Economic Recovery
Dan Seals’ Way Forward to Healthy Economic Growth
The financial crisis has touched us all. We find ourselves either stricken and slowly picking our way through it, or unscathed yet nervously avoiding the economic fallout. The mess continues to cause tremendous economic pain across the area. When our essential sources of stability (work) and security (home) are at risk, it is easy to feel paralyzed.
The threat is real and present here in the 10th Congressional District. As the Chicago Tribune reported as recently as December, “From Chicago Heights to Waukegan, demand [at homeless shelters] has outstripped supply, with shelters resorting to lotteries and free bus passes out of town to handle the overflow.” Even in more affluent areas we are seeing a spike in unemployment. Indeed, we have seen a 56 percent increase in unemployment across the district.
Dan gives the Obama Administration credit for pulling us back from a major economic depression when there was no clear path to do so. But while we seem to have stopped our economic ship from sinking, we still have a lot of work of to do to get the ship turned around.
In the short term, this means a focus on getting Americans back to work by supporting small business. In the medium term it means reducing the costs of health care, energy, and education—all of which are rising faster than inflation and making it harder for most families to keep up. In the long term, it means building an educational system, which will better prepare us to compete in the global economy, and reducing our massive national debt. If we don’t address these issues, we will not only undermine our own economic growth, but make it much more difficult for the next generation to succeed.
Finally, many have asked what the proper role of government should be in the economy. Dan believes the government’s role should be limited. Government can never replace the innovation of industry. Government can never stand in for an individual’s hard work. Government can never provide the same love and support that a family does. These are the things that make our economy work. What government can do is help create the conditions that allow these things to thrive and expand. Dan’s goal as your Representative is to make sure government does just that. Nothing more, nothing less.
For Dan’s Small Business Policy, click here.
See Videos of Dan at the Media Center