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For the past month the fixation has been on the ongoing crisis in the Ukraine, and the continued disappearance of the Malaysian airliner, but very little has been paid to the anemic U.S. economy.    

You can understand why the American people have such a low opinion of both Democrats and Republicans.  Both parties are more concerned with what is best for each party rather then what is in the best interest of the American people.

Missing this month was remarks by Director of the Congressional Budget Office Douglas Elmendorf comments before The Atlantic’s 2014 Economy Summit in Washington D.C.

In his remarks, Elmendorf was quoted as saying the U.S. faces “fundamental fiscal challenges stemming from the growth in spending for Social Security and major health care programs.”

He continued, “the rising cost of those programs leaves Americans with “unpleasant” choices to make, but the sooner they’re made, the better, he said: “So we have a choice as a society to either scale back those programs relative to what is promised under current law; or to raise tax revenue above its historical average to pay for the expansion of those programs; or to cut back on all other spending even more sharply than we already are.”

Speaking with National Journal, Nancy Cook, Elmendorf commented that the U.S. economy is about six million jobs short of where it needs to be.

This coincides with his remarks on the impact of health care reform and the raising of the minimum wage and its impact on long term economic growth as it relates to employment.

Unfortunately this conference was missed by the broader establishment in Washington, who would rather spend considerable time attacking each other than addressing the serious economic stagnation of the U.S. economy.

All one has to do is travel across America and really listen to voices of the American people who are concerned about the future of this country.

Last week the federal government released data that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded at an annual rate of 2.6% in the fourth quarter of 2013, but down from 4.1% in the previous quarter.

All of this came on top of the pitiful employment report released by the Labor Department showing anemic job creation in the months of December and January. 

Every spring for the past few years experts have stated that the economy is improving as we head into summer and each time the economy fails to gain traction.

Both parties can spin what they want from the release of the GDP numbers but after spending over $7 trillion dollars since 2009, over a $17 trillion national debt, we should have a more robust economy.  

Now this week Congress will debate two controversial bills, both deal at the margins of the economy, raising the minimum wage and restoring unemployment benefits to the long term unemployed which expired at the end of 2013.

To some this may have a populist appeal especially as the nation heads into November’s mid-term election.  Both these bills will help a few, but will do nothing impact the lives of the middle class.

What we need is leadership from both parties, but all we get is campaign rhetoric.  [/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]