P.O.R.s Are The Real Problem.

Here's to our P.O.R.s. May they finally receive respite from the fears they face daily. Who are these P.O.R.s I speak of? Why, they're your neighbors, your brothers, your long lost friends, they're the folks you used to spend time with and party with, but no longer "bump into" on any regular basis. They don't frequent the same old haunts that you still do. They're just not available for your party because of some other pressing need. They're Prisoners Of Recession still. They're the unemployed who still can't find a job that will pay them a living wage. They're not available for your party because they're working two or three jobs just to put food on the table. Oh, there are jobs out there, some even good paying jobs. But those are mostly jobs that require specialized skills or have long lines of applicants. So they're not going to be joining you for that cruise to the Bahamas or to Alaska, or wherever. Have you noticed how friends don't even mention their names any more? They're not included and don't try to engage in conversations at the few places where they still do show up. It's a cruel world out there for Prisoners Of Recession. Now, we all know the Recession is over. Officially it's been over for  several years. But for P.O.R.s it's not over. And it's not likely to be over for some considerable time to come. Why? Because our elected officials in Washington won't let it be over. See, it's something for politicians to hang their hats on and claim to have the only solution for it. It's good for stump speeches. Stop spending to shrink government in order to pay down the debt and deficit. That's the only way to put America back to work. Never mind that it means throwing more people out of work. Or spend more to create more jobs, even if it means more debt and deficit and even if it can't be pushed through congress. P.O.R.s are good for the Washington crowd. And hey. Are they really hurting you or your way of life? Not unless you're supporting one or are one. It's like the wars we've been fighting for ten years, and some  believe we will continue to fight, in one country or another, for many years to come. If you or a loved one isn't doing the fighting, it isn't really affecting you. Heck, I'll bet you don't even pay attention to the news reports about the wars any more, do you? Or if you do, it's only in an abstract way. Same with P.O.R.s. They just seem to melt into the scenery. It's easy to overlook something that's mildly unpleasant. Even if you're a political junkie like me, P.O.R.s are just another adjective or pronoun in a statement or letter or other discourse. No, things aren't going to change right away. Ya know why? Because you and I haven't spoken up enough. Would you like to see all this change? Okay then, call your Congressman, Senator and the President every day and tell them so.