Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

For those who have been struggling to gain employment, feed their families, salvage their homes and survive on a daily basis, this isn't breaking news. But it is time the rest of us pay attention -- we need jobs, jobs and more jobs.

In the time it took to reach some sort of agreement on the debt ceiling, thousands of additional Americans found themselves unemployed, countless homes were foreclosed upon and entire families were torn apart as their lives were literally uprooted by the perils of poverty. As cities and towns continuously slash their budgets and reduce the amount of teachers, police officers, firemen and other essential employees, not only are more and more individuals directly impacted by an as-yet struggling economy, but we as a collective are losing. With a scarcity of jobs, people are increasingly unable to support their local businesses, support their local economies, or even support the large conglomerates. Instead of what some may have us believe, the trickle-down theory isn't working; and despite allowing the wealthy to retain Bush-era tax cuts, these 'job creators' haven't produced much of anything for the people. And now, thanks to the Tea Party and the extreme right, we are unable to bring taxes on the wealthy to their previous levels, and instead we are rewarding them while they fail to deliver on the job front.