Our economy . . .

Now, I am not an economic genius but this statement from someone you would think would know better is staggering. No wonder our country is in such a mess!

White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett spoke at the Student Summit at North Carolina Central University and claimed unemployment stimulates the economy.

Her reasoning behind this is people take their unemployment checks and "go out and spend it" which "help(s) stimulate the economy."

"Let's face it, even though we had a terrible economic crisis three years ago, throughout our country many people were suffering before the last three years, particularly in the black community", Jarrett says.

She continues, "And so we need to make sure that we continue to support that important safety net. It not only is good for the family, but it's good for the economy. People who receive that unemployment check go out and spend it and help stimulate the economy, so that's healthy as well."

If I'm thinking correctly, unemployment funds directly or indirectly come from working people's paychecks. It is an insurance of sorts to help people through a tough situation. This is a good thing when used in moderation and as a help not an ongoing life style. How this White House Advisor, Ms. Jarrett can equate the distribution of unemployment funds as a stimulus to the economy is beyond me. Let's see . . . you give money from other working paychecks to people who are not earning paychecks. People with paychecks are, naturally, being more careful so not spending quite as much to make ends meet. So if the unemployed pay benefits go out into the market place, doesn't it kind of leave things where they were to begin with?

I think a prerequisite of getting into any political office should be a couse in basic bookkeeping because it certainly doesn't show up lately in all the payouts in excess of income. Oh, and raising taxes doesn't bring in more revenue because I know that we are spending less and less which does have a grave, trickle-down outcome.