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Thoughts For Friday - Ask The Question, “What If?”

For the last several months, every time I see/hear/read analysis about our economic crisis, from unemployment to profits to healthcare to tax receipts to tax rates, the shape of the conversation seems to centered around how things will look as the economy, measured by GDP growth, improves.  Will there be nagging unemployment?  Will Health care costs continue rising?  Will tax receipts rebound quickly or slowly?  and on and on… I’m ready for some sober, quality dialogue about how we will move forward if this is not the case.

For a few minutes,  think about the consequences if things go the other way. 

What if revenues do not grow? 

What if tax receipts at the state level, which are now running at a down 20% year over year don’t come back, but stay down or even get worse?

What if the mythical savings in a government run healthcare system fail to materialize and we are left with even higher costs while the greater economy sputters?

What if pensions, which are relying on fantasyland rates of return, simply go broke?

What then.  I believe we need some leadership that clearly puts forth what they see as the best course of action, but also ways to measure success or failure along the way, and corrective measures that would then be taken. 

What I do not need is yet another program or plan that is put forth simply because someone believes “we have to” or that we “have no choice.”