The bloom is off the rose

To the Editor:

The actions of our federal government are like a family where the children keep hitting on their parents for more spending money, and the parents fill out one of the checks that come with their credit card bill where they can obtain more cash, but their income does not increase.

The only thing that increases is their total debt.

In our country we have become a society of users instead of a society of producers. For the most part we are consuming off each other, instead of creating wealth.

For example, the only ones creating wealth are the farmers who grow crops and the miners who mine minerals or coal. This can be compared to doctors, nurses, and teachers, etc. who gain their income from their customers who are working or who are on retirement.

Where in the past those engaged in manufacturing added value, those activities that find overhead costs rising are deciding to outsource to other countries. In essence, we have become a country of consumers, not a country of producers.

Those who lose jobs become users instead of producers of wealth. They add to the problem. Printing more money or borrowing from other nations does not solve the problem; it only shifts the problem to the next generations to solve.

The costs of overhead -- those costs that must be added to the cost of products, have risen so high that businesses find the temporary solution by manufacturing overseas.

The only businesses that remain here are those of skills that cannot be shifted abroad, such as medical caretakers, etc. And in most cases their costs amount to more that $100 per hour (overhead and profit) against those they service who are making around $10 to $20 per hour.

This is why most of what you buy is being made in other countries, adding to their wealth and our indebtedness.

Richard Taylor

Greencastle