Ernie for President! Yes, I have some ideas, too

Ernie Sochin

By Ernie Sochin….

Ernie Sochin

There was a time when I would fantasize about being elected President of the United States on a write-in vote. I thought for sure that I could solve all the problems of our country with little effort and go down in history as a great savior.

After being in minor league politics for a few years I have come to realize that getting things done is not so easy and requires lots of politicking, which is probably where the word comes from. (Amazing how I figure things out!)

Now I am not so sure that I can solve our problems any more. I see all of the candidates for federal and state offices promising “more jobs.” They also promise to get more money to small businesses. To do what? If you make or sell something that no one is willing to pay for, how will that improve the economy?

I would like to offer the same things, but how? I guess I could certainly improve the job situation in South Florida by simply opening trade with Cuba. Imagine the commerce that would take place once we began supplying all the stuff they have been needing there. But of course there are those who would say that we would be helping Castro Inc. by doing that, so that won’t work.

What else? It seems that we have become a nation of consumers and no longer make anything. As I look around my house, inside and out, I am hard pressed to find anything made in the USA. I just purchased a new Wilson tennis racquet — “Made in China!” It didn’t help my game but I feel like playing again right after a match.

Some said we would become an information society. Well when was the last time you got information from an American?

As I drive down any major highway, all I see are huge business locations with for lease or sale signs out front and no one particularly anxious to invest.

I read the news each day and watch TV for the latest economic news. “The housing market is up! The housing market is down! Unemployment is down! Unemployment is up” One day recently the Sun Sentinel said foreclosures in South Florida were down on the same day that the Miami Herald was saying they are up. The market is up… the market is down… Does anybody really know?

Yes, I do! Things are looking bad and I don’t see anything on the horizon to change it. I don’t really see a new industry, like steel or automotive or anything that will employ millions of people and get us on the right track again. It makes me wonder why all these people are crossing borders to get here. To become part of our unemployment statistics? I don’t understand it.

Something happened recently that really brought it home. I called my favorite plumber, who usually goes out of his way to help me and promises to be there within a few days, if it is not an emergency. This time he showed up at my door within 20 minutes and thanked me for calling because things were so slow. Scary, huh?

No construction going on and people will try doing their own repairs or ignore things entirely rather than pay a workman.

While all this is going on, I just heard that China is now the largest importer of Mercedes Benz and Audi automobiles and that its economy has surpassed Japan’s. Their traffic jams are worse than Dade County. What ever happened to all those rickshaws? Egg Rolls anyone?

I guess I could as president stop all imports. That would be nice, except where would we find all the stuff that we no longer make or can afford to make. Besides, what little we now export would be lost as well. Then where would we be? I could punish anyone who uses overseas labor. Are you willing to pay the price for American-made goods?

Are we capable of starting all over again? I doubt it. We still make a lot of military stuff but we are running out of people to kill with it. Besides military stuff is no longer dependant on making thousands of ships, tanks, trucks etc. Everything is too sophisticated now so the giant factories of old will never be revived.

I guess in my campaign for president I could promise lots of stuff like everyone else seems to be doing, maybe get elected, and then say “Gee, I’m sorry, but Congress or the Senate wouldn’t cooperate.”

Write my name in anyway just to see what happens.


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1 COMMENT

  1. I was talking to Mike and Dennis VanDerGinst and they stumbled on about the same conclusion as I did.

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