Harley Meyer Independent For US Congress
7th Congressional District Arizona
What do you want to do and where do you want to go?

Open more direct trade between nations to increase competition to lower cost for buyers and
to improve prices for the seller. Provide capital necessary to facilitate direct trade.
The problem exists for both exporters and importers in different parts of the world.
Promote economic education so consumers understand that when they buy
goods and services from workers who are paid a living wage, they themselves can be employeed with a good wage because they
have someone who can buy their goods and services. If consumers buy goods and services
from companies that pay their workers poorly, they themselves will not have someone to buy
their goods and services.
This simple shift in policy will lower the US unemployment rate, particularly
the rate of long term unemployed. It will also improve state and federal tax revenues sufficiently to pay for Medicare and Social Security entitlements and reduce
illegal immigration around the world.

In every country around the world international trade is controlled
by some form of monopoly.
These institutions make 40% or more net profits, pay low wages, have
large market share and sell their products at top dollar in the US
market. One of the major problems of monopolies is that
they take too much circulating money out of the US economy.
In other words, they create a situation where money does not change hands enough
to buy other goods or services. This creates an unhealthy economy and places downward
pressure on earnings, on re-employment of the unemployed and shrinks the middle class.
This is a structural problem in the global economy and
if it doesn’t change; all government economic stimulus packages will be
temporary, unemployment will go back up and tax revenues will continue to
decline. In other words, the economy will enter a long term trend towards
contraction instead of growth and there won’t be enough revenue to pay for
Medicare and Social Security entitlements.

Currency exchange rates control and limit US exports, large chain
stores are putting increasing pressure on small store owners and the
corporate farm has almost made extinct the family farmer. The news outlets
have been consolidated into the Big 4, thus putting financial pressure on
the rest of the news and newspaper industry.
To give some examples of corporate excess: two or three
beer companies control over 80% of the market share; six movie studios
receive 90% of the movie revenue; four music companies receive 80% of
recording revenue; four wireless providers control 89% of the cellular
telephone market, and 4 big accounting firms dominate globally.
The same economic problems exist both in global
markets and inside our borders, and the lack of competition leaves prices
artificially higher. This lack of competition impedes US economic growth
by taking too much money out of circulation needed for other business
growth.

The January 2010 unemployment rate is near 10% or 15.3 million persons.
This is misleading in terms of how fragile the US economy is. Buried in
this number are the 6.1 million people (3.9%) who are facing long term
unemployment and this group continues to grow. The job loss report is
missing the number of illegal immigrants who previously worked in the US
prior to the economic downturn. If the illegal workers could make an
unemployment claim, the actual loss of jobs is closer to 13%. .
A contributing factor to the slow down in job
creation and a shrinking middle class are when consumers around the world
purchase goods that have been produced by cheap labor. A viscous cycle
begins when those exploited workers do not have enough money to buy enough
quality goods or services necessary to allow the unemployed to be
reintegrated back into the workforce with a good salary. These purchases
then contribute to the higher unemployment rate in the US economy.

Short Term Goals
Economic stimulus provided for home weatherization,
green technology (alternative energy) and infrastructure. Those receiving
unemployment benefits a second time need to be subcontracted by the
government to receive the money. Our government agencies can make
improvements and the unemployed temporarily go back to work.
Long Term Goals
Shift in policy to support direct trade both nationally and
internationally.