As  I reported earlier American voters have one main concern in the  upcoming general election for President of the United States. That  concern is to determine the direction in which citizens want the country  to proceed over the next 4 years.

1.  Do American voters want to continue the current road with increasing  involvement of the federal government in the lives of the American  people?

2.  Do American voters want less federal government involvement with more  of the decisions being left to the individuals and local/state  governments?

The  main issue, I believe, that will assist voters in making that  determination revolves around the economy. Incorporated in that are the  staggering national debt; the still too high unemployment numbers; the  thousands who are not counted, but simply stopped looking for work; and  the thousands more who are underemployed.

Admittedly  the economic outlook has started to improve slightly over the last few  months, but the turn-around is still quite sluggish and nowhere near  where it should be. There has been an increase in jobs available, but  most of those jobs are not the higher paying jobs that were lost since  2008.

This raises the question of what is holding the economy back?

Is  it rules and regulations and an atmosphere that is not conducive to  providing the confidence and assurance business needs to build and  expand?

Yes, rules and regulations are needed, but are the right rules and regulations being implemented and enforced?

With  uncertainty over future healthcare costs and requirements on business  to provide for employees putting a damper on expansion and hiring?

Are  environmental rules and regulations, though in number perhaps less than  previous administrations, written in such a way with such stringencies  that are making it difficult for new job projects to proceed?

The  stock market seems to have rebounded, yet at the same time, the  slightest wind tends to blow it back into the doldrums. How can this be  changed to provide more stability?

Do  the policies being advocated by President Barack Obama represent the  best course of action that will boost small business as well as large  corporations to feel more at ease with expansion and increased hiring?

Do  the policies being propose by the opposition Republicans bring more  light and security for small business and large corporations?

How  many of the economic baby steps are a direct result of the present  Administration's policies and how much is a result of the loggerheads  within the Congress impeding progress?

Is the opposition to the Administration by the Republicans in Congress responsible for the recent growth?

These  are all questions we must ask of not just the presidential candidates,  but of all our elected officials running to either retain office or  upseat an incumbent or fill a vacant seat.

In  addition as we make our decision about the fall election and the  direction of the nation, we must ask and ascertain if the minimal  economic upturn is a result of Congressional Republicans keeping the  current Administration at bay or is it because the President has worked  around Congress to push the nation back to recovery?

Then there is the national debt. The whole Congress has yet to pass a budget going on nearly 4 years. Why?

A  budget has been passed the last 4 years by the House of  Representatives, but a vote in the Senate has not been allowed. This  should not be. This is one of the enumerated powers and rights of  Congress. Congress has abdicated its role of implementing and passing a  budget with which the American people can live.

The  national debt is out-of-control. There is no method or madness to what  is happening. But to solve this problem it must be a concerted effort  that puts literally all expenditures and all incoming revenue on the  table.

Conservatives  must realize that cutting funds alone is not the answer. Conservatives  must realize that surgical increases are necessary as well.

Liberals  must realize we cannot spend or borrow our way out of debt. Liberals  must realize that government cannot usurp the traditional roles of  family, community and state.

Safety  nets, yes...but enslavement of a large portion of the population by  keeping them unable to move out from under the circumstances in which  they find themselves will not work. For those most needy: the elderly,  the chronically ill, the nation needs to be there. But for those who are  struggling to find a way to live the American dream, provide a hand up  not a hand out with time limits for assistance that are reasonable and  logical.

Social  Security needs to be placed back in its original form and unable to be  used to offset budget deficits. Changes to the system for future  beneficiaries must be made.

Medicare  needs streamlined and more power given back to the states and local  medical boards to determining patient care. Decisions must be made with  common sense, true medical need and an eye on controlling costs while  not denying care.

All of this has to do with righting the economy.

But  do our members of Congress, does our President, does the Republican  nominee-to-be and do the American people have the will to do what is  necessary to gain control of our economy?

From  the Cornfield, the person that needs to be elected in November is the  one that has the courage to do what is the most beneficial for the US  economy over the next 4 years and not the one who is more willing to  shrug and pass the buck to future generations.

This  fall is also more than just about who will be president, but also who  will serve, we the people, in the US Congress and in state houses and  legislatures across the country making the tough decisions to put  Americans back to work and trim a debt which soon we cannot repay.