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Let's play some connect-the-dots with news items amid the Great Recession: Item 1 -- Unemployment and food stamps According to the federal Labor Department, the economy shed 131,000 jobs in July, further confirming fears that we are in the midst of a sustained period of high unemployment. A recent item from the Bloomberg financial news service reported that "number of Americans who are receiving food stamps rose to a record 40.8 million in May." Item 2 – Commuting nightmare on Interstate 93 Interstate 93 is a major artery in and out of Boston, and its traffic conditions basically control a commuter’s state of mind during rush hours. As reported in the Boston Globe, I-93 commuters have faced a giant headache of a drive this week:
This was not your ordinary pothole situation. As further reported by the Globe:
It’s not that simple, or maybe it is? We’ve got nearly 41 million people on food stamps, with unemployment levels remaining high and steady. We have roads and bridges in this country that are badly in need of repair, with safety and quality of life at stake. Mr. President, we need a public works program that puts people back on a payroll doing the vital work of rebuilding America’s infrastructure. The details are considerable, and from a standpoint of public policy it’s no easy fix, but for starters let’s look into matching our millions of unemployed with some of the nation’s real needs. David Yamada Comments
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