalm 11:3, a
question is posed: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can
the righteous do?" In the political arena, it is blame, bash and spend
some more! In the spiritual arena, it is to pray, encourage and to be
as charitable as possible. Some can choose to ignore and disbelieve
that in the midst of our inadequacy, we can seek the Lord and bask in
His all-sufficiency! Consider these things with me!