Dan Meuser isn’t yet my representative in Congress. Due to redistricting, he likely will be soon. When that time comes, I hope Dan takes the time to listen to his constituents - all of them, not just Republicans - that he contributes to the general welfare of all of us, and that he be committed to the truth.

Dan, if you’re going to brand the president’s view on the economic condition of the nation “backward,” you might explain what your program is and make clear the differences. It’s not a “good idea” before it is an idea.

While you’re at it, economic activity in a capitalist society depends on exchanges in the market between buyers and sellers. Price of something (gasoline?) too high? Use less. Significant drops in demand eventually bring price adjustments. I concede that’s how it’s supposed to work in a time of stable markets. Dan, you failed to mention we’re living in troubled times. There’s a war going on in Europe and a general boycott of Russian oil is one of the West’s tools to apply leverage against Putin. Biden is attempting to get OPEC to pump more oil. The last time an American president applied pressure on OPEC was in April 2020 when Trump asked that OPEC lower production to prop up the price of oil. Go figure, an American president (as well as the oil industry) wanted to push the price of oil higher.

The truth is, fuel and food are the two components of the economy most subject to price fluctuations and least subject to control by the president or Congress - but you knew that.

You blamed Biden for last quarter’s 1.5 % decrease in GDP - and there you were nearly right. It was 1.4%. However, I noted nowhere did you find the courage to give an attaboy to Biden for the 6.9% growth of the economy in the quarter before last. Unemployment is at 3.6% at a near all time low. Biden’s doing?

The truth is, Dan, that economics is complicated and influenced, but seldom controlled. If you’re my representative next year, will you promise to do better?

Joe Army Fischer,

Lt. Col., U.S. Army (retired)

Northumberland