To the Editor:

America: plus and minus.

Just a few of the pluses:

World’s fastest recovery from the pandemic.

GDP is now three times the average pace.

Unemployment — 3.9%.

Real incomes rising.

Inflation easing now for nine months.

Manufacturing — booming.

Budget deficit was at 15.6% two years ago and is now 5.5% at end of 2022.

U.S. is world’s leader in business.

In world’s top companies, U.S is first in 74% of sectors.

U.S is leading world in AI development and tech overall.

U.S banks now most dominant worldwide.

Dollar is still global reserve currency as result of controls placed after financial collapse.

With new vast tax credits and incentives for sustainable energy in the Inflation Reduction Act, U.S. is becoming the largest sustainable energy and liquid hydrocarbon producer in the world.

U.S has vastly stronger financial and military systems than China or Russia, in all arenas.

U.S. has strong, growing workforce increased by annual 1 million immigrants of mostly young families and workers, which do so much of our basic labor and support systems, whose labor and taxes support Social Security, Medicare, infrastructure, etc., with their labor and taxes. More people see possibility here than any other country.

Yet our success has become an excuse for power plays by too many of our members of Congress.

The world envies us and is confused by the mass shootings, medical costs, crowded prisons, homelessness, is only ranked 17th in quality of life, and the self-defeating congressional deadlocks, coming out of a country that is a world leader in so very many ways.

I am confused, too.

Jim Bay

John Day