Too few voters feel personally responsible for unemployment, job creation or tax reform, but most of us are responsible for the present situation.  We have the elected representatives we deserve because the wealth of most Americans is impacted more by stock market investors than by high unemployment. Nearly half of American voters, including most retirees’ pension plans, are invested in the stock market. Its jobless recovery has had a drastic negative effect on the incomes of the unemployed and underemployed, but not on most retirees or employed Americans.

For illustrative purposes, assume 100 million potential working Americans and a 10 percent unemployment rate instead of a more normal 5 percent rate. Wall Street protesters and their supporters proclaim “We are the 99%!” In reality, they are the 5%.

Most of the 90 million employed Americans, plus a majority of retirees, voted in 2010 for representatives to bail out Wall Street and perpetuate an economic system that rewards stock market investors at the expense of wage earners.

It appears likely that in 2012, voters will once again not vote for job creation, but that the elections will again be decided by each voter’s perception of which candidates will best protect Wall Street and that particular retired or employed voter’s pocketbook.

Pogo was right. “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Tom Driscoll
Poulsbo