During this election year I wonder if most people are really serious about fixing this country’s real problems. I am afraid that a lot of people are more concerned about playing X-box and downloading garbage on their $400 phones than trying to bring this once great nation back to its constitutional, financially sound foundation.

There is very little incentive for unemployed people to look for a job when they get two years of unemployment benefits, $500 to $1,000 worth of food stamps every month, housing assistance and free or reduced day care. Something is wrong with this whole picture!

No great country has prospered by allowing universal suffering. If you don’t own property or pay taxes or you receive a government check which you did not earn, how can you be allowed to vote away other people’s liberties who have played by the rules and contribute to society?

We need to get back to a constitutional monetary policy with a sound currency backed by gold and silver. We must, by law, have a true balanced budget. Don’t believe phonies like Paul Ryan whose plan doesn’t balance the budget until after 2060, if ever. By then it’ll be way too late.

We could also use an energy policy that exploits our own resources instead of relying on “terrorist nations” or other foreign countries to run pipelines into our once-sovereign nation.

There are a lot of problems. The federal government can’t fix most of these problems since they are the ones who created most of them, unfortunately, with the blessing or apathy of the American people. I pray we wake up soon or I fear all will be lost.

Steve Stivers

Duette