The President’s address to a joint session of congress
on Sept. 8 seemed to be just more of the same. When he introduced
his jobs program, other than suggesting tax breaks for the
wealthy would pay for it, he offered no ideas on how the jobs
would actually be created.
I was happy to hear him speak of the WPA (Works Projects Administration)
projects backed by the government during times of high unemployment.
He fell short of saying he was prepared to get this type of
project started.
The
next time you visit Port Austin, go down to the harbor and
look to the east side of Bird Creek, across from the
gas dock. You will notice what looks like metal boxes;
they are
just that — bins filled with rocks sitting on top
of and supported by additional rocks and cribbing. A WPA
construction
project was done, long before either breakwall was erected,
to lay cribbing along the east side of the creek. Its purpose
was to slow or stop sand from washing into the creek, thus
allowing boats to navigate it.
Over
the years, ice and repeated storms took the poles off the
top of the cribs. When the creek began filling
in again,
those of us who docked along it or had a business interest
on it, met with the village fathers and made a plan.
We all chipped in, and at the direction of K. Don Williamson,
an
engineer and member of the Port Austin Yacht Club, purchased
metal bins.
With help from a local heavy equipment operator, we set
the bins on top of the original stone crib structure
constructed
by the WPA project, producing a “bin-wall.” Those
bins haven’t moved in over 30 years. The WPA projects
in the Thumb area put many local people to work on road
projects and waterfront development.
As I see it, we could sure use this type of help today.
A
combined state-aid and federal financing program could put
a lot of people to work and feed many hungry families.
Those
healthy enough to work could earn their way and reduce
welfare payouts and unemployment payment drains on
the economy. During
the years of the depression and WWII (1935 to 1943),
the WPA provided almost eight million jobs. It tried
to provide one
paid job for all families where the breadwinner suffered
long-term unemployment. To those sitting at home
saying, “I didn’t
go to school to perform manual labor,” remember those
willing to work did not expect to carry the weight of those
who won’t work.
Even
if heavy equipment had to be used to perform some of the
public works, we could rebuild much of
our nation’s infrastructure.
I think the President dropped the ball by not suggesting these
specific projects and how they could be launched. Our financial
condition is certainly no worse than it was in the 1930s when
much of the original WPA projects built what is now crumbling
and falling into decay. There is no reason we can’t
pull together, no matter the politics, and get
our country going
again.
For
the many who have lost homes, toys, cars and other belongings,
these hard times will be very
difficult to overcome, but
if we all work together we can regain our individual
and country’s
stature. None of us wants to leave our kids and
grandkids saddled with debt. Too many of us took
advantage
of the free and easy
times and should have known better. If we contributed
to making the tough times being faced now, we
should be responsible
to
help overcome them.
It’s truly time for all politicians, of every party,
to roll their sleeves up and dig right in with the rest of
us to solve our country’s problems. No
more name calling, posturing or finger pointing,
remember
the
party pointing
the finger today could be the one pointed at
tomorrow.
As
you read my columns, you may find differences regarding what
I comment on being superseded
by on-going events.
As fast as the political scene is changing,
I can’t
be expected to write, text, edit, send to
the editor and have
printed my
column before there is a new perspective.
I note speakers change their mind several
times,
on
the same subjects
during one debate,
so humble media types like myself cannot
be expected to know what they will say next.
I’m
sure most of you viewed some of the 9/11 tributes.
I
was so proud to see our Thumb community, Brown City’s
fire department, recognized on national
TV. The department had requested and
received a piece
of steel from
one of the towers. Members of the department
traveled to
New York
and
transported it back to Brown City. They
dedicated
a monument in memory of all those lost
on 9/11 and the
brave men
and women who fought and died trying
to save them.
Small
towns can stand out and speak for all of us. Port Austin’s
fire department displayed a tribute in remembrance as I’m
sure most of the Thumb’s departments
did. We all need to recognize and appreciate
sacrifices
made
by every
first
responder and the risk they take each
time they answer the call.