New president needs experience, vision

“Hopes and Dreams” are nice to have and hold on to, but they will not solve the problems that American families and our country are facing today. “Hopes and Dreams” are not a substitute for experience.\n• Millions of Americans are unemployed.\n• Wages of middle- and lower-income families have been stagnant for years.\n• Under Bush, our national debt has increased from $5.7 trillion in 2000 to $9.3 trillion and it will increase to more than $9.7 trillion by the end of 2008. \n• Interest owed on our national debt in 2007 was \n$430 billion.\n• Home foreclosure problems need more than Band-Aid solutions.\n• U.S corporations close plants, relocating them in foreign countries.\n• U.S. corporations outsource jobs overseas at an incredible rate. \n• H-1B Visa and other similar programs cause loss of American jobs.\n• Huge increases in corn crops to produce ethanol drive up food prices.\n• For a new president to bring the war in Iraq to an appropriate conclusion, that person must have the knowledge and experience in dealing with Pentagon military leaders. \nDuring the 1930 depression, President Roosevelt created new programs; two that provided Americans with jobs were the Civilian Conservation Corp and the Works Progress Administration. These programs put millions of unemployed Americans to work at reasonable wages building and repairing bridges, erecting thousands of public buildings, building roads, parks and airfields, and they provided jobs in many other areas of various talents and skills. Another economic benefit is self-evident: Those employed would give something back in return by paying taxes. We need to elect a person to the office of U.S. President who has not only vision, but also experience, knows the weakness and strengths of government departments and can select qualified people who can head those departments to change the direction that our country has been heading. We cannot afford anything less.