John Sawyer, Fort Myers
Candidate, Lee County Commission
Making a difference?
I feel so much better, knowing that the Naples Area Chamber of Commerce board has formed (yet another) self-promoting "partnership" — the grammatically awkward Partners for Future Economy — to replace the recently failed Collier County Economic Development Council.
"Eighty percent of the jobs that are created come from existing businesses" proclaims the chair, Michael Wynn — a declaration, I believe, that should be lamented rather than extolled.
Should we encourage our area's largest private employers, retail, to expand further? Open even more restaurants, Starbucks, Borders, Blockbuster Videos, 7-Elevens, Walgreens? Or should we rejuvenate our community with new businesses? If it's the latter, we need to discard old thinking and look to the future.
Equally, with no apparent sagacity or appreciation of the ironic, Dr. Allen Weiss, CEO of NCH Healthcare, Collier County's second largest employer (behind big government?) chimes in: "We're the biggest economic engine in the county ... health care will be the center of the recovery." Umm-hmmm, generate economic health through the sick and dying.
It's time to change our thinking, adjust our protocols, think outside the box, and depart from the failed norms of collective thinking generated by such as the Partners for Future Economy and the reliance upon Dr. Weiss's sick people for making our economy well again.
As for "concessions" fought for by "conservative" Republicans, who's kidding whom? A payroll tax cut is a cut by any name. And that's good. Just reduce the insane spending, and balance the budget — starting now. Think of your country first, and not about getting re-elected.
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