Jane Doe from Washington State

Dear President Obama,

A few minutes ago I visited the White House web page (www.whitehouse.gov) and saw one of your pictures while visiting Cairo.  Looking good.  Hope your visit will result in positive improvements (CHANGES) to the US.

I would like an answer to one and only one question from the Naive American.  Before I pose it allow me to briefly provide some background and motivation for it.

A few weeks ago I was reading an article on the BBC on-line (http://news.bbc.co.uk) which called my attention.  The article was based on an interview of a woman that I will call Jane Doe.  Jane actually lives in Washington State.  For many years, Jane used to work as a mechanic in the aerospace industry.  I believe she worked in a Boeing plant.

As you well know, because labor unions, Jane was making very good wages for a person with her education and skills.  Unions raise manufacturing costs, which force employers to outsource and lay off Naive Americans.  Years ago Jane got laid off from her well-paid job.

A few months later, having many expenses including a mortgage, which is impossible to pay with unemployment benefits, Jane was lucky enough to get a job in the local government.  Given that the government does not produce many desirable goods or services her wages were quite less than while a mechanic, but she was able to make ends meet for a few years.

It was not until recently that Jane got laid off from her local government job.  Apparently Jane will be loosing her house in the near future.

The reporter interviewing Jane asked her to comment on the future.  Jane was quite realistic on her response.  Things are not looking good for her or for Naive Americans in general.  Most manufacturing jobs have left the USA and will never come back.  As the population increases, less well paid jobs for people with two to four year degrees will be available.

Changing the subject from Jane Doe to when I was growing up, I recall a joke that I saw in a magazine.  Perhaps you have run into a version of it.  Picture on the background a white board with some mathematical equations.  On the left side is a student wishing to get a passing grade on the subject.  On the right side one finds a perplexed professor trying to make sense on the answer provided by the student.  As you look closer into the math, a cloud is pictured with the following label:  “… and then something happens…” and the correct result is displayed.

I would like to modify the joke by replacing the student with you Mr. President, the professor with Naive Americans, and the mathematical problem with the simple question: “What CHANGES are you going to make in the US?” to get to the expected and correct answer “Stable economy as it was many decades ago“.  So far Mr. Obama, you and the rest of politicians and advisors always evade the difficult yet realistic issue that there is no well thought plan on how to solve the economical problems for us, our children or generations to come.

Please respond to the Naive American with a reasonable and realistic plan, not just a magic cloud, which will allow the USA to get from were we are to were we all would like to be.  I sincerely hope you prove me wrong with your response.

Yours truly,

The Naive American