Headline, May06, 2013

'''THE MADDENING RIDDLE OF

''JOBLESSN​ESS'' AND 

ECONOMIC DECLINE!''​'

''The world we have created today has problems which cannot be solved by thinking the way we thought when we created them.'' True, very true! Albert Einstein's point taken. 

The economies of the whole world are, -well, precariously poised! To say the least. Every leader begins his rise with a Populist Makeover Plan. But in the real world of  ''executions'' everything gets muffled by frustrating attempts at bipartisanship and a  stop-and-start effort with opposition and the business community. So in no time you have a 'road wreck.'

A miasma of uncertainty grips the world. And worse, nobody is willing to propose that we ought to Rethink the world's Financial Architecture from scratch. Mark my words :.The relationship between Politics and Economics is going to be quiet different from what the world has known from before.

Back in 2011,  at a white-clothed table in the California dining room of venture capitalist John Doerr, President Obama dined with a dozen gurus from Silicon Valley's hottest companies. Flanked by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg on his right and Apple's Steve Jobs on his left.

The President, it was said, was among friendly faces  - Oracle's Larry Ellison across from him, along with the chieftains from Google, Yahoo, Netflix, and Cisco   -eager to offer advice on solving the maddening riddle.

The Technology Titans urged President Obama to offer major companies that have kept overseas profits offshore a one time tax holiday to repatriate their earnings and pay a rate below the normal 35% corporate tax. The payoff the executives argued, would come in reinvestment in capital projects, R&D, and new hiring  -essentially a stimulus of private money that would also fill the U.S. Treasury with elusive Tax dollars. The firms represented in the room held more than $100 billion offshore, with Apple alone sitting on $47.6 billion.

Andy Stern, who as the longtime head of the powerful SIEU union in 2008 relentlessly fought for Obama's candidacy, saw a President who until recently tried to solve economic problems with abstract ideas rather than pragmatic solutions:

''The administration has suffered from the large macroeconomic theories of Larry Summers and Tim Geitner that look more at formula and financing than day-to-day job creations. They thought they had done what they needed to do, and they were wrong.''

Mind you we are talking 2011. In response to such criticism, former White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee said : the President was contending with adversaries who were willing to go to extraordinary lengths to ensure his failure. And other defenders noted that Obama inherited a financial disaster after the Wall Street Meltdown.

And then even some of Obama's staunchest supporters acknowledge a perceived gap between promise and performance. They saw a President who underestimated the challenge of economic recovery and whose background as a  Law Professor lacked real life business experience to improvise on policy in a productive way.

Come 2013, America is still battling the twin menace of joblessness and economic growth. 

All of the above just goes on to show how complex and difficult it is managing modern day economies. Pakistan, who is facing up to mortal and Everest challenges in its own survival and elections, needs to ponder. All contenders need to stop and fathom:

They all need to see around the corners. They need to anticipate everything. I do, but someone else needs to tell them to cut the rhetoric of good versus evil out. They need to educate and  prepare the people for the hard, very hard, even impossible ''hard slog'' ahead. When people see dark clouds ahead, no matter how good a line in speech is, you're not going to convince them the sky is blue.

We all could talk of Bullet Trains, and Motorways, and Education and Technology and on and on. Now, at this moment everything is important. Every thing is vital and important. Every thing is life and existence threatening. But that one, one, one thing that truly matters is the ''Economy and Unemployment.''  Get a handle on this, get this right, and you can then create your own future. Otherwise, be warned, nothing will work! You build on Sand!

Teetering on and near many brinks would be ''indefensible'' in days ahead. The reservoir of faith and patience must be replenished. That is the only and time tested way of building A Great Nation. The Maddening riddle of joblessness and economic decline beckons. Solving That is your true test as a Leader. This is the platform on which we all have to stand. Many many other countries may not be that lucky!!! 

Thank God for that!

With respectful dedication to Africa's First Woman President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. 

With respectful dedication to the Students and Professors of University of Liberia. See you all on !WOW!

Good Night & God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless