Having devoted half of my adult life to serving my country, it distresses me to see that America has divided itself according to political preference. As I trained some of the young men and women who defend us to depend upon one another during times of hardship, I could never have imagined the chasm that now separates Americans.

Even now, after having spent our way into a recession, I see an America content to remain divided — recovery be damned. To me it appears obvious that the increased cost of fuel, as well as related increases in the manufacturing and transportation of goods, has contributed most to the individual American’s economic burden. The recent closing of the paper mill in Jay suggests that the same hardship extends to industry, as the mill appears to have managed to stay afloat so long only because it used black liquor — an unrefined fuel source that qualified for state assistance.

I don’t understand why so many failed to see economic hardship coming, but that is beside the point. The point is that we Americans must change the political atmosphere and pressure our political leaders to come together to find a solution to this problem. We cannot allow them to wait or to play games any longer. It’s time that they began to earn their pay.

Jamie Beaulieu, Farmington

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