The trend of government-released statistics about unemployment is frightening. The national unemployment rate is 7.2 percent, the largest since World War II, when thousands returned home from overseas and factories had little to ship, since we were no longer fighting.

How did we get here? Look at corporate America. It increased profits and bonuses while shipping middle-class jobs overseas. Wall Street is to blame for cooking the books and stealing from us, only to get a bailout. We reward capitalism and, if it fails, we turn to corporate socialism. By examining Washington’s policies, we have been implementing corporate- friendly laws thanks to the ever increasing power of lobbyist’s ability to purchase votes. We need a total shift in focus from Washington. I am convinced that the push must come from Main Street. We need to get off foreign oil and start to produce energy domestically. We can get a trillion dollars from Washington (since it seems that trillion is the new billion) and get hydro, wind and solar power companies started here in America. We must do something. The time is now or never I’m afraid. We, the people, have the power with our vote. The answer is not through Democrats or Republicans. Please, research your votes and politicians. Small government is the way to go. It is what the Founding Fathers intended!