SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, 11:54 PM LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, 11:54 PM BY MONSY ALVARADO STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
Fourteen-year-old Elizita and her father arrived at the West New York registration offices around 7:15 a.m. Thursday, hoping to enroll her in school.
But it would be a dream deferred. The family, who waited outside in the crisp air, was told to come back. They were sent to get a physical, which included a tuberculosis test, that would clear Elizita to start school.
“If it won’t be tomorrow, then I’ll start Monday,” she said in Spanish after making a doctor’s appointment.
It had been a long journey for Elizita to this point — the dream of an American education — after a grueling two-week trek earlier this summer out of Guatemala and into this county illegally with her 16-year-old cousin to join her father in North Jersey.
Congressman Scott Garrett Issues a Congratulations thru the Ridgewood Blog to Charlotte Samuels completion of the open water triple crown September 13,2014 the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Charlotte Samuels, 16, who became the youngest person to complete the Triple Crown of open-water swimming last week by crossing the English Channel.
Charlotte attained the Triple Crown of open-water swimming by circumnavigating Manhattan, and crossing California’s Catalina Channel and the English Channel, all during this summer.
Rep Scott Garrett ,took time out of his schedule to give us a call to congratulate Charlotte Samuels on her fantastic accomplishment . The congressman spoke eloquently congratulating Charlotte for all the hard work and perseverance and also congratulated Charlotte’s parents, Suzanne and Steven for all their hard work and support without which this could never happen .
Garret remarked it was an awe inspiring accomplishment for this young lady and that her efforts were setting and example for a whole generation .
September 12, 2014 Last updated: Friday, September 12, 2014, 9:28 AM
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Support for housing proposal
Arthur Wrubel
To the Editor:
The higher density housing proposed for downtown Ridgewood is in accordance with its historical development. The downtown has changed, adapting to the needs of its growing population.
The area used to be a pedestrian-oriented destination which could supply its population with food and services. Shop owners once lived above their stores. The proximity to the surrounding residential area encouraged walking to shop and take the train to jobs.
The proposed changes to the master plan permit these ideas to flourish again. Further, there is a national trend to living in higher-density urban areas to satisfy people who want to be close to shops, work and services.
The Planning Board and others have studied the various impacts of the development, such as traffic generation, school children, water supply, fire and safety, etc. The studies indicate little or no impact. The traffic in particular is reduced compared to commercial development.
Village Of Ridgewood 2013 parking meter & permit revenues vs. expenses September 10,2014 Boyd A. Loving 11:01 PM
Ridgewood NJ, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld released a report entitled: “Village of Ridgewood Parking Utility – 2013 Revenue & Expense Summary” on 09/08/2014.
Here are the Cliff Notes:
Total revenues = $1,063,775.55
Total expenses = $902,243.45
Excess in operation (profit) = $161,532.10
The following line items were listed under “allocations/indirect expenses.” That is, a predetermined percentage of total 2013 parking revenues was allocated to each line item:
Municipal Court Village Attorney Group Health Insurance Workers Compensation Insurance General Liability Auto Insurance Management Information Systems Village Clerk Finance (Accounts & Treasury, Audit Services, Collections) Engineering Street Services Street Lighting Traffic & Signal Central Garage Parks Police Gasoline & Diesel Electricity and Gas Telephone Public Employees Retirement System Social Security Police & Fire Retirement System Unemployment Insurance
Indirect expense allocation in 2013 was: $791,455.28
No information was provided regarding direct expenses other than they totaled $110,788.17 in 2013
All year end fund balances PRIOR to EOY 2013 were reduced to zero (yes, nothing left, zilch) because of theft/shortfalls in revenue.
The TOTAL BALANCE IN ACCRUED EXCESS PARKING REVENUES (profit) AS OF EOY 2013 is: $162,070.
Glen Beck thinks your Government is dumb as a box of rocks
Glen Beck comes up with 11 ways you know you live in a country run by idiots
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2014 at 12:34 PM EDT
We had to laugh when we saw this because it could be more spot on , the only think Glen did not mention were all the excuse makers who allow the idiots to abdicate responsibility .
Again more and more would agree that clearly the country is run by idiots , so here is proof positive….
Glens list …
1. If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for being in the country illegally, you live in a country run by idiots.
2. If you have to get your parents’ permission to go on a field trip or take an aspirin in school, but not to get an abortion, you live in a country run by idiots.
3. If you have to show identification to board an airplane, cash a check, buy liquor or check out a library book, but not to vote on who runs the government, you live in a country run by idiots.
4. If the government wants to ban stable, law-abiding citizens from owning gun magazines with more than ten rounds, but gives 20 F-16 fighter jets to the crazy leaders in Egypt, you live in a country run by idiots.
5. If, in the largest city, you can buy two 16-ounce sodas, but not a 24-ounce soda because 24-ounces of a sugary drink might make you fat, you live in a country run by idiots.
6. If an 80-year-old woman can be stripped searched by the TSA but a woman in a hijab is only subject to having her neck and head searched, you live in a country run by idiots.
7. If your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more, you live in a country run by idiots.
8. If a seven year old boy can be thrown out of grade school for saying his teacher’s “cute,” but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable, you live in a country run by idiots.
9. If hard work and success are met with higher taxes and more government intrusion, while not working is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid, subsidized housing and free cell phones,you live in a country run by idiots.
10. If the government’s plan for getting people back to work is to incentivize NOT working, with 99 weeks of unemployment checks and no requirement to prove they applied but can’t find work, you live in a country run by idiots.
11. If being stripped of the ability to defend yourself makes you more “safe” according to the government, you live in a country run by idiots.
Al Franken Misrepresents the Censorship Power Democrats Are Demanding
Jacob Sullum|Sep. 9, 2014 7:26 pm
MSNBC During today’s debate about SJR 19, a proposed constitutional amendment that would restrict freedom of speech in the name of “democratic self-government and political equality,” Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.)claimed the measure would merely “restore the law to what it was before Citizens Unitedwas decided.” Not so. True, the amendment would allow Congress to re-enact the speech restrictions overturned in that case, which barred unions and corporations, including nonprofit advocacy groups, from criticizing federal politicians on TV or radio close to an election. But as I noted yesterday, the amendment would go a lot further than that.
The amendment would allow Congress and state legislatures to “regulate and set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections.” That means it would overturn Buckley v. Valeo, the 1976 decision in which the Supreme Court upheld limits on donations to candidates but rejected limits on spending by candidates, reasoning that such caps amount to restrictions on speech, since communicating with a mass audience requires money.
The amendment that Franken and at least 48 of his colleagues favor also would allow legislators to impose limits on independent spending by individuals, which the Court has never upheld. Section 2 says legislators “may distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law,” but there is no requirement that they do so. Congress might decide, in the interest of “political equality,” that opinionated billionaires such as George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, Sheldon Adelson, and the Koch Brothers should shut the hell up and let other people have a turn. It could even ban political ads featuring celebrities, on the theory that they have an unwarranted influence on voters.
Given the breadth of this authority, the examples of possible censorship listed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed piece—including bans on the distribution of voter guides by the National Rifle Association, on pro-life or pro-choice advocacy close to an election, on get-out-the-vote efforts by churches or unions, and on documentaries critical of politicians running for office—are not at all fanciful. In fact, that last example is exactly what Citizens United involved. Under this amendment, such a documentary could be squelched even if it were the work of an independent filmmaker unaffiliated with any group organized as a corporation.
Commuters simply cant take the Bridgegate Scandal Serious
September 9th 2014
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
So its been one year since the so called GWB Scandal and mean while commuters continue to suffer the daily delays with hardly a peep from the press .Its funny how 50 years on non stop traffic delays only get noticed the one time a third rate politician gets inconvenienced .
The George Washington Bridge, recently associated with a political scandal, has been a symbol of frustration and gridlock for daily commuters for years .
As a reminder on Thursday June 11th traffic stalled in New Jersey and New York following an early-morning fatal crash on the GWB . Two tractor-trailers heading east crashed shortly after 2 a.m. on the bi-level bridge’s upper deck. Port Authority Police reported that the driver in the rear truck died when the vehicle became wedged under the other truck’s trailer. Port Authority Police Capt. Ron Shindel went on to say the driver in the lead truck was emotionally shaken and was taken to a hospital .
While September 11 will be the anniversary of the 9/11 Islamic terrorist murder of 3000 American citizens , it will also be the 2 month anniversary of the death of one truck driver killed on the GWB resulting in a 7 hour back up .
Governor Chris Christie meanwhile wrote off Democrats’ Bridgegate anniversary calling it “nakedly partisan” and commuters had stronger language for it ,namely self-serving , stupid ,out of touch and offensive.
Start-up companies are the reason America’s economy is more innovative, prosperous and dynamic than the economies of other industrialized countries around the world.
New companies create roughly 3 million jobs every year, while existing companies tend to shed 1 million jobs. It is no secret why a healthy entrepreneurial culture is important.
Think of it this way: Roughly 1 in 10 U.S. companies are founded each year, and these young firms create 100 percent of all net new jobs. Even in gross terms, start-ups punch above their weight, with 16 percent of all new jobs created by start-ups. Older firms create fewer jobs per firm, but, on average, cut even more, for a net negative impact.
While start-ups have always played an important role in the U.S. economy, the extent to which they drive job creation was, until recently, under appreciated.
However, thanks to new data from the federal government, we are able to identify job creation across all firms according to their date of “birth.” Yet, as important as this insight is, the data, which only goes back as far as 1977, also shows an alarming downward trend: America’s entrepreneurship rate is declining.
START-UP JOBS AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL PRIVATE-SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
During the Carter administration, 14 percent of U.S. companies were start-ups.
That rate declined by one percentage point during the Reagan years, two points during the recession of the George H.W. Bush presidency, held steady under Bill Clinton, dropped a percentage point under George W. Bush, and then dropped two full points during the first term of President Obama.
We can only speculate why entrepreneurship is declining, but it seems that America’s economic culture is trending toward the European model.
In Europe, as well as Japan, large corporations are the norm, as are ample welfare programs and an erosion of familial bonds.
America’s history of entrepreneurship is strongly rooted in a culture of hard work and self-reliance. Unfortunately, bureaucratic regulations are growing at the same time start-ups are declining. Coincidence?
Top CIA officer in Benghazi delayed response to terrorist attack, US security team members claim
Published September 05, 2014
FoxNews.com
A U.S. security team in Benghazi was held back from immediately responding to the attack on the American diplomatic mission on orders of the top CIA officer there, three of those involved told Fox News’ Bret Baier.
Their account gives a dramatic new turn to what the Obama administration and its allies would like to dismiss as an “old story” – the September 11, 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
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Speaking out publicly for the first time, the three were security operators at the secret CIA annex in Benghazi – in effect, the first-responders to any attack on the diplomatic compound. Their first-hand account will be told in a Fox News special, airing Friday night at 10 p.m. (EDT).
Based on the new book “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi” by Mitchell Zuckoff with the Annex Security Team, the special sets aside the political spin that has freighted the Benghazi issue for the last two years, presenting a vivid, compelling narrative of events from the perspective of the men who wore the “boots on the ground.”
The security contractors — Kris (“Tanto”) Paronto, Mark (“Oz”) Geist, and John (“Tig”) Tiegen — spoke exclusively, and at length, to Fox News about what they saw and did that night. Baier, Fox News’ Chief Political Anchor, asked them about one of the most controversial questions arising from the events in Benghazi: Was help delayed?
Word of the attack on the diplomatic compound reached the CIA annex just after 9:30 p.m. Within five minutes, the security team at the annex was geared up for battle, and ready to move to the compound, a mile away.
“Five minutes, we’re ready,” said Paronto, a former Army Ranger. “It was thumbs up, thumbs up, we’re ready to go.”
But the team was held back. According to the security operators, they were delayed from responding to the attack by the top CIA officer in Benghazi, whom they refer to only as “Bob.”
Fitch downgrades NJ’s credit rating once again, citing pension shortfalls
SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, 5:12 PM LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2014, 12:16 AM BY JOHN REITMEYER STATE HO– USE BUREAU THE RECORD
New Jersey’s credit rating has been cut in Wall Street’s first official reaction to the move by Governor Christie to scale back legally mandated payments to New Jersey’s pension fund, a move he made to balance the state budget.
Fitch Ratings announced Friday afternoon that it lowered the state’s credit rating one step to A, citing a “repudiation” of the pledged pension payments.
The downgrade announcement also cited “the absence of long-term, fiscally sustainable solutions” to close recent budget gaps, “overly optimistic revenue forecasts” and a state economy that “continues to lag that of the nation.”
The ratings action comes as public employee unions are challenging the pension payment reductions — which total $2.4 billion over two fiscal years — in state Superior Court. It also puts New Jersey’s credit rating in a tie with California’s, and above only Illinois among U.S. states.
The downgrade is the second this year from Fitch, which had already lowered the credit rating to A+ after the Christie administration announced in April that tax collections had fallen $807 million short of projections.
Two other major ratings agencies, Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s, also lowered New Jersey’s credit rating around the same time.
The credit rating is an important factor in determining how cheap and easy it is to borrow money for capital projects such as schools and bridges that cannot be funded in one budget year.
The latest downgrade is also a blow for Christie, a Republican who has tried to make the case that his fiscal policies and reforms have rescued the state from years of mismanagement under Democratic leadership. And though the state’s unemployment rate has improved in recent months, the loss of roughly 5,000 jobs from the closure of two Atlantic City casinos earlier this week signals that more bad economic news could be coming.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/fitch-downgrades-nj-s-credit-rating-once-again-citing-pension-shortfalls-1.1082031#sthash.9mSK3Y9w.dpuf
Phone scams getting more common, complex in North Jersey
SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, 11:43 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, 11:57 PM BY ABBOTT KOLOFF AND ANDREW WYRICH STAFF WRITERS THE RECORD
Police in North Jersey say at least four people were targets in the past 10 days of a so-called virtual kidnapping scam that federal authorities say has its roots in Mexico and has been a growing problem in Texas even as other scams have been spreading across the nation.
Typical scams
E-ZPASS: Someone sends an email purporting to be from E-ZPass saying you failed to pay a toll and provides a link to an invoice where you are told you can make payment. The Better Business Bureau warns that clicking on the link could unleash a virus on your computer that will steal your personal information. Authorities say that E-ZPass never sends such notifications by email. IRS: Someone claiming to be from the IRS calls and says you owe unpaid taxes to the government and asks for payment by credit card. The IRS says it always sends notifications about unpaid taxes by mail. If you believe you owe taxes, you may call the IRS at 800-829-1040. If you believe you were the target of a scam, you may call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484. JURY DUTY: Someone calls saying he or she is a law enforcement officer and you owe a fine for failing to appear for jury duty or a court appearance. Threatening to have you arrested, the caller asks for immediate payment by credit card or for you to purchase a money card and to provide information that would allow the caller to access it. Anyone with information about such a scam may call the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office at 201-646-2222. VIRTUAL KIDNAPPING: Someone calls saying he or she has kidnapped a loved one and demands you pay a ransom, often by wiring money to a location in another part of the country. In some cases, the callers say they are members of drug cartels, and someone can be heard screaming for help in the background. The FBI suggests requesting to speak to the victim, asking questions that only the victim would know, and asking to have the victim call back on his or her cellphone.
Wyckoff police said on Thursday that a 49-year-old resident began wiring $900 to people who told him they had kidnapped his brother. Fortunately, he was able to stop the money transfer last week after calling police, who arrived at his home in time to pick up the phone when he was called a second time.
“I was just kidding,” the person on the other end of the phone said after the officer identified himself, before quickly hanging up, Wyckoff Police Chief Ben Fox said.
Police reported that two Westwood residents were targeted in separate incidents over the Labor Day weekend, with another incident reported in Saddle Brook on Aug. 28. The Wyckoff incident occurred on Aug. 30. None of the four Bergen County victims paid the purported kidnappers, authorities said.
Police say virtual kidnappings are an outgrowth of similar scams that crop up for a time, then fade away, such as one targeting senior citizens who were told their grandchildren were in trouble and needed money. The most popular scams over the past few months have involved emails telling people they owe money to E-ZPass and people pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service asking for payment of overdue federal taxes.
In May, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office said it uncovered an organized ring operating from a Georgia prison that swindled money from people across the country. Callers pretended to be law enforcement officers asking for payment of fines for missing jury duty or court appearances. Sheriff’s detectives arrested two people in Georgia, a corrections officer and an inmate, and said the ring involved perhaps hundreds of other inmates.
Washington, DC – (9/5/14) – Generation Opportunity, a national, non-partisan youth advocacy organization, is announcing its Millennial Jobs Report for August 2014. The data is non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) and is specific to 18-29 year olds:
The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds, which adjusts for labor force participation by including those who have given up looking for work, is 15 percent (NSA). The (U-3) unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds is 10.1 percent (NSA).
The declining labor force participation rate has created an additional 1.946 million young adults that are not counted as “unemployed” by the U.S. Department of Labor because they are not in the labor force, meaning that those young people have given up looking for work due to the lack of jobs.
The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year old African-Americans is 22.4 percent (NSA); the (U-3) unemployment rate is 19.6 percent (NSA).
The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year old Hispanics is 15.8 percent (NSA); the (U-3) unemployment rate is 10.6 percent (NSA).
The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year old women is 12.8 percent (NSA); the (U-3) unemployment rate is 9.9 percent (NSA).
Patrice Lee, Director of Outreach at Generation Opportunity, issued the following statement:
“15% of young people are still out of work and it’s no secret why- government is too big, spending levels are too high, and opportunities for us are limited.
“As we continue to work hard to create opportunities, politicians in Washington continue to impose policies that harm us.
“More than ever, we need to work to elect officials that will fight for the interests of my generation and not continue the policies of generational theft that have prevailed under the current administration.”
2014 ASHBY AWARDS, TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE AWARD ANNOUNCED
Ridgewood Schools
September 5th 2014
Two recently retired veterans of the Ridgewood Public Schools are recipients of the 2014 Ashby Award. Former Hawes School Art Teacher Judy Malholtra and former Willard School Principal Marianne Williams were announced the winners at All-staff Convocation on September 2. A new honor, the Tradition of Excellence Award for Support Staff, was also given to longtime staffer Maryjane Moynihan for her contributions to the district as Benefits Coordinator.
Ms. Malhotra started with the district in 1981 as a substitute teacher, then taught art at Orchard School since 1996. Known as an accomplished artist and master teacher, she is responsible for the conception, inspiration and development of the Orchard School’s Community Art Garden, as well as the collaboration with Music Teacher Drew Kreismer on the garden’s newest addition, a musical sculpture inspired by a piece at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ.
Ms. Williams retired in July after serving with the Ridgewood district since 1981, starting as a Supplemental Instructor and Gifted and Talented Teacher, then teaching for 14 years at Somerville School before serving as Willard’s Acting Principal in 1997 and then Principal. Her legacy at Willard includes the implementation of several innovative educational programs, the day-to-day management of Willard during its first major expansion since it was built, and the year-long observance of the school’s centennial celebration. During her tenure, Willard School was also named a National Blue Ribbon School for academic excellence by the United States Department of Education, a distinction that is earned by very few schools.
The Ashby award was established in 1966 to honor former Superintendent Lloyd W. Ashby and his wife, Lois, for their distinguished service to the community. The recipient is selected annually from nominees submitted by staff members and is someone who, in the opinion of his or her peers, has carried on the fine tradition of service and contribution. The Ashby Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a staff member. In recognition of this honor the names engraved on brass plates are placed on a plaque and is mounted in the lobby of the Education Center.
Photos: Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein congratulates 2014 Tradtion of Excellence Award winner Maryjane Moynihan (L) and Ashby Award winner Judy Malholtra (R). Ashby Award winner Marianne Williams was not present for the photo. Below, the former Willard School Principal was photographed when the school’s media center was named in her honor in 2014.
Tickets on sale for Ridgewood H.S. Athletic Hall of Fame banquet
SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, 12:31 AM BY BRIAN FARRELL SPECIAL TO THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame chairman Jeff Yearing is encouraging people who are intending to purchase a reservation to the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014 induction ceremony to do so as soon as possible.
Thirteen new inductees will be recognized for their accomplishments on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Brick House on Godwin Avenue in Wyckoff. The celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. with a social hour. Appetizers will be served along with a cash bar. Induction festivities along with dinner are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
“The Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame wishes to recognize athletes, coaches and special contributors from all eras of the interscholastic athletic program,” Yearing said, “emphasizing their accomplishments, so that others may clearly see, and be inspired by, lives lived in the pursuit of excellence.”
The RHS Athletic Hall of Fame is self-supporting. It is sanctioned by the Ridgewood Board of Education and the Ridgewood Public Schools but receives no supporting funds from the district.
Since inductions began in 2004, the RHS Athletic Hall of Fame has welcomed 58 individual athletes, eight coaches, four special contributors and one team. This year’s class will add 10 individuals, one coach, one athletic team and one special achievement (multi-year group of teams).
Steve Forbes and Steve Lonegan Team up , to Mend the Fed and Restore a Classical Gold Standard
September 3,2014
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
New York, NY , Steve Forbes and Steven Lonegan have joined forces and embarked on a mission to defend the liberty of the individual, which can only be protected when the wages, quality of life and savings earned through the fruits of one’s labor are preserved by the maintenance of sound currency.
According to the group ,there is no greater expression of private property than the preservation of value that is maintained in our currency. Our money is the measure of the value of our earnings and savings, our property. When someone’s property is taken without their consent, this amounts to an attack on this most fundamental right. Today’s monetary policy takes control of our money and hands it to unelected bureaucrats. Our mission is to return control of our money to the people, fix the dollar and restore sound money.
Yesterday ushered in the launch of the Fix the Dollar campaign down on Wall Street ,in a old Bank Vault turned bar on Trinity Place .
According to the two Steve’s the Golden Age of Equitable prosperity in America ended with the closing of the gold window by President Nixon in 1971 . The closing of the “gold window ” was the de-faco death of the American Dream .
The Bank of England calculates, If America had stayed with the gold standard your real income would be 50% higher. That would solve a lot of problems. Moreover, there are solid reasons to believe that America can make up for lost time and create the kind of sizzling economic growth that would raise wages across-the-board, making up in a decade what ground was lost over the last 40 years.
The groups efforts will focus on not ending the Fed. FixTheDollar stands more for mending the Fed.
The Federal Reserve System was invented to work within the classical gold standard. What, then, is to be done? If the Fed follows “the golden rule” — a better version of the Great Moderation that led to the great job growth under Presidents Reagan and Clinton — we can restore the American Dream.
By restoring the classical gold standard, and if possible changing a few laws so as to permit competing currencies, America can create a climate of equitable prosperity that will generate tens of millions of good new jobs, end wage stagnation, restore a climate of opportunity wherein everyone – blue or white collar, of every age, race, and creed – can climb the ladder to affluence, balance the federal budget via economic growth, provide the resources to improve the natural environment and fix our decaying national infrastructure.
