Business As Usual?

I remain amazed.

If you watch, read, or hear the “news,” you could get the idea that the world is rolling along as usual, yet we are in dire straits. Like Nero fiddling while Rome burns, we go about business as usual while we are head over heels in debt and running up more debt every day. How can aviation and airports survive and thrive if our country continues to follow the path of Greece et al?

We should all bookmark http://www.usdebtclock.org/, an amazing site that continuously calculates and displays every facet of our national debt, including how much it amounts to per taxpayer. In other words, how much is your share? (Click on any of the figures and you’ll get a definition at top center.)

The next time the news dwells on how much we should spend on this wonderful goal, or that program that will help us live better, or another program that will improve our cultural life — click on that debt clock to see how much your share is growing.

Then click on the part about the interest we are paying. Our pols worry about jobs going overseas; take a look at how much those same pols send overseas to pay interest on what we borrow abroad.

Folks — it is time we face the facts and admit we have a serious problem. We need a citizenry that will put pressure on Congress. Congress will do whatever we demand, even if they won’t admit that they created the problem in the first place.

Aviation can thrive only if the country thrives, and the country simply can’t survive ever-growing debt.