First and foremost, both sides need to drop the rhetoric and political ideology. The Republicans want less regulation. The Democrats want program spending. President Obama is pushing down the earmarks and promoting responsibility.

Conservatives and liberals need to consider reason and become earnestly conservative and utilitarian. Conserve and use wisely our resources to achieve productivity with purpose, for the long-term health of the economy.

We must stop over-exploiting resources and capacity. We must stop giving away money without expectation of reasonable return and productivity that is meaningful in the long-term.

In all centrist considerations we wish policy makers to keep these core ideas in mind:

1. Fact: We do not exist in an objective market; we exist in a regulated market.

2. Any form of earmark or bill stacking should be culled out of the bills.

3. All bailout funds must be connected with performance and productivity.

Without checks and balances, efforts will dig the hole deeper. Let us not be lulled into complacency, or false hope, that money cures all. Everything must be tied to productive, responsible behavior.

To those who “believe” in reducing regulation on the bailout, we are not in an objective market. We can’t afford to make the same mistake twice at this magnitude of economic scale. Reducing regulation has proven economically unsound and invites further disaster.

To those that believe money alone is the answer and that it is only about jobs, please consider that jobs that are not directly tied to long-term benefit of the needs of the nation, people, and productivity, will weaken the system.

Band-aids on cancer don’t heal cancer. We need an objective market basis. The Keynesian model is inherently flawed. Regulation is required to tame the excesses that have infected corporate governance, the lack of which fostered corporate malfeasance.

We have little time for squabbling or complacency.

To policy makers, do and promote these things in statements, deliberations, and actions on these important matters:

1. Increase regulation to ensure that transparency becomes your top priority.

2. Push no earmarks, seek balance in all policy between states and keep the national needs of the people rather than local needs at the center.

3. Set aside personal agenda as best as you are able.

Let us hope the Congress and Senate will work with President Obama in a well-reasoned approach to solve this crisis.

To the American people left, right, and center, call your representatives and senators; call their offices, demand reason and sensibility. Delay only raises the tax on every citizen. We encourage you to become active. Let us not leave this to the politicians. It is our country.

www.house.gov

www.senate.gov

This is a crisis with potentially devastating ramifications if decisive, responsible action is not taken quickly. We need to rally behind reason and our President and do difficult things. In doing so, we will put our country on a road to deal with other pressing challenges that are in dire need of attention as well.

John P. Reisman

Big Bear Lake, CA