Our nation’s economy: The perfect scapegoat

I waited all week for the news.

And early Tuesday morning the decision was made: Miss California — Carrie Prejean — will be allowed to retain her crown and finish out her reign as our state’s Miss USA representative.

Whew.

I was poised at the end of my Lazy Boy, like so many other Americans, as the Donald gave us his organization’s verdict. Neither racy lingerie photos nor “miscommunications” between Prejean and her state pageant directors would convince pageant officials that she should be stripped of her tiara.

Despite her vocal support against gay marriage — which I could take in a whole different direction, but won’t — the young woman from San Diego will be able to spend her last six months as queen, waving, smiling and wearing her crown proudly.

Why was the media fascinated with this and so many other stories that some would say are totally ridiculous and a waste of our free TV time?

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Fighting for our future

Whitney Houston and I are in agreement: We believe the children are our future.

Yeah, it’s cliché and has been heard around the world way too many times, and I’d be pressed to find someone who doesn’t believe the same. But what are we doing to show the phrase is more than just words?

Our economy continues to struggle, our country is still at war and the state’s jobless rate is close to an all-time high. We struggle to make ends meet and struggle harder to give our children a taste of what we adults had ourselves. But with every corner we turn it seems those in the state Capitol and several in Washington are forgetting what building a better future really means.

It is important to get our country — and state — on solid ground again, but should this be done at the expense of our youth?

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